Pennsylvania announced nearly $300,000 to recruit and train diversified vegetable apprentices.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE | On Aug. 30, 2022, The Departments of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and Agriculture announced $293,070 in new funding to enhance the Diversified Vegetable Pre-Apprenticeship and Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship program. Pasa Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is partnering with six farmer training programs to provide five registered apprentices for three years. Each partner will train five pre-apprentices a year for three years.
“Through this funding, PASA will be able to provide training for diversified vegetable apprentices and pre-apprentices across Pennsylvania,” said Gov. Wolf. “The invaluable skillset these apprentices and pre-apprentices learn helps keep agriculture at the forefront of the commonwealth’s economy. My administration is pleased to continue to support these programs.”
“Pennsylvania has a strong workforce, and it is due, in part, to programs like this one,” said Gwen Ross, director of Workforce Development Initiatives at DCED. “Continuing to invest in programs that provide training and develop our workforce is a key way to give Pennsylvania a competitive advantage.”
“Consumer demand for locally grown food is growing rapidly,” Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Special Assistant Sara Gligora said. “For Pennsylvania growers to meet that demand and compete in the marketplace, they need skilled workers who can adapt to new technologies. These apprenticeships are a solid investment in attracting good students and paying them while they learn the skills agriculture needs to keep feeding demand and feeding the world.”
What is PASA?
PASA was established in 1992 by a group of Pennsylvania farmers. The organization administers farmer training, research, policy, peer education, and local food programs, according to its website. Its goal is to create a world where agriculture nourishes, heals, and empowers by cultivating environmentally sound, economically viable, community-focused farms and food systems.
More information about the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program and other economic development programs is available on the DCED website.
