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Please be aware the upcoming Breakfast Meeting on Agriculture scheduled for next week in Wellsboro is at capacity and registration is now closed. Thank you to the agriculture community for your overwhelming interest.

Senate Majority Policy Committee to Review Flood Mitigation in Williamsport

The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Sen. Dave Argall, will visit Williamsport on Wednesday to review flood mitigation strategies and state programs to repair streams.

Last year, nearly every county in the 23^rd District was impacted by severe flooding from Tropical Storm Debby. We have an opportunity to help local officials respond more quickly and efficiently to flood-related problems by allowing them to repair and remediate our streams. Proper stream maintenance protects our communities from flood damage, and I appreciate Sen. Argall and my fellow Policy Committee members for taking on this issue.

In conjunction with the hearing, I’ll be reintroducing a package of bills addressing stream maintenance and giving counties and municipalities greater flexibility in handling obstructions and flood-related hazards in local waterways.

The public hearing will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 12 from 1-3 p.m. at the Penn College Professional Development Center, located at 1067 Hagan Way in Williamsport, PA.

Read more HERE.

Addressing the Rural Health Care Worker Shortage

Last week, I attended a press conference with state and local elected officials, along with leaders from Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital to discuss challenges facing the health care industry in rural Pennsylvania. The governor cited Guthrie as a model for other rural systems on how to attract and retain health care professionals. We had a great discussion on how to prioritize rural Pennsylvania and strengthen these initiatives in the upcoming budget.

Chesapeake Bay Commission Launches Commonwealth Fellowship Program

The Chesapeake Bay Commission is seeking a graduate-level fellow for a one-year placement in our Annapolis, MD office. The fellow will work under the guidance of the Commission’s Executive Director and Administrative Officer, with opportunities to support the Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Directors. This position offers the opportunity to be at the intersection of science and policy, at the state, regional, and federal levels, on issues of concern to the Commission’s member jurisdictions when it comes to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

Anyone interested is encouraged to apply by sending a personal statement, resume, and references to Lisa Eddy, VASG competitive research and education coordinator, at lmeddy@vaseagrant.org. Applications are due by 5pm on April 18th, 2025. Please note that this position is not limited to applicants from Virginia.

Learn more HERE.

Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program Now Accepting Applications

The Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program helps fund professional services for those planning for the future of a farm—designed to enhance the long-term vitality of Pennsylvania’s farms through business planning, efficient transitions of ownership, strategic expansion, diversification of agricultural production, and building a team of financial and technical expertise as a resource for farmers. Grants support projects like these:

• Enhancing a farm’s long-term success with business and management strategies.
• Transitioning farm ownership and operation to new people.
• Passing ownership and operation within the family.
• Diversifying agricultural production with new plans.
• Expanding or seeking financing for growth.
• Ensuring farms with conservation easements remain profitable and protect public investments.

Learn more and apply HERE.

Senate Finishes Review of Shapiro’s Massive Spending Proposal

The Senate Appropriations Committee concluded the third week of its examination of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal, which totals $51.5 billion and would increase state spending by 7.5% over the current year’s budget. Despite a huge increase overall, Shapiro proposes cutting important initiatives that serve Pennsylvanians and the employers that provide their jobs.

The Department of Agriculture hearing focused on Avian Influenza, including its threat to the state economy and the effect it has already had on egg prices. Despite these serious problems, Shapiro proposed cutting the funding for programs to fight Avian Influenza by $25 million. The governor’s proposed cuts to agriculture threaten a top industry in Pennsylvania that supports more than 593,000 jobs.

The committee discussed another shocking decision by Shapiro at the Department of Community and Economic Development hearing. He wants to cut $15 million earmarked for highly successful workforce development programs. The programs meet the needs of Pennsylvanians and prepare them to fill roles for in-demand industries. Making cuts that impact the ability of people to secure family-sustaining jobs and contribute to our economy doesn’t make sense.

