Three farms in Butler County each received a $7,500 state Farm Viability Grant, which became available as a result of the 2019 Farm Bill.

Grants were awarded to 133 farms in 46 counties in Pennsylvania, according to a recent news release from Gov. Tom Wolf's office.

The grants are meant to enhance the long-term vitality of the state's family farms.

All recipients got $7,500 and must provide $2,500 in matching funds toward the projects they intend to pursue.

Jeff Kennedy, of Four Seasons Dairy Farm in Penn Township, said he will use his grant to draw up an improvement plan for the farm and begin transitioning ownership to his son, Jordan, 29.

The farm was purchased in the mid-1950s by his grandfather and later was owned by his father, former county Commissioner Jim Kennedy, before being passed on to Jeff and now, Jordan.

Jeff Kennedy said the farm typically milks 65 to 70 head of cattle, but those numbers have been trimmed to about 47 because of restaurant, school and other closures that have accompanied the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID-19 really put everything in slow mode,” Kennedy said.

Art King, who owns Harvest Valley Farms in Middlesex Township with his brother, Larry, said he will spend his grant funds on labor costs.

“Labor costs are through the roof, especially with the drought,” King said of watering his crops in the recently dry weather. “We are putting so many more hours in and had to buy additional equipment.”

He said the Farm Viability Grant, as well as the Payroll Protection Program grant he received to help during the pandemic, represented much-needed relief in an uncertain time.

“It could not have been more timely for me,” King said of the PPP grant.

He said he had hired a consultant from Lancaster in December who recommended he buy more organic fertilizers and pesticides.

“So we are investing more that way,” King said.

According to Wolf's news release, the county's third grant recipient, beef farmer Donald Bergbigler, of Clearfield Township, is one of 60 grant recipients whose farms are part of a conservation easement and must be used for farming forever.

“Bergbigler has worked his entire life to build his farm operation from the ground up and is transitioning the farm to a young neighbor who is an experienced farmer,” the news release stated.

Russell Redding, the state secretary of agriculture, said he was happy to see the farmers receive the grants because when farmers succeed, the whole state succeeds.

“These grants will help farm families with all types and sizes of operations create sound plans for their future and explore the feasibility, profitability and sustainability of those plans,” Redding said.