Gov. Wolf signs high tunnel farm bill into law

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While high tunnel use to grow produce in Pennsylvania has been faced with state regulation burdens intended for commercial and residential development, Gov. Tom Wolf signed House Bill 1486 to mitigate those burdens.

A top priority issue for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) this year, the new law prevents municipalities from requiring farmers to submit stormwater management plans on high tunnel structures that already meet the law’s guidelines.

“This is a victory for farmers across the Commonwealth, who are helping to meet increased consumer demand for locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables,” PFB President Rick Ebert said. “High tunnel structures, which are also called hoophouses, clearly should not be required to meet the same regulatory standards as permanent commercial office buildings or housing developments.”

High tunnel use has seen increased interest among farmers looking to extend the growing season but has also seen many farmers holding off on assembling the structures due to the uncertainty of regulations and costs they may face.

“The overall cost of putting together a stormwater management plan for a high tunnel structure would have likely eliminated or significantly negated the profitability of using the high tunnel in the first place,” Ebert said. “The new law should remove those obstacles and benefit local consumers.”