During the Department of Corrections and Pennsylvania Parole Board hearing, committee members discussed the financial impacts of prison closures. The Shapiro Administration wants to close two prisons and two community corrections centers. Yet, Shapiro still wants to increase overall spending for the state correctional institution system by $143 million to a total of $3.3 billion. Then, he uses completely unrealistic spending estimates and claims there won’t be any increases for the next four budget years. It’s his attempt to make it look like his budget balances for the next four years – nothing more than a budget gimmick that masks the true challenges in the years ahead.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and Office of the State Fire Commissioner hearing highlighted Shapiro’s poor budget projections for PEMA. His budget would slash funding for the agency by nearly $13.5 million, a reduction of 29%. Among the proposed cuts was the elimination of $6 million for Urban Search and Rescue, an initiative the governor just signed into law in October 2024.

At the Department of Human Services (DHS) hearing, committee members shared concerns about Shapiro’s plan to increase DHS spending by approximately $2 billion, a jump of more than 10% compared to this budget year. In addition to the rapid growth of the department, discussion also covered excessive Medicaid expenses for GLP-1 medications like Ozempic for weight loss and a waiver that allows able-bodied Pennsylvanians without dependents to receive food assistance without meeting work requirements.

At the hearing for the Budget Secretary and Executive Offices, members highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s unrealistic new revenues; suppression of future human services and education costs; and overstatement of baseline revenue growth. Using realistic projections for revenue and expenditures, Shapiro’s budget would eliminate the state’s $3 billion fund balance and take an additional $1.6 billion from the state’s emergency savings, also known as the Rainy Day Fund.

Having completed the official review of Shapiro’s budget proposal, the Senate will use its findings from the hearings to craft its own spending plan, with the goal of enacting a final 2025-26 state budget. Find video and recaps of every budget hearing at PASenateGOP.com.

Beware: Rise in Scams Involving Bitcoin ATMs

Attorney General Dave Sunday is warning Pennsylvanians that scammers are now using Bitcoin ATMs, or “BTMs,” to gain access to other people’s money. This scam starts with messages that sound urgent, like “protect your money” or “take care of any criminal charges.” Unsuspecting consumers may also be persuaded to act because scammers have personal information, such as their bank or financial situation.

After coercing a consumer into making large cash withdrawals, the cyber criminals tell the consumer to deposit the funds into a BTM. Following that deposit, the criminals ask the consumer to scan and send a QR code, which gives the criminal access to the funds. It also, in most cases, makes it impossible to get the money back.

Financial scams typically start with a telephone call, text message, email, social media message or an alert on your computer. Avoid falling prey by never responding directly to unexpected calls or withdrawing cash in response to an unexpected call or message. Learn more ways to protect yourself from scammers.

Open Now: PennDOT Survey About Your Transportation Needs

Motorists are encouraged to share feedback regarding their transportation needs and concerns with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) via its Transportation Survey before April 30. Responses will impact the 12-Year Program, which lists statewide planned projects and assigns funding to them. You may also call 717-783-2262 to request a paper copy or to complete the survey over the phone.

Before filling out the survey, you may wish to review the 2025 Transportation Performance Report. Recently released by the State Transportation Commission (STC), the report contains information about how Pennsylvania’s transportation system performed in the last two years.

There will also be an online public forum on Thursday, April 10, featuring a presentation from Secretary of Transportation Michael Carroll, as well as a live question-and-answer session with PennDOT personnel and STC members. Register for the forum and submit your transportation questions for the Q&A session by filling out the registration form or emailing them to RA-PennDOTSTC@pa.gov.

New Recommendations for PA Poultry Producers to Prevent Spread of HPAI

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued new recommendations for poultry producers to combat the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

The department is recommending heightened biosecurity focusing on preventing contact of poultry with wild birds and dairy cattle. It also recommends maintaining poultry indoors if possible during this period of heightened risk.

HPAI has been circulating in the wild bird population in the United States and was identified in commercial poultry in early 2022. In addition, 17 new cases have been confirmed in dairy herds in four states in the past 30 days. No cases have been reported in PA dairies to date.

Poultry producers can find more information and contacts for assistance here.

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