Wolf Administration announces 2019 Dairy Innovation Forum

The Wolf Administration announced Monday the second Dairy Innovation Forum, which will be held during the 2019 All-American Dairy Show in the PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg on Sept. 17.

“Pennsylvania’s dairy industry is vital to our heritage, our communities, and our economy,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “The resources and opportunities we will explore during this forum will give producers tools to innovate, strengthen, and sustain their businesses in the future. The All-American Dairy Show provides a perfect backdrop of the finest in dairy livestock and dairy families to inspire a productive summit.”

The event will showcase the Dairy Investment Program, a $5 million package of grants awarded earlier this year to support innovation through research and development, organic transition, and value-added processing of products like cheese and yogurt.

The grant program was funded again in the PA Farm Bill, which Governor Wolf signed in July.

The PA Farm Bill is a package of legislation that provides support for and continued investments in Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. The legislation provides for business development and succession planning, accommodations for a growing animal agriculture sector, removing regulatory burdens, strengthening the ag workforce, protecting infrastructure and making Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state. The PA Farm Bill was modeled after the governor’s six-point plan to cultivate future generations of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry.

The summit will also include presentations on Food Safety Modernization Requirements and resources available through the Dairy Check-Off program.