Lycoming County – Lycoming County Resource Management Services has reopened the recycling drop off site at Brady Township, located at 1986 Elimsport Road, Montgomery, PA 17752.

If you or anyone in your household has COVID19, please throw away your recyclables. If you do not wish to visit the drop off sites, please know single stream recycling is available in Lycoming County. Reach out to your waste hauler for details.

Recycling drop off site has reopened at Brady Township, located at the Township Building. Please know that the recycling site no longer has steps to use the plastics/metals container.

Please be aware that collection procedures have changed. To better accommodate the inbound recyclables and help with its transportation, more materials will be combined:

1. FIBER/PAPERS which include magazines, newspapers, chipboard, office paper junk mail, and cardboard that has been broken down are all acceptable into one container.

2. PLASTICS BOTTLES 1&2/METAL CANS which include plastic bottles/jars #1&2 only, tin/steel cans, and aluminum cans are all acceptable into one container.

3. GLASS BOTTLES/JARS are still acceptable and are still separated by color (clear/brown/green).

PLASTIC BAGS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE RECYCLING CONTAINERS, PLEASE EMPTY ANY BAGGED MATERIAL AND TAKE THE BAGS BACK HOME WITH YOU (only exception is for shredded office paper, please put your shredded office paper in a clear bag).

Thank you for your recycling participation. Please know that you may recycle at any of the open Lycoming County recycling drop off sites regardless of your municipality. For an updated list of open drop off sites, please check our website www.lcrms.com.

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced beginning Saturday, November 21, a drive-thru and outdoor testing clinic will be held in the parking lot at the former Dickson City K-Mart in Lackawanna County to help contain the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.

“Since the beginning of September, we have seen an increase of 2,276 cases in Lackawanna County, which gives us significant cause for concern,” Dr. Levine said. “This testing site will be open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The department has signed a contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI) to provide testing in communities in need across Pennsylvania. Lackawanna is the last county to receive testing from this contract. AMI has already deployed to Centre, Columbia, Indiana, Berks, Northumberland, Lebanon, Huntingdon, Westmoreland, Blair and Bradford counties to perform community testing.

The department decides which counties to deploy testing based on the total number of confirmed cases in the last 14 days per 100,000 people as well as where outbreaks are happening, county population, and other metrics.

This week, Lackawanna has the 58th-highest percent-positivity in the state at 6.3 percent. This is up from a percent-positivity of 4.1 percent the previous week. The department believes that increased testing in the county will assist in determining the prevalence of the virus and assist the county in moving forward. Other concerning counties, identified as those with percent positives above 5 percent, can be found on the Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard. Each county is being monitored as the state continues to examine all available data.

Testing will be available daily from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM starting Saturday, November 21 through Tuesday, November 24.

The address for Lackawanna County testing is the former Dickson City K-Mart, 1011 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Scranton, PA, 18508.

Up to 440 patients can be tested per day. Mid-nasal passage swab tests will be performed. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is completely free to all patients. Patients must be ages three and older and are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 in order to be tested. No appointment is necessary. Patients are encouraged to bring a photo-ID or insurance card. Registration will also be completed on-site. The turnaround time for testing results is two to seven days after testing.

Individuals who are tested should self-quarantine while they await test results. Individuals who live with other people should self-quarantine in a private room and use a private bathroom if possible. Others living in the home with the individual awaiting test results should also stay at home. The department has additional instructions for individuals waiting for a COVID-19 test result.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today reminded Pennsylvanians of the pilot program that allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase groceries online through participating retailers approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Last month, SNAP recipients bought more than $10.5 million worth of groceries online through Pennsylvania’s pilot program.

“Just five months since its launch, this program has already made a significant and positive difference in the lives of the Pennsylvania families who have chosen to take advantage of it. SNAP recipients deserve the same flexibilities and conveniences of our economy as anyone else,” Secretary Miller said. “But this is about more than convenience. COVID-19 cases are on the rise, and Pennsylvanians need to be increasingly cautious about risk of exposure. Online food shopping empowers Pennsylvania’s families to protect themselves and vulnerable loved ones, and I’m pleased that SNAP families are now among those protected in this way.”

