Harrisburg, Pa. – Today, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 770, which updates requirements regarding the education, training and registration of pharmacy technicians and permits pharmacies and pharmacists in Pennsylvania to order and perform certain laboratory examinations and procedures.

The governor also vetoed House bills 21 and 1737.

House Bill 21 would have created a new license for home inspectors regulated by the State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers, separate and apart from the existing regulatory framework provided by Act 114 of 2000.

View the governor’s HB 21 veto message.

House Bill 1737 would have undermined COVID-19 mitigation efforts and endangered the public health by enacting overly broad immunity protections from civil liability due to the pandemic.

View the governor’s HB 1737 veto message.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today shared its weekly update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data and encouraged Pennsylvanians to download the COVID Alert PA app to aid in contact tracing efforts.

“As we complete case investigations, we see that residents are having more and more close contacts to report,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We need to emphasize the importance of limiting your travels and gatherings and to continue to be alert as this virus remains a threat across our communities. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, practice social distancing, wear a mask, avoid gatherings, and download the COVID Alert PA app on their phones to be notified if they came into contact with someone who later tested positive.”

Contact tracing is the process of identifying, notifying, and monitoring anyone who came in close contact with an individual who has COVID-19 while that individual was infectious. The contact tracing process is not possible without a case investigation by a public health professional. Case investigators make the initial call to those with positive COVID-19 test results spending 30 to 60 minutes asking questions to ensure all potential close contacts are identified.

Between Sunday, November 15 and Saturday, November 21, there were 44,525 COVID-19 cases statewide, an increase of 9,806 cases compared to the previous seven-day period. Case investigations are being prioritized to address those cases that present the highest likelihood of leading to an outbreak. Of the 44,525 newly reported cases, 17 percent of all cases had a case investigation started within 24 hours of receiving the positive report. Public health professionals will continue calling to complete the case investigation after the 24-hour period. An additional 4 percent of all cases had a case investigation started within 48 hours.

Although public health professionals may call to start the case investigation, not all cases to obtain additional information are successful. The Department of Health leaves voicemails, texts, and sends a letter to the home requesting a return call. There were 5,788 people, or 13 percent of cases, in this reported week that were successfully contacted by a public health professional statewide.

After the initial case investigation is complete, contact tracing begins. Within the same time period of November 15 to November 21, there were 1,647 contact tracing staff working with local and county health entities, partner organizations and the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program within the Department of Human Services as well as volunteers from Co-County Wellness in Berks County and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. These staff monitored 11,328 contacts who were identified during the case investigations.

Currently, all of the allotted 1,000 people have been hired through Insight Global. Some of these contact tracers have been promoted to perform case investigations to meet the immediate needs of increased caseloads. There are 40 supervisors, 12 regional field managers and coordinators, and 10 care coordinators who will help to refer Pennsylvanians to services during quarantine across the commonwealth.

Since the implementation of the Contact Tracing Management System in early October through November 21 in those areas of the state where Pennsylvania Department of Health is responsible for contact tracing, there have been:

• 44,000 contacts have been processed for areas where PA DOH has jurisdiction;
• 33,900 people, or 76 percent of the total contacts identified, have been effectively reached to communicate their quarantine status and offer ongoing symptom monitoring;
• 8,500 people, or about 19 percent of the total contacts, were not reached; and
• 1,100 were still in the process of being contacted.

On September 22, the department launched COVID Alert PA, a free mobile app that uses Bluetooth technology to let a person know that they have been exposed to COVID-19 without compromising the identity or location of either the person using the app, or of the person to whom they may have been exposed. There have been over 622,000 downloads thus far.

In addition to the traditional case investigations and contact tracing process, there have been 326 cases that confirmed their positivity and uploaded their random ID’s through the app. These uploads generated 144 exposure alerts to persons who have downloaded the app on their phones and who were in close contact (six feet for 15 minutes or more) to the case. Of those who received the alerts, 21 individuals requested a call back for further assistance from a trained contact tracer.

As the contact tracing program expands, the Department of Health continues to work in partnership with over 150 organizations, in addition to the county and municipal health departments, through regional partnerships to help gather and answer questions, identify problems and find solutions to improve contact tracing efforts within the region. Each regional partnership has met at least once, and includes public health staff, health providers, academic institutions, community organizations, and other stakeholders interested in helping to coordinate and engage around contact tracing efforts.

