Gov. Shapiro stops by Schuylkill County potato farm
But to do so in the current agriculture economy it will need to farm as efficiently as possible, with demand for its products continuing to grow.
So Sterman Masser recently applied for and received a $400,000 grant through a new state program to buy an eight-row planter, the biggest such piece of machinery on its farm or anywhere in the county.
And visiting the Hubley Township farm on Monday to speak about the new program was Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said he has prioritized the state's agricultural industry since being elected in 2022.
'I want agriculture to be the center of our economy in Pennsylvania,' he said while standing on the farm with Dave Masser, President and CEO of Sterman Masser.
Gov. Josh Shapiro takes questions from reporters during a press conference on the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program at Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Sacramento, Monday, May 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
The agricultural innovation grant program that Shapiro's administration created last year is the first of its type in the nation, and has already supported 88 projects in 45 counties, which shows the state's commitment to family farms, Shapiro said.
He is pushing for an additional $15 million in the state's 2025–26 proposed budget to meet continued demand and expand access to innovation capital for Pennsylvania farmers and producers, he said.
'We were overrun with applications,' Shapiro said.
The grant for Sterman Masser covered half the cost of purchasing the $400,000 machine, which will be delivered next year and which will help double the number of acres it uses for potato planting and harvesting.
Dave Masser, President and CEO of Sterman Masser, speaks about the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program at Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Sacramento, Monday, May 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
'In Pennsylvania, we have a narrow window to plant over 1,000 acres of potatoes, and this planter will greatly assist us in planting in optimal conditions,' Masser said. 'Investing in innovation keeps Pennsylvania growing for the next generation.'
Supporting agriculture helps create jobs, feeds families and drives economic growth, ensuring Pennsylvania remains at the forefront of the farming industry, Shapiro said, pointing to Sterman Masser as an example.
Operating one of the largest potato processing facilities in the northeast, Sterman Masser has 400 employees, and its new machine will boost planting efficiency, reduce fuel usage, and allow it to increase the acres they plant and harvest from 1,000 to 2,000 acres.
Sterman Masser grows, processes, packs and ships a variety of products from its red, white, yellow and russet potatoes, ranging from bulk quantities to ready-to-eat convenience products.
A variety of potato offerings from Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Sacramento, Monday, May 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
As a result of its innovation grant, for the first time in 50 years Pennsylvania will see an increase in the number of acres used for potato planting and harvesting, Shapiro said.
The Commonwealth is home to 50,000 farms, contributing $132 billion to the economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs, he said.
'Our farmers are the backbone of our economy here in Pennsylvania — they put food on our tables, in our stores, and in our restaurants every day. If we want to compete and succeed as a commonwealth, then we have to invest in our ag economy,' he said.
Also receiving a recent state innovation grant was Jersey Acres Farm near Friedensburg, which it will use to buy a robotic milking machine for its dairy operation. Farm owner Kent Heffner, who additionally serves as president of the Schuylkill/Carbon County Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, also spoke on Monday about the importance of the new program.
Kent Heffner, President of the Schuylkill/Carbon County Farm Bureau, speaks during a press conference for the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program at Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Sacramento, Monday, May 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
'When I was in high school, one farmer fed about 25 people. Today, that number has escalated to over 150,' he said. 'The need to increase our efficiency will only grow.
'I believe the future of agriculture will focus on smaller farms doing on-farm processing and selling directly to consumers. That means more funding will be needed to get these projects up and running — everything from fruit and vegetable processing to meat and milk. The need for this program is going to be great. We've entered a new era — the era of sustainability — where we must get food from farm to table more efficiently to feed more people than ever before. Thanks to the ag innovation grant program, Pennsylvania is on the forefront of this era.'
The funded projects from the new program span 31 commodities and 40 types of innovation, including precision irrigation, robotics, biodegradable packaging and carbon-storing crops.
Also during his visit Monday, Shapiro also spoke about his opposition to federal funding cuts by President Donald Trump's administration that would hurt Pennsylvania farms and rural areas, leaving many of those communities behind, he said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro takes a look inside the cab of a tractor at Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Sacramento, Monday, May 12, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
Therefore, Shapiro said he is now urging federal legislators to avoid taking such action, saying the cuts would be 'really, really devastating' to farmers since states could not afford to replace the federal money being taken away.
'We seem to be investing in agriculture when seemingly the federal government is divesting,' Shapiro said.
'Ag shouldn't be a partisan exercise. It should be something that lifts everyone up.'
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