The pilot program allows SNAP recipients to purchase groceries from home, which can help limit trips out of the home as Pennsylvania sees rising cases of COVID-19. In the most recent month ending October 20, nearly 3 percent of Pennsylvania’s SNAP transactions were used to purchase food online, equating to nearly 142,000 total transactions. The pilot program currently includes four approved retailers: Amazon, the Fresh Grocer, Shoprite, and Walmart.

SNAP is an important supporter of Pennsylvania’s economy, with more than 10,000 authorized retailers participating in SNAP across Pennsylvania. In May 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a study on the influence of SNAP redemptions on the economy and county-level employment in the time leading up to, during, and after the Great Recession. This study found that SNAP redemptions could have a greater economic stimulus impact than other forms of government spending per dollar spent, especially during a recession, because they are paid directly to low-income individuals. For instance, the grocery subsidies deliver food directly to tables along with a financial return into rural supermarkets and small businesses in those communities.

“This rapid expansion of SNAP online is an essential move that now provides safe access to food for those in greatest need. As the association representing the retail food industry in Pennsylvania, the PA Food Merchants Association supports the work of the Department of Human Services in promoting the program to SNAP recipients and encouraging retailers to participate,” said Alex Baloga, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association. “With the increased needs and challenges families face during the pandemic, this program makes grocery shopping less daunting.”

Retailers that are interested in participating in the online pilot program must contact the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and review the requirements. Retailers that do not wish to join the pilot program can still offer delivery or pick-up flexibility options for SNAP recipients by using mobile EBT processing equipment that would allow customers to pay with SNAP when groceries are delivered or picked up. Farmers’ markets may be able to receive this processing equipment at no cost through a grant opportunity provided by DHS.

“I believe Pennsylvania’s SNAP families would welcome additional retailers into this program, and I encourage more companies with Pennsylvania locations to consider participating. Online food shopping – especially during a pandemic — is a win-win-win for Pennsylvania families, retailers and the economy,” Secretary Miller said.

Only eligible food items normally paid for by SNAP may be purchased from participating retailers online with SNAP benefits. Delivery fees, driver tips, and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits. This initiative does not include the ability to transact Cash Assistance benefits using the EBT card; therefore, individuals will need to use another method of payment, such as a pre-paid debit card, to cover non-allowable fees. More information about Pennsylvania’s pilot program is available here.

Applications for SNAP and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper documentation can print the application from the website or request an application by phone at 1-800-692-7462 and mail it to their local County Assistance Office (CAO) or place it in a CAO’s secure drop box, if available. While CAOs remain closed, work processing applications, determining eligibility, and issuing benefits continues. Clients should use COMPASS or the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app to submit necessary updates to their case files while CAOs are closed.

For more information about food assistance resources for people around Pennsylvania impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic insecurity, visit https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Food_Security/Pages/default.aspx.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from November 9 through November 15, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.

These numbers include actions taken during routine food safety inspections and inspections prompted by consumer complaints.

From November 9 through November 15, the Bureau of Food Safety performed 489 total inspections, 21 of which were complaint-driven; 12 were COVID-19 specific complaints. The bureau distributed 87 COVID-19 complaint-driven educational letters. 19 COVID-19 related complaints were referred to local and county health jurisdictions.  No formal Warning Letters were issued or citations were filed.

A county by county breakdown of COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions can be found on the Department of Agriculture’s website. The data will be updated weekly, with data from the previous week.

Among other requirements, all businesses in the restaurant and retail food service industry authorized to conduct in-person activities are mandated to:

• Require all customers to wear a mask while entering, exiting, or otherwise traveling through the restaurant or retail food service business (mask may be removed while seated).
• Employees are required to wear masks at all times.
• Provide at least six feet between parties at tables or physical barriers between customers where booths are arranged back to back.
• Ensure maximum occupancy limits for indoor and outdoor areas are posted and enforced.