Organizations and entities interested in partnering in these efforts should reach out to RA-DHCONTACTTRACING@pa.gov.

You can find more information on the state’s contact tracing efforts at the Department of Health’s website here.

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”.

• Require all customers to wear masks while entering, exiting or otherwise traveling throughout the restaurant or retail food service business (face masks may be removed while seated). Further, 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.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 41,424 cases, statewide percent positivity of 11.7%, and 66 of 67 counties with substantial transmission status.

The update includes the following:

• Level of community transmission as a basis for the recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to determine instructional models.
• Data on cases among 5-18-year-olds.
• Cases that reported visiting a business among potential locations where exposures may have occurred.
• Updated travel recommendations.

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This week’s update compares the period of November 20 – November 26 to the previous seven days, November 13 – November 19.

“Pennsylvania continues to trend in the wrong direction as COVID-19 continues to spread,” Gov. Wolf said. “Last week, we took a number of mitigation steps designed to reverse this trend and help protect Pennsylvanians. We need all Pennsylvanians to follow these measures as part of their collective responsibility to protect one another. I remain convinced that by working together Pennsylvanians can stop the spread of this virus.”

As of Thursday, November 26, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 41,424 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 37,380 cases, indicating 4,044 more new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.

The statewide percent-positivity went up to 11.7% from 11.1% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above five percent except for one county, Forest County at 3.6 percent. This includes five counties (Juniata, Mifflin, Bedford, Somerset and Tioga) with percent positivity above 20 percent.

“This week’s data, and the one week change in the rate of hospitalizations and ventilator use is a reminder to us all of our role in protecting our health care system,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Latest models continue to indicate very concerning trends for our hospital availability and ICU bed availability. We know COVID-19 does not discriminate and is affecting every county in the commonwealth. It is affecting all Pennsylvanians, no matter your race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status or whether you live a rural, suburban or urban area.”

Community Transmission

As of Friday’s data, Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, and York counties were in the substantial level of community transmission.

For the week ending November 26, one county was in the low level of transmission and 66 counties were in the substantial level of transmission: Cameron.

Cases Among 5-18-Year-Olds
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of statewide cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been 27,954 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 4,212 occurred between November 20 – November 26. For the week of November 13 – November 19, there were 3,937 cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Cases by demographic group is available on the DOH website.

Business Visits
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

It is important to note that due to the recent number of cases, the department is prioritizing case investigations. In addition to the need for people to answer the call, the significant number of cases helps contribute to the low percentages in contact tracing data. All of this reinforces the need for Pennsylvanians to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Of the 44,525 confirmed cases reported between November 15 and November 21, 7 percent (3,038) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 0.9 percent, or 392, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

• 51 percent (200) of those who said yes reported going to a restaurant;
• 24.5 percent (96) of those who said yes reported going to some other business establishment;
• 15 percent (60) of those who said yes reported going to a bar;
• 10 percent (39) of those who said yes reported going to a gym/fitness center; and
• 8 percent (31) of those who said yes reported going to a salon/barbershop.

Of the 44,525 confirmed cases, 6.9 percent (3,063) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 6.9 percent, 13 percent (398) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on November 23, this week’s data indicated an increase for people who reported going to a restaurant (51 percent vs. 48 percent last week), going to a salon/barbershop (8 percent vs. 7 percent last week), and slight increases for those going to some other business (24.5 percent vs. 24 percent last week) and going to a bar (15.3 percent vs. 15 percent last week). The data saw a decrease for people who reported going to a gym/fitness center (10 percent vs. 14 percent last week). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event decreased to 13 percent from 16.3 percent last week.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. With less than half of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that people answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

Travel Recommendations
This week, the Department of Health provided an updated travel order requiring anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania.

This order, which took effect on Wednesday, November 25, does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment, those who left the state for less than 24 hours, and those complying with a court order, including child custody.

It is important that people understand that this Order is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves having either a negative test, or placing themselves in a travel quarantine.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced that $3 million in grant funding has been awarded to 15 municipalities and organizations spanning 20 counties to assist Pennsylvanians currently experiencing homelessness.

“All Pennsylvanians are entitled to safe shelter, and that is never more important than in the cold winter months,” said Gov. Wolf. “This funding will help ensure that our communities can safeguard the health of all residents and protect them from the elements while working to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth.” 

