Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced today PA Agricultural Business Development Center is accepting applications for up to $15,000 in Farm Vitality Planning Grants. The 2026-27 budget includes $500,000 for the PA Farm Bill grant program which supports strategic business planning to expand, diversify, or transition farms to new owners.
The Shapiro Administration secured an eighth year of funding for PA Farm Bill initiatives at $13.8 million in a 2026-27 budget that grows Pennsylvania agriculture through smart investments in economic development, job creation, and innovation.
“Pennsylvania farmers know how to grow crops and raise livestock, but growing a successful business takes planning,” Sec. Redding said. “These grants give farmers access to the expertise they need to make informed decisions about expanding their operations, diversifying income, or preparing the next generation to take the reins. When we invest in planning today, we strengthen family farms, rural communities, and Pennsylvania’s agricultural economy for decades to come.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Farm Vitality Grants were created under the historic PA Farm Bill in 2019 and are offered through the department’s Agricultural Business Development Center, another PA Farm Bill initiative. The grants have funded more than $3.8 million in project planning, and financial and technical expertise to support growth opportunities for 482 Pennsylvania farms. This includes planning to help 171 owners of preserved farms protect the investment the farm family and the public have made to protect their land for development.
In 2025, based on input from farmers on the current costs of professional planning services, the Shapiro Administration doubled the maximum reimbursement amount. This enabled farmers and prospective farmers to receive up to $15,000 to cover up to 75% of eligible project planning costs.
Farm Vitality Planning Grants can be combined with other PA Farm Bill funding, including the programs listed below and others, to help plan and finance farm transitions:
- Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program, which provides tax credits as an incentive to those who sell or rent agricultural assets to beginning farmers. Since the Shapiro Administration began, 88 farm owners have received Beginning Farmer Tax Credits, saving collectively more than $1.7 million on their taxes and helping them pass the torch to the next generation to take up farming.
- Beginning Farmer Realty Transfer Tax Exemptions through which the Administration has certified 82 beginning farmers purchasing preserved farms and generating $918,269 in tax savings on the sale of those farms.
- Next Generation Farmer Loan Program, which uses federal tax-exempt financing to reduce a farmer’s interest rate for capital purchases, to help young families fund farm expansions and purchases. During this Administration, 122 farmers have qualified for more than $70 million in low-interest, tax-exempt loans through the program.
For planning resources, financing, and other information to support your farm business’ future, visit the Agricultural Business Development Center at agriculture.pa.gov.
Apply online through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s single electronic application. Full program guidelines are published in the August 8 edition of the PA Bulletin. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.
Supporting Farmers and Making Critical Investments in the Future of Pennsylvania Agriculture and Food Access
Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector is the backbone of the Commonwealth, with more than 48,800 farms contributing over $132 billion a year to the economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. Governor Shapiro has prioritized strengthening both agriculture and food security — helping farmers, families, and communities thrive. The 2026-27 budget continues this work with:
- $10 million to create Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants, supporting farmers who were impacted by this year’s devastating spring freeze — in addition to USDA streamlined assistance secured after the Shapiro Administration called for federal support in May. PDA will accept applications from August 24-September 21, 2026 from Pennsylvania growers fruit growers whose crops were affected by the April freeze.
- $5 million from the existing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) fund to expand education for farmers working to combat the spread of HPAI.
- $10 million to continue the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program to drive innovation in Pennsylvania agriculture.
- $13.8 million to fully fund the Pennsylvania Farm Bill to support business planning, infrastructure, and workforce development.
Learn how Governor Josh Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy recognizes agriculture as key to our future economic success and find more investments in a strong future for Pennsylvania agriculture at shapirobudget.pa.gov.
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