The Bureau of Food Safety has always operated with an education-first model, and always works to educate and correct on-site before taking official action. Businesses unwilling to correct on-site will first receive a warning letter, followed by monetary citations ranging from $25 to $300 per offense. Following an initial warning, food safety inspectors will follow up with unannounced inspections to ensure compliance or issue citations as necessary.

Consumers with general food safety complaints or concerns about non-compliance for COVID-19 mitigation can file a report online. COVID-19 mitigation restaurant enforcement actions will be released on a weekly basis.

For more information about the Department of Agriculture’s COVID-19 response, visit agriculture.pa.gov/covid.

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) today applauded the reelection of Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), and the rest of the members selected this afternoon to lead the Republican Conference in the 117^th Congress.

Also elected to leadership positions were: Conference Vice Chair Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA); NRCC Chair Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN); Policy Chair Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL); and Conference Secretary Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC).

On the leadership elections, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement:

“I couldn’t think of a better team to lead Republicans in the 117^th Congress as we continue our work to better our great nation. The gains made by Republicans in the House this year signal that the American people’s vision for moving our country forward aligns with the important steps Republicans have taken to restore our way of life, rebuild our economy and renew the American Dream.”

Harrisburg, Pa. — Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar reported today that turnout in the Nov. 3 election set an apparent record, exceeding turnout in every presidential election since at least 1960, with more than 6.9 million Pennsylvanians voting by mail ballot or in person at the polls.

The election also apparently broke a record for highest percentage of participation by Pennsylvania’s voting-age population – 70.93 percent. This exceeded the previous record of 70.3  percent in 1960. By comparison, 6.115 million Pennsylvanians voted in the 2016 presidential election, the next highest turnout figure, when 61 percent of the voting age population voted.

“I am thrilled with the voter engagement and record turnout in this year’s election, which truly reflects the vitality of our democracy,” Secretary Boockvar said. “It is also a powerful credit to Pennsylvania’s dedicated election officials and poll workers, who worked incredibly hard to run a free, fair and secure election with no significant  issues while contending with a pandemic, new mail-in ballot procedures and what is apparently the highest voter turnout in commonwealth history.” 

Pennsylvania broke another record in October when voter registration topped 9 million for the first time.

Secretary Boockvar also reported that counties are nearing the end of the vote count and have made great progress in counting the large number of provisional ballots. Nearly 82,000 of the more than 100,000 provisional ballots cast at the polls on Election Day have been counted.

Provisional ballot counts take longer to count because bipartisan county boards of election must individually adjudicate each ballot to determine if it meets the standard for counting. They verify the voter was registered to vote in the precinct in which the ballot was cast and that the voter did not already cast a mail ballot.

More provisional ballots were cast in the Nov. 3 election because of the new procedures created under Act 77 of 2019 and Act 12 of 2020, two bipartisan election reform laws that facilitated voting by mail ballot in the commonwealth.

Because provisional ballots may be fully, partially, or not counted at all based on the circumstances, the number of provisional ballots counted will be smaller than the number of provisional ballots issued. Ballots may be partially counted if, for example, a voter was in the wrong precinct.  In that case, they would be eligible to vote in the statewide races, and perhaps larger district or county races if they were in the same region, but might not be eligible to vote in certain local district races.

A county’s adjudication of a provisional ballot can be challenged by authorized representatives of each party and candidate. Once complete, a voter can find out whether their ballot was counted. More information on provisional ballots is available on the Department of State website: https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Voting-by-Provisional-Ballot.aspx.

Counties also have made substantial progress in counting the nearly 28,500 uniformed and overseas civilian absentee (UOCAVA) ballots received by the November 10 deadline for receipt of UOCAVA ballots.

Up-to-date election returns showing votes cast as reported from each county can be found on the department’s voting website, votesPA.com.

