Pa. ag secretary visits state Grange Session
CRANBERRY TWP — State Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding spoke to the 146th Pennsylvania State Grange Session Friday, emphasizing the group's importance to Pennsylvania agriculture.
“Thank you for what the Grange does every day,” he said during a speech at the Pittsburgh Marriott North. “Not just at your convention.”
Much of his talk centered on the needs of the state's dairy industry.
He thanked the Grange for its support on promoting milk, defending the use of the term and supporting initiatives to see the return of whole milk in schools.
“I very much appreciate your support on dairy,” he said.
Redding also took questions from people in the crowd, and many of them wanted to further understand the secretary's thoughts on the Pennsylvania dairy industry.
Through conversations with people in both agriculture and dairy, Redding said he'd encourage everything from packaging changes to finding ways to encourage consumers to buy single-serving packages of milk to capitalize on the premium folks put on portability.
He also said he was heartened to see an increase in demand for whole milk over 1 percent or skim varieties.
“When I see low fat I see low joy,” he said, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Redding explained some of the difficulties with combating invasive species and the complexity of interstate commerce, when milk travels for processing and returns to the state.
Redding closed thanking the Grange again “for all you do.”
Pennsylvania State Grange President Wayne Campbell said, “The convention brings people from across the state to discuss and adopt policies for the Pennsylvania State Grange and to review issues to be forwarded to the National Grange Convention in November.”
The organization estimated that 300 delegates representing their subordinate Granges were at this year's Pennsylvania State Grange convention.