The commonwealth recently received its second allocation of Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the CARES Act (ESG-CV) funds, and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) set aside a portion of those funds to create the ESG-CV Code Blue program, which helps provide emergency shelter in preparation for the winter months.

Under the program, funding will be provided for emergency shelter and temporary emergency shelter to expand shelter for those experiencing homelessness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The funds will be used to assist homeless providers and communities prepare for, prevent the spread of and respond to the coronavirus by providing emergency shelter, targeted street outreach, and temporary emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness this winter.

A full list of awardees can be found here.

Nearly $102,000 has been awarded for street outreach, more than $2 million for emergency shelter, more than $775,000 for temporary emergency shelter, and the remainder of the funds will be used for administration and the Homeless Information Management System.

Another request for proposals to award the remaining $16.9 million of ESG-CV funds available, which will include all eligible ESG-CV activities, will be released in the beginning of 2021.

Assistance is also available for individuals until April 9, 2021 through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP provides assistance for home heating bills so low-income Pennsylvanians can stay warm and safe during the winter months. Assistance is available for renters and homeowners. Pennsylvanians can apply for LIHEAP and other public assistance programs online at www.compass.state.pa.us.

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega today announced that, with parental or guardian permission, Pennsylvanians age 13 to 17 can now add their phone to the fight and download the COVID Alert PA app to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“While the app has been available to Pennsylvanians 18 and older, we wanted to ensure more residents had access to these resources and can be notified if exposed to COVID-19,” Dr. Levine said. “By expanding the age range, we can hopefully increase the number of individuals who download the app, increasing its effectiveness to help control the spread of this dangerous virus, especially in school settings. I encourage everyone to download COVID Alert PA and answer the call to wash your hands, social distance, and wear a mask so we can unite together against COVID-19.”

“The Pennsylvania Department of Education is issuing a call to action to all youth in our commonwealth: We urge you to download the free COVID Alert PA app to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega. “Help keep yourself, your families, and your communities safe by utilizing your phone in the fight against the spread of this disease.”

COVID Alert PA is a free and voluntary mobile app developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in partnership with NearForm, University of Pennsylvania and MIT Lincoln Laboratory using Apple and Google’s Exposure Notification System. The app’s features include an interactive COVID-19 symptom check-in, alerts for potential exposures to the virus, updates on the latest public health data about COVID-19 in PA and public health guidance for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19.

In this new update, the Department of Health will share further data resources on the app to provide the most up to date COVID-19 county case counts and hospitalizations. The update will also include an information hub, where residents learn more about contact tracing, app compatibility with other states, and where to find a testing location and other assistance and benefits.

We encourage you to download the app so if you test positive for COVID-19, you can then enter a unique six-digit code given to you by a case investigator. This will allow individuals you may have encountered in proximity and who have the app know that they have been exposed to COVID-19. They can then take important steps to protect themselves and others such as getting tested or quarantining. Most importantly, this will help cut the chain of COVID-19 transmission.

The app is also designed to ensure privacy of the user. It does not use GPS, location services or any movement or geographical information. It will never collect, transmit or store personal information. It is completely anonymous.

The app does collect user statistics such as the number of downloads or the symptom check-in demographics that people can voluntarily share. Since the launch on September 22, we know:

• There have been 622,000 downloads onto smartphone devices.
• There were 326 positive cases who confirmed their positivity through the app, which generated 144 close-contact exposure alerts.
• Of those who received an exposure alert, 21 requested a call-back to speak with a trained contact tracer for further support.

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.”

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”.

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.

One hundred thirty three (133) new cases added Sunday and Monday in Lycoming County now at 2,200 cases, no new deaths, 38 total deaths, with 19,199 negatives according to DOH report.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19:

4,405 Patients Hospitalized and 918 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Two-Day Total of 9,797 Additional Positive Cases of COVID-19

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., November 30, that there were 4,268 new cases, in addition to 5,529 new cases reported Sunday, November 29 for a two-day total of 9,797 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 361,464.

There are 4,405 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 918 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.

The trend in the 14-day moving average of number of hospitalized patients per day has increased by nearly 3,000 since the end of September.

Statewide percent positivity for the week of November 20 – November 26 stood at 11.7%.