Harrisburg, PA– As Pennsylvania experiences a resurgence of COVID-19 cases with significantly higher daily case counts than in the spring and hospitalizations on the rise, the Wolf Administration has identified four new mitigation efforts, which Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced today.

“It is our collective responsibility to protect our communities and our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians from COVID-19 and to continue to work together to get through this pandemic. These targeted mitigation efforts, combined with existing ones, are paramount to saving lives and protecting our economy,” Gov. Wolf said. “The administration will continue to monitor the risks posed by COVID-19 across the commonwealth and will reinstate or institute new targeted mitigation tactics as necessary.”

The efforts announced today include:

Protecting Our Health Care System
Dr. Levine issued a memorandum to acute care hospitals outlining expectations to care for Pennsylvanians who need care during the pandemic.

Hospitals are to work through the established health care coalitions and other partnerships to prepare for how they will support one another in the event that a hospital becomes overwhelmed during the pandemic. Hospitals should also be working to move up elective procedures necessary to protect a person’s health and prepare to suspend them if our health care system becomes strained.

Restrictions on elective surgeries put into effect in March and lifted in April were to help with both PPE and bed capacity and were considered successful.

Hospitalizations are increasing, as are ICU patients, and according to modeling from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, which does not take into account hospitalizations from influenza, Pennsylvania will run out of intensive care beds in December if ICU admissions continue at the current rate.

The same modeling indicates we will have sufficient medical-surgical beds with some uncertainty as to capacity from region to region.

Traveler Testing
Dr. Levine issued an order requiring anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering the commonwealth.

If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.

This order, which takes effect on Friday, November 20, does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment.

Strengthened Masking Order

Dr. Levine first issued a masking order on April 15. The order signed today strengthens this initial order with these inclusions:

• Masks are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home.
• When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you are not able to remain physically distant (at least 6 feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are outdoors.
• When indoors, masks will now be required even if you are physically distant from members not in your household. This means that even if you are able to be 6 feet apart, you will need to wear a mask while inside if with people other than members of your household.
• This order applies to every indoor facility, including homes, retail establishments, gyms, doctors’ offices, public transportation, and anywhere food is prepared, packaged or served.

Colleges and Universities

The departments of Health and Education issued recommendations for colleges and universities to implement a testing plan for when students return to campus following the holidays.

These recommendations include establishing routine protocols for testing.

Colleges and universities should have adequate capacity for isolation and quarantine and should be prepared to enforce violations of established policies such as mask wearing and physical distancing.

Every college and university should test all students at the beginning of each term, when returning to campus after a break and to have regular screening testing throughout the semester/term.

“We must remain united in stopping COVID-19,” Dr. Levine said. “Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay apart and download the COVID Alert PA app. If you test positive, please answer the call of the case reviewer and provide information that can help protect others. It’s the selfless, right thing to do.”

Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration today began distribution of the sixth allotment of COVID-19 antigen test kits provided by the federal government to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified institutions in Bedford, Cambria, Franklin, Lancaster and Lehigh counties.

“Antigen test cards are a timely, quick and easy-to-use tool for communities to receive rapid COVID-19 testing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “These test kits, provided by the federal government and being distributed to areas in need by the Wolf Administration, will further help communities struggling with the spread of COVID-19. Antigen tests look for pieces of proteins that make up the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are less sensitive than PCR tests for detecting COVID-19 infections.”

Last week, 139,200 tests were distributed to 70 facilities in Armstrong, Dauphin, Delaware and Indiana counties. Additional tests will be provided to health care providers in those counties in the coming weeks. Archived lists of distributions since week one can be found on the Department of Health’s Coronavirus Symptoms & Testing webpage under the Antigen Tests subhead.

The antigen test detects an antigen on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus while the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects viral RNA. Both PCR and antigen tests can detect active infection and are considered diagnostic. Antigen tests can be considered for symptomatic individuals (within the first five to seven days of symptom onset) and in asymptomatic individuals in settings where there is a high probability that the individual to be tested is positive, such as when they are a close contact of a case.

