State accepting applications for Farm Bill Agriculture & Youth Grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development recently opened the application period for PA Farm Bill Agriculture & Youth Grants.

The Ag and Youth Program awards grants of up to $7,500 and matches grants of up to $25,000. In this ground of funding, $500,000 will be awarded.

Eligible applicants are youth-run organizations and organizations with programs that benefit youth or promote development in agriculture, community leadership, vocational training, and peer fellowship. Funding can be used to support projects, programs, and equipment purchases.

Past funded projects included agricultural safety training, capital projects, seminars and field trips, workforce development programs, and equipment purchases to lead students to agriculture opportunities.

“To meet increasingly complex challenges brought on by climate change and rapidly evolving technology, we need youth who are innovative problem-solvers,” Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “These grants help us cultivate and inspire the generation that will feed us tomorrow.”

The application deadline is Sept. 30. Applications must be submitted online.

The 2021-22 Ag and Youth Program funded 57 projects in 33 counties.

Agriculture is a $132.5 billion industry in Pennsylvania that provides more than 593,000 jobs. Since 2018, the size of the workforce has increased by 2.4 percent.