Pennsylvania growers who tend flowers, Christmas trees, hemp, fruits and vegetables all work in different industries, but face similar issues of marketing their goods and attracting a future workforce.
Now the state is creating a new agency to help each of these sectors thrive.
“The diversity of industries is a blessing and a strength,” said state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, “but it’s also a challenge.”
Redding on Friday announced the launch of the Center for Plant Excellence at the Penn State Southeast Research Center in Rapho Township. It will be led by Miranda Harple, a Penn State Extension education specialist and first generation apple farmer.
“Farming isn’t something that you do alone,” Harple said. “They’re not just individual businesses, they’re a system where the success depends on our connection and our collaboration and our shared knowledge.”
The center is launching in partnership with Penn State. The state legislature approved $500,000 over the past two fiscal years to get the center up and running. Another $250,000 is proposed for the upcoming fiscal year.
The center’s goal is to advance research, innovation, and business growth in Pennsylvania’s plant-based agriculture sector.
The sector includes forest products, ornamental plants, apples, grapes, and other specialty food crops. Combined, they contribute an estimated $52.7 billion annually to the state economy, according to the 2021 Pennsylvania Agriculture Economic Impact Study.
The center is meant to provide a centralized and coordinated effort for growth and innovation among the industries, as the state’s existing Centers for Animal Excellence do.
Redding said the Center for Dairy Excellence took the lead on developing an apprenticeship program to build up the future workforce for the dairy industry. He said the Center for Plant Excellence could address the specific concerns of the horticultural industry, such as invasive species.
Harple said the next year will be focused on building connections in the industry, setting priorities, and laying the groundwork for long-term impact.
She said the center will also establish an advisory network that will help them be responsive to emerging needs and give every sector a voice in shaping the center.
Harple said each industry has its own set of pressures, including rising costs of labor and worker shortages, and increasing challenges with pest and disease management. She said those challenges don’t exist in isolation.
“What impacts one sector often ripples through another,” Harple said. “So, the Center for Plant Excellence recognizes that by strengthening one industry, we can create opportunities for everyone. The center will ensure that Pennsylvania’s plant industries have the resources, the partnerships, and the expertise to adapt, grow, and lead.”
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