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 23 and November 29 is 392,547 with 47,557 positive cases. There were 47,836 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., November 28 and 33,486 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., November 29.

As of 11:59 p.m., Saturday, November 28, there were 75 new deaths and as of 11:59 p.m., Sunday, November 29, there were 32 new deaths reported for a total of 10,383 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 16,951 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 2,828,049 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;
• Nearly 3% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 6% are ages 13-18;
• Approximately 12% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 22% 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 16 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;
• NE – 6 percent of cases in April to approximately 13 percent of cases so far in November;
• SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to 10 percent of cases so far in November;
• NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 11 percent of cases so far in November; and
• SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 8 percent of cases so far in November.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 35,367 resident cases of COVID-19, and 6,661 cases among employees, for a total of 42,028 at 1,266 distinct facilities in 64 counties. Out of our total deaths, 6,477 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 14,499 of our total cases are among health care workers.
 

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”.

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 – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today applauded the state legislature for once again funding Governor Tom Wolf’s Pennsylvania Farm Bill in the 2020-21 Pennsylvania Budget. The first-ever Pennsylvania Farm Bill was signed into law in July 2019 and was transformative for the commonwealth’s leading industry.

“We began this journey with the Pennsylvania Farm Bill two years ago, when Governor Wolf laid out his vision to strengthen Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry and secure a prosperous future,” said Redding. “And while no one could predict the toils of 2020, the governor’s 2019 multi-million dollar investment to support the industry that sustains life for us all put infrastructure in place that made 2020 a little less painful for some, and put others in a position to pivot and meet radically altered demand.

“That foresight into what this industry and our commonwealth’s food supply chain needed was spot on, and we look forward to using this next round of funding to strengthen the weak links found as we maneuvered a pandemic,” added Redding.

In 2020, the Center for Poultry & Livestock Excellence, created and funded through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, provided $280,000 in reimbursement to Pennsylvania’s animal ag industry for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the workforce. The center also provided guidance to the industry on strengthening biosecurity plans to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

As communities across the commonwealth faced immense challenges with food insecurity as a result of COVID-19 mitigation efforts, urban communities that took advantage of the PA Farm Bill’s Urban Agriculture Grant program had new infrastructure in place to combat food insecurity by growing their own food and improving access to food for their neighborhoods. The 2019 program funded 28 projects with $500,000.

Pennsylvania’s dairy industry was most notably affected by the pandemic, as rapidly changing markets caused farmers to dump fresh, nutritious milk down the drain. However, some dairy farmers had already diversified their markets and found new opportunities through the PA Farm Bill’s $5 million Dairy Investment Program. The program offered dairy farmers an opportunity to sustain and grow their business through on-farm innovation, organic transition, and diversification through value-added products such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. The 2019 program funded 46 projects.

A full review of accomplishments from the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Bill can be found in The PA Farm Bill in Review, an article on the department’s blog.

The $16 million 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Bill includes:

Resources for Business Development & Succession Planning

• PA Agricultural Business Development Center, funded at $2 million, to serve as a resource to create business, transition, or succession plans.
• Realty Transfer Tax Exemption for any transfer of preserved farmland to a qualified beginning farmer.

Creating More Processing Capabilities

• Center for Poultry & Livestock Excellence, funded at $1 million, to support the animal ag industry with biosecurity planning and disease prevention, processing capacity, and food safety and quality assurance.
• Incentivizing Access to Meat Processing Inspections, funded at $500,000, to encourage access to new and expanded markets for small or new producers.

Removing Regulatory Burdens

• Resource Enhancement and Protection Tax Credits, expanded by $3 million, to increase the lifetime cap and increase availability.
• Conservation Excellence Grant Program, funded at $2 million, to provide financial and technical assistance to farmers to install and implement best management practices.
• Agriculture Linked Investment Program, funded at $500,000, to re-establish this low interest loan program for the implementation of best management practices.

Strengthening the Ag Workforce

• Agriculture and Youth Grant Program, funded at $500,000, to reestablish this program to fund agricultural and youth organizations to help increase knowledge and awareness of agriculture in the commonwealth.
• The PA Farm to School Grant Program, funded at $500,000, to improve childhood nutrition while increasing exposure to agriculture.

