Growing the Future of Pennsylvania Agriculture and Food Systems
- Juliette Crellin and Sally J. Guzik
- Sep 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 23
The Economic Power of Pennsylvania Agriculture
Agriculture has always been part of Pennsylvania’s story. You see it in the rolling fields, in roadside farm stands, and in the families who keep working the same ground their grandparents once tended. The numbers are impressive, too. The state’s 48,000 farms support nearly 600,000 jobs and contribute about $132.5 billion to the economy each year (pa.gov). In Lancaster County alone, agriculture accounts for billions in production value and employs about 17% of the local workforce (lancasteragcouncil.com).
The New Challenges Facing Modern Farmers
Farmers have always been adjusting. Weather, pests, markets, these have never been easy. What feels new now is the combination and scale of pressures. Supply chains stretch across continents. Weather swings more sharply and less predictably. Farms struggle to find and keep workers. Technology races ahead, changing how food is planted, harvested, and delivered. Success today relies not just on long hours in the fields but also on planning, collaboration, and the willingness to try new ideas. When those pieces come together, agriculture can continue to provide jobs and also play a role in addressing climate change.
On September 10, we were in Fairview for the opening of Nelson-Jameson’s new distribution hub. The company has supplied the food industry for more than seventy-five years, and its decision to expand in northwest Pennsylvania shows how food systems are shifting. Farmers, processors, manufacturers, and distributors are closely linked. A change in one part quickly ripples through the rest. That is why planning has to account for the system as a whole.
Investing in the Future: The Pennsylvania Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan
Planning how to support the whole system is one focus of the 10-Year Pennsylvania Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan, a partnership between Team Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture, and Fourth Economy. Through data analysis and conversations across the sector, we are identifying what investments will have the greatest impact, whether that means adopting new farming practices, strengthening supply chains, or preparing the next generation of workers.
Key Strategies for Stronger Local Food Systems
For communities thinking about their own agricultural future, a few practical steps can help:
Engage farmers early and often. They are closest to the issues and usually have the clearest sense of emerging challenges.
Connect agriculture to workforce pipelines. Partnering with schools and community colleges can create pathways into careers in farming, food production, and ag-tech.
Strengthen local markets. Building relationships between farmers, processors, and consumers can reduce risk and increase resilience.
Plan for infrastructure. Broadband, transportation, and energy investments are critical for farms, just as they are for manufacturers.
Integrate food security goals. Strategies that link agricultural planning to hunger and nutrition efforts deliver broader community impact.
Pennsylvania’s agricultural strength has never been only about what the land produces. It is about people, place, and the networks that hold them together. Resilience in the years ahead will come from keeping those connections strong, making smart investments, and remembering that agriculture is both an economic engine and a foundation for community well-being.
Across Pennsylvania, farming supports families, strengthens towns, and drives the economy. Securing its future means looking beyond short-term fixes and building strategies that strengthen local food systems, prepare the next generation of workers, expand access to land and capital for farmers, plan for farm succession, and invest in the infrastructure agriculture depends on, including broadband, transportation, and energy, while making thoughtful decisions about land use.
Pennsylvania can go further by tying these efforts together. Linking agriculture to workforce development, planning for climate resilience, and integrating food security into local and regional strategies creates a stronger, more coordinated system. Communities that take these steps now will be better positioned to attract investment, support farm families, and sustain long-term growth.
We bring this systems approach to our work, from advancing broadband access through efforts like the BEAD program, to strengthening food systems with partners such as 412 Food Rescue, to guiding long-term planning through the Pennsylvania Agriculture Project, and to shaping workforce strategies that connect people to opportunity.
We partner with regions to design practical agricultural and economic development strategies that connect data with lived experience. If your community is ready to plan for the future of Pennsylvania agriculture, contact us at [email protected].
