Jan. 23, 2017
One of the best moves Gov. Tom Wolf made when he took office was appointing Russell Redding to serve in his cabinet as secretary of the Department of Agriculture. Secretary Redding served in the same capacity during the latter years of Gov. Ed Rendell’s second term. Wolf re-appointed Secretary Redding in 2015 and pleased many people by doing so. I am happy to also call the secretary a constituent, as he is a resident of the 193rd Legislative District.
As someone who grew up in a rural community, I enjoy attending the Pennsylvania Farm Show each year. One of the highlights for me is the annual public officials luncheon, at which time we receive a “State of the State of Agriculture” address from the secretary of Agriculture.
Secretary Redding’s speech was one that all Pennsylvanians should hear, especially in light of what many of us perceive as a lack of recognition (and maybe even respect) for the agriculture industry. Too often, the agriculture line item is cut during budget negotiations, despite its impact on our state’s economy.
Did you know there are more than 59,000 farms in Pennsylvania (an average of more than 880 per county)? Were you aware that Pennsylvania is in the top five nationally among more than 10 agricultural commodity categories? We also have more than 2,300 food processing plants in the Commonwealth that play a key role in getting food to our dining room table.
Agriculture in Pennsylvania is not limited to what we eat. It also involves the table around which we sit. Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of hardwood species grown, with 17 million acres of forest land that contribute to our status as the leading producer of hardwood lumber. More than 80,000 Pennsylvanians are employed directly by forest products industries, and hundreds of thousands of our citizens benefit as owners of timberlands.
In Adams and Cumberland counties, agriculture remains the No. 1 industry. Adams County alone has more than 20,000 acres devoted solely to fruit growing. Both counties also house very large turkey operations, an industry which has struggled in recent years to fight the avian flu epidemic. As a former employee of Wampler Foods in New Oxford, and with a turkey farm a short distance from my house, I can vouch for how hard our Department of Agriculture works to address this issue. I appreciate all the department has done for these local businesses, which matter significantly in our local economy.
Secretary Redding’s best line of the day occurred when he said, “The easiest day in agriculture is when you plant something. Every day after that is work.” Our farming community has always been made up of hard-working people. A 9-to-5 schedule would be like a vacation for them, and vacations are something that are difficult for them to enjoy, much less take. They are a tight-knit community made up of individuals who compete against each other to some extent, but know they must work together to survive.
I won’t go as far as to say today’s children have no idea how the food on their table gets there. I will say there was a time in our local communities when one school day was allocated in nearly every district to a bus trip to the Farm Show. This was a tremendous learning experience for many of these students. Sadly, that trip has fallen by the wayside in too many school districts.
We need to do everything we can to educate future generations about process, particularly when it comes to agriculture. The American farmer deserves, and has more than earned, our respect. Passing along to our children and grandchildren their work ethic, along with the knowledge of the essential role farmers play in society, is a great investment that costs very little money but offers significant payback.
Representative Will Tallman
193rd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
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