Pennsylvania farmers can apply for state grants of up to $7,500 for organic transition planning assistance.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the grants are available through the 2019 Farm Bill’s $1 million Farm Vitality Grant program. The program funds professional planning services for farms for a variety of needs from generational transition planning to organic transition assistance. Since opening, the program has been funding projects as they come in on a funds-available basis. The maximum grant amount is $7,500 and is limited to 75 percent of the project cost.

“We live in a society where there’s a real desire for organic, local food. These Farm Vitality grants were meant to strengthen Pennsylvania’s farms, and what better way to do that than by helping them to break into new markets,” Redding said.

Pennsylvania has more than 1,000 certified organic farms and more than 93,000 acres of certified organic land. According to the U.S. Organic Trade Association, in 2018 U.S. organic sales reached more than $52 billion, up 6.3 percent from the previous year.

Farmers interested in taking advantage of the Farm Vitality Grant Program should apply by April 3. Farmers with questions should contact Morgan Sheffield at 717-787-3568 or msheffield@pa.gov.