Protecting Agricultural Infrastructure

• PA Rapid Response Disaster Readiness Account, funded at $3 million, to allow for quick response to agricultural disasters, such as Spotted Lanternfly or Avian Influenza; or providing an immediate response to a foodborne illness.

Increasing Market Opportunities

• PA Preferred Organic, funded at $1.6 million, to make Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state by further enhancing the growth of the organic industry.
• PA Preferred Program, funded at an additional $1 million, to support the program and to bolster enrollment in Homegrown by Heroes.
• State-level Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, funded at $500,000, to invest in and encourage farming of high-priority horticultural crops like hemp, hops, and hardwoods.
• Urban Agriculture, funded at $500,000, to improve agriculture infrastructure in urban areas, the aggregation of product, sharing of resources, and support development efforts.

“As we close what will be known in history books as one of the most challenging years for Pennsylvania agriculture, we look forward to cultivating a brighter tomorrow through this next round of PA Farm Bill funding,” said Redding. “We’ll work to make this industry whole again, using our experiences from 2020 to strengthen our programs for the industry we so clearly rely on.”

For more about the Pennsylvania Farm Bill visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill. The department is actively working to roll out grant programs for the 2020 funding and will make announcements as programs are available for applications.

First-of-Its-Kind MLB Draft League to Launch in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New Jersey

 Plan Retains High-Level Baseball in These Communities for the Long-Term

Major League Baseball, Prep Baseball Report (PBR), and five founding members today announced the formation of the MLB Draft League, which will become the first league in the country focused on top prospects who are eligible to be drafted by MLB Clubs that summer.  With the 2021 MLB Draft moved back to July and being held as part of All-Star Week, draft-eligible players will have a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities and gain exposure to MLB Clubs and fans next summer.  The new format affirms MLB’s commitment to the region and assures that communities of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New Jersey will continue to host high-caliber baseball and future Major Leaguers for years to come. 

The founding members of the MLB Draft League will be the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the State College Spikes, the Trenton Thunder, the West Virginia Black Bears, and the Williamsport Crosscutters.  The League is in advanced discussions with a sixth team and hopes to announce in the coming weeks.  Plans include a 68-game regular season with an annual All-Star Break centered around the MLB Draft.  MLB Draft League participants will receive unprecedented visibility to MLB Club scouts through both in-person observation and state-of-the-art scouting technology, and educational programming designed to prepare them for careers as professional athletes.  PBR will provide support for the league’s staffing, player and coach recruitment, on-field operations, and administrative functions. PBR will also use their media and technology platforms to promote the league and its players throughout the season.

Today’s announcement follows the late September announcement of the Appalachian League’s evolution into the premier college wood bat league for the nation’s top rising freshmen and sophomores, and is part of MLB’s broader efforts to modernize player development while preserving baseball in the local communities in which it is currently played. More announcements, including additional members of the MLB Draft League, other MLB-sponsored leagues as well as licensed affiliates, will follow in the coming weeks.

Kerrick Jackson will serve as President of the MLB Draft League.  Prior to joining PBR, Jackson served as the head coach at Southern University, where he led a nine-win team to the NCAA Tournament in three years.  For three years, Jackson was the Midwest Area Scouting Supervisor for the Washington Nationals, overseeing Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas.  Jackson served as the recruiting coordinator at the University of Missouri for five years (2010-2015) and has held assistant roles at Nicholls State University, Fairfield University, Emporia State University and Coffeyville Community College.  He has coached in the Cape Cod League and New England Collegiate Baseball League.

Morgan Sword, MLB’s Executive Vice President, Baseball Economics & Operations, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Prep Baseball Report and the founding members of the MLB Draft League to create a one-of-a-kind league that will attract the nation’s top players who are eligible for each year’s MLB Draft and allow local fans to see top prospects and future big-league stars in their hometowns. This announcement continues MLB’s commitment to preserving and growing baseball in communities around the United States.”

Sean Duncan, President of Prep Baseball Report, said: “We are honored to work with these ownership groups and Major League Baseball to assure the future of impactful, high-level baseball to the region and continue the legacy of deep community involvement from all of these teams. With more than 150 scouts and operations personnel coast-to-coast at the high school, collegiate and junior college levels, we take great pride in our ability to identify the nation’s top amateur draft prospects, which will ultimately make the MLB Draft League the preeminent league for draft-eligible players.”