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Pennsylvania agriculture secretary announces $10 million to help farms, families in need

WGAL News 8 coronavirus coverage

Pennsylvania agriculture secretary announces $10 million to help farms, families in need

WGAL News 8 coronavirus coverage

ANNOUNCEMENT. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE RUSSELL READING CAME TO SOUDERS EGGS IN LANCASTER COUNTY TO ANNOUNCE THE TEN MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL CARES ACT FUNDING IS GOING TO GO TO THE PAST PROGRAM, PENNSYLVANIA AGRICULTURAL SURPLUS SYSTEM. THERE ARE FIELDS OF PRODUCE. THERE IS MILK THAT’S BEEN DUMPED OR EGGS ARE DISCARDED. THIS IS THE SOLUTION TO THAT THE PROGRAM NICKNAME PASS REIMBURSES FARMERS FOR SURPLUS PRODUCT AND DELIVERS NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE STATE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED IN NORMAL YEARS ABOUT MILLION ARE SERVED THIS YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC WHICH LEFT MANY. UNEMPLOYED FOOD BANK SERVED FIVE AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS IN JUST THREE MONTHS MANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAD NEVER BEEN TO A FOOD BANK OR FOOD PANTRY AND HAD NEVER IMAGINED. THEY NEED FOOD HELP THE PANDEMIC TOOK AWAY MARKETS FROM FARMERS AS RESTAURANTS AND SCHOOLS CLOSED AND CITIZENS BEGAN EATING IN THOSE TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAM. CALL IT OUT WIN-WIN FOR PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS JUST IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. WE’VE DONATED OVER 40,000 DOZENS HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM FEUD. SECURITY GOVERNOR WOLF INITIATED THE PAST PROGRAM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. IT WAS FUNDED AT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC
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Pennsylvania agriculture secretary announces $10 million to help farms, families in need

WGAL News 8 coronavirus coverage

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said Thursday that $10 million will help farms and families in need.Redding visited Sauder's Eggs in Lancaster County to announce that the money from the federal coronavirus relief bill will go to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, or PASS."There are fields of produce. There is milk that's been dumped, there are eggs discarded. This is the solution to that," Redding said.PASS purchases surplus products from farmers and distributes the nutritious food to food banks across the state.In typical years, about 2 million people are served. With the coronavirus pandemic leaving many people unemployed, food banks served 5.5 million people in three months, officials said."Many of these people had never been to a food bank or food pantry and had never imagined they'd need food help," said Jane Clements-Smith, of Feeding Pennsylvania.The pandemic took away markets from farmers, as restaurants and schools closed and residents started eating in.Those taking part in the program called it a win-win for producers and consumers."Just in the last 12 months, we've donated over 40,000 dozens here in Pennsylvania to people who are suffering from food insecurity," said Mark Sauder, of Sauder's Eggs.More information about food security and resources for Pennsylvanians in need is available at the Department of Agriculture website.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said Thursday that $10 million will help farms and families in need.

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Redding visited Sauder's Eggs in Lancaster County to announce that the money from the federal coronavirus relief bill will go to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, or PASS.

"There are fields of produce. There is milk that's been dumped, there are eggs discarded. This is the solution to that," Redding said.

PASS purchases surplus products from farmers and distributes the nutritious food to food banks across the state.

In typical years, about 2 million people are served. With the coronavirus pandemic leaving many people unemployed, food banks served 5.5 million people in three months, officials said.

"Many of these people had never been to a food bank or food pantry and had never imagined they'd need food help," said Jane Clements-Smith, of Feeding Pennsylvania.

The pandemic took away markets from farmers, as restaurants and schools closed and residents started eating in.

Those taking part in the program called it a win-win for producers and consumers.

"Just in the last 12 months, we've donated over 40,000 dozens [of eggs] here in Pennsylvania to people who are suffering from food insecurity," said Mark Sauder, of Sauder's Eggs.

More information about food security and resources for Pennsylvanians in need is available at the Department of Agriculture website.