On October 15, the Secretary of Health issued an Order to health care providers and facilities reinforcing that all antigen test results, both positive and negative, are required to be reported to the Department of Health. A patient with a positive antigen test result is considered a case and receives a complete case investigation and contact tracing. All entities conducting testing to identify SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are required by law to report positive, inconclusive/indeterminate, and negative results to the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (PA-NEDSS) within 24 hours. All laboratory reporters must request a PA-NEDSS account if they do not already have one.

The department anticipates receiving hundreds of thousands of tests over a number of weeks from the federal government. The department will continue to provide kits to counties in need.

CLIA-certified sites include:

• All long-term care facilities;
• Higher-education institutions;
• Drug and alcohol and behavioral health treatment centers;
• State and county correctional facilities;
• Healthcare providers:
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers;
  • Urgent Care Centers;
  • Pharmacies; and
  • Primary Care doctors.

The targeted populations will be tested at CLIA-certified sites that directly receive these test kits and can provide timely test results and health care advice during their visit.

Targeted populations include:

• Individuals in congregate care settings;
• Day care workers or clients;
• K-12 students and adults who work in K-12 settings;
• College and university students;
• Individuals without permanent housing;
• Food distribution facility employees;
• Food workers, and
• First responders.

For more information about the CLIA certificate and antigen test card reporting, reference the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA) Health Advisory Network (HAN) Advisory:  Guidance on Reporting Point of Care SARS-CoV-2 Test Results.

For more information about the antigen tests, reference the PA HAN Advisory:  Point of Care Antigen Test Use and Interpretation.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Fifty seven (57) new cases added Tuesday in Lycoming County remains at 1,398 cases, no new deaths, 33 total deaths, with 17,651 negatives according to DOH report.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19:

2,575 Patients Hospitalized and 558 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Pennsylvanians Urged to Download COVID Alert PA App

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., November 17, that there were 5,900 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 275,513. This is the highest daily increase of cases.

There are 2,575 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 558 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

Statewide percent positivity for the week of November 6 – November 12 stood at 9.6%.

The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between November 10 and November 16 is 366,744 with 35,317 positive cases. There were 42,584 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., November 16.

As of 11:59 p.m., Monday, November 16, there were 30 new deaths reported for a total of 9,355 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 9,305 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 644 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 2,588,467 individuals who have tested negative to date. Of those who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Approximately 1% are ages 0-4;
• Approximately 2% are ages 5-12;
• Approximately 5% are ages 13-18;
• Approximately 13% are ages 19-24;
• Approximately 36% are ages 25-49;
• Approximately 21% are ages 50-64; and
• Nearly 20% are ages 65 or older.

The department has seen significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers about the changing COVID-19 case demographics. Increases among 19 to 24-year-olds from April to present in November are available below:

• NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 19 percent of cases so far in November;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to approximately 13 percent of cases so far in November;
• SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 11 percent of cases so far in November;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to 11 percent of cases so far in November;
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 9 percent of cases so far in November; and
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 11 percent of cases so far in November.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 30,055 resident cases of COVID-19, and 6,184 cases among employees, for a total of 36,239 at 1,162 distinct facilities in 63 counties. Out of our total deaths, 6,086 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 13,602 of our total cases are among health care workers.
 

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, Nov. 16:
 

• Announced that mitigation efforts in place are vital to stopping spread of COVID-19.
• Provided update to COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring dashboard.
• Provided Pennsylvania State Police enforcement data.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the approval of seven agricultural projects being funded through the First Industries Fund (FIF). These projects, located in three counties, will help existing farms expand their operations, bring in additional revenue, and transition agribusinesses to the next generation of farmers.

“Pennsylvania’s economy is powered by its agriculture industry, so it is imperative that we continue to support projects that will lead to growth and investments in communities across the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “COVID-19 has drastically impacted so many of our state’s critical industries, and this funding will provide needed support to our agribusinesses, helping them grow, create jobs, and continue their critical services.”

The approved projects are as follows:

Berks County

Gerry and Darlene Noecker, through the Greater Berks Development Fund, were approved for a 15-year, $400,000 PIDA loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate for the construction of a single 20,000-square-foot duck breeding facility, including a 600,000-gallon liquid manure lagoon. The 6,600-head barn will be equipped with laying boxes that are located over a conveyor belt to move the eggs to the end of the barn for collection. This will be one of the first barns in the United States to utilize this system. The current industry standard is hand-picking eggs daily and this will significantly cut labor requirements. The use of this technology will also put the Noecker’s in a strong position to add an additional barn in the future. The total project cost is $1,147,000.

Jay and Lorelle Nolt, through the Greater Berks Development Fund, were approved for a 15-year, $400,000 PIDA loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate for the construction of a 20,000-square-foot duck breeding facility in Centre Township. The duck breeder house will hold 6,650 birds and will be a under a 15-year contract with Joe Jurgielewicz & Son, Ltd. The operation will be one of the first in the United States with a conveyor system under the layer boxes for the ducks. The total project cost is $1,200,000.

Gary and Victoria Wessner of KCLW, LLC, through the Greater Berks Development Fund, were approved for a 15-year, $325,000 PIDA loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate to acquire a 57.16-acre farm property located in Albany Township. The property contains 25 tillable acres, a two-story stone dwelling, a stone barn, and a 480-square-foot stone recreational building. The property’s 25 acres of open farmland is currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Gary plans to crop farm the property as soon as the CREP expires. Gary and Victoria will also be selective timbering the property. The total project cost is $650,000.

Theodore and Christine Auman of Hex Provisions, LLC, through the Greater Berks Development Fund, were approved for a 15-year, $189,148 PIDA loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate for the construction of a small-scale meat processing facility and the acquisition of meat processing equipment. The system is made up of “lockers,” which are repurposed sea containers that are retrofitted for refrigeration and designed for expedited approval for USDA approved inspection. As part of the overall purchase of the locker system, the manufacturer, Dirigo Food Safety, assists the purchaser with all food safety regulatory approvals in addition to securing USDA granted inspection in an expedited fashion. The total project cost is $378,296.

Lancaster County

John and Miriam Hoover, through the EDC Finance Corporation, were approved for a 15-year, $400,000 loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate to purchase a 60-acre farm located in Brecknock Township that they are currently leasing. The farm contains a homestead, a renovated bank barn used for hog and sheep production, and two turkey barns, encompassing 88,200 square feet that can house up to 10,500 toms or hens. The Hoovers have a three-year contract with Lewistown Valley Enterprises d/b/a Koch’s Turkey Farm. Hogs produced on the farm are sold to Stevens Feed Mill while the sheep are sold through local markets. The farm also has a kennel barn, which is utilized for Miriam’s dog breeding business. The total project cost is $1,380,000.

Lebanon County 

Robert and Andrea Brubaker, through Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, were approved for a 15-year, $300,000 loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate to purchase a 36.54-acre farm in South Londonderry Township. The property includes a single-family dwelling, a bank barn with an attached garage/shed, and some other outbuildings. The property will be primarily utilized for crop production and manure application. The total project cost is $600,000.

Teresa Shuey, Kevin Shuey, Richard Hill, and Gale Hill of Little Hill Farm, LLC, through Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, were approved for a 15-year, $247,500 loan at a 0.75 percent reset rate for the construction of a 31,500-square-foot broiler house. Little Hill Farm recently obtained a new seven-year contract from Bell and Evans for this house. They will continue to operate their two existing broiler houses which are also under contract with Bell and Evans. The total project cost is $495,000.

More information about the Commonwealth Financing Authority can be found on the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) website. To stay up-to-date on all Pennsylvania economic development news, follow DCED on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and be sure to sign up for the department’s monthly e-newsletter.