Six (6) new cases added Friday in Lycoming County now at 724 cases and no new deaths, 26 total deaths, with 13,553 negatives according to DOH report.

Recognized for outstanding work in supporting America’s agricultural community

Congressman Keller during a visit to Brown Hill Farms in Tunkhannock, PA in August 2019

Washington – Today, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) received the Friend of Farm Bureau Award presented by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) to members of Congress who have shown steadfast support to America’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers.

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau nominated Congressman Keller for the award, and he was approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board.

Upon receiving the award, Congressman Keller made the following statement:

“With 59,000 family farms throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a total economic impact of more than $7 billion each year, agriculture is Pennsylvania’s top industry and a leading economic driver in the 12^th District,” Congressman Keller said. “I have always made it a point to visit family farms and see firsthand the work our farmers do so that I can better understand what resources they need to more effectively do their jobs. Our farmers go to work every day and get the job done for our local communities and our nation, and I’m proud to fight for them in Congress.”

A copy of the AFBF’s letter is attached. Fred Keller FOFB Letter

Manheim, PA– Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and State Veterinarian Dr. Kevin Brightbill were joined today by industry experts at Country View Family Farms of Hatfield Quality Meats to remind farmers the importance of written biosecurity and continuity of operations plans, and following them strictly, to the overall health and wellbeing of both their business operations and food security of the nation.

“If we’ve learned anything over the past seven months, it’s that disease travels quickly, its effects are widespread, and minimizing risk is paramount,” said Redding. “We’ve also learned that the food supply chain has many points of susceptibility.

“Farmers: your biosecurity and continuity of operations plans are the first line of defense,” added Redding. “Providing a sustainable, safe, and secure food supply for our commonwealth and beyond starts with you.”

From the beginning of the pandemic in Pennsylvania, the agriculture industry was deemed essential for a secure food supply. While the department issued guidance for the industry to safely continue operations as COVID-19 washed across Pennsylvania – including guidance for Farms and On-Farm Deliveries and Farmers Markets and On-Farm Markets – the industry was no stranger to managing operations in a manner that presented with the least risk possible.

In agriculture, biosecurity means doing everything you can to reduce the chances of an infectious disease being carried onto your farm by people, animals, products, equipment, or vehicles. It also means doing everything you can to reduce the chance a disease leaving your farm. The health of local herds and flocks contributes to the health of our nation’s animal agriculture industry, and the health of the agriculture industry determines the safety, availability, and affordability for food.

Agricultural biosecurity plans include the following commonsense measures:

• Keep distance – restrict access to property and livestock or poultry and do not allow visitors near animals unless absolutely necessary;
• Keep it clean – farm manager, staff, and family should follow biosecurity procedures for cleanliness including wearing clean clothes, scrubbing shoes with disinfectant, thoroughly washing hands, and keeping equipment clean;
• Don’t borrow disease from your neighbor – avoid sharing equipment, tools, or other supplies with neighbors; if you do borrow, clean and disinfect before they reach your property;
• Always be on the lookout for infectious diseases – know what diseases are of concern and monitor animals for signs or behavior consistent with disease; early detection is critical;
• Report sick animals – always report serious or unusual animal health problems to your veterinarian, local extension office, and Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture State Animal Health Official can be reached 24/7 by calling (717) 772 -2852 and pressing option 1 to report an increased morbidity or mortality in your herd or flock that is unusual and could be associated with a potential foreign animal or high consequence disease.

“Don’t wait for tomorrow – take steps today to prevent catastrophic loss of your herd, your flock, and your livelihood,” said Brightbill. “Review your biosecurity plans, strengthen them, and retrain your farm hands by working with your herd or flock veterinarian. It’s game day and all 12 million Pennsylvanians are counting on you. With less than 2 percent of America feeding the world, we cannot afford to lose even one of you.”

In addition to biosecurity plans, all farms are encouraged to have Continuity of Business plans to keep operations running smoothly in case of disruption, such as illness or incapacitation of farm owner or team member, natural disaster, disease outbreaks or supply chain disruptions. While such plans are critical for all operations, small farms are at greater risk of catastrophic failure because the owner may be the sole caretaker.

Continuity of Business plans should include:

• General farm ID including fields and acres, key suppliers, key markets for product, and next of kin;
• Crop-based specifics, including crop rotation schedule, soil tests/records, pest management programs, key workers, and equipment; and
• Animal-based specifics including state and federal premise ID number, barn layouts, field grazing capacity, animal inventory, breeding records, feeding and nutrition records, standard operating procedures for animal care, veterinary treatment records and a biosecurity plan that is reviewed and updated at least once annually.

Producers with questions about biosecurity planning are encouraged to contact Pennsylvania’s Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence, a result of Governor Tom Wolf’s 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Bill, for resources.

For more information about the PA Farm Bill and investments to support Pennsylvania’s leading industry, visit agriculture.pa.gov or follow the department on Facebook or Twitter. For information as it relates to agriculture during COVID-19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID.

Governor Tom Wolf speaks during a press conference addressing the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pennsylvania, inside PEMA headquarters on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Harrisburg, Pa. – Today, Governor Tom Wolf was joined by Representative Kristine Howard and Senator Tim Kearney to discuss the importance of preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to protect women’s health care, now more than ever amid COVID-19 and the Supreme Court vacancy.

Under the ACA, a wide variety of preventive care is available to women free of charge, including annual mammograms and well-woman visits, birth control and breastfeeding support. Additionally, women are protected from being charged more simply for being women, or for becoming pregnant.

“My administration has consistently pushed for improvements in women’s health care,” Gov. Wolf said. “Those improvements support the gains in free preventive care and the protections for pre-existing conditions that the ACA provides. That gives women needed control over their own health, but that control – and access to affordable coverage for many Pennsylvanians – is in jeopardy right now.”

Also, amid COVID, health care inequities have been magnified and women of color, who have felt those inequities long before the pandemic, have much to lose if the ACA is dismantled or repealed. Health outcomes for women of color are worse than those for white women. They are more likely to be hospitalized due to asthma, diabetes, and COPD compared to white women, and more likely to give birth to a stillborn baby than white women. In 2018, black women were five times more likely to be living with chronic Hepatitis B compared to white women.

The Wolf Administration has steadfastly worked to improve access to quality health care and health care coverage for all women, despite efforts by the federal government to undermine women’s rights to health care.

When a group of Republican Attorneys General brought a suit challenging the constitutionality of the ACA, President Trump made the highly unusual decision to have the Department of Justice fight to invalidate a federal law. To have the federal government seek to deprive Americans of health care coverage is deeply concerning at any time, but especially in the midst of a pandemic.

“A radical change to the United States Supreme Court could lead to the end of the Affordable Care Act and the legal precedent of Roe v. Wade,” said Rep. Howard. “We have a responsibility to protect the thousands of Pennsylvanians who would lose their health care and the women who would lose their right to make their own choices in matters of reproductive health.” 

“The Trump Administration is in federal court trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act and rip away health coverage from millions of people,” Sen. Kearney said. “More than 5 million people in Pennsylvania who have pre-existing conditions will see their premiums increase dramatically or lose their coverage altogether. Especially during a global pandemic, we should be strengthening the ACA to reduce costs and expand coverage. We need to fight back because lives hang in the balance.”

The governor was also joined by Kathryn Kolbert, a reproductive rights attorney who argued Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 Supreme Court case widely credited with saving Roe v. Wade.

“The confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court will place in jeopardy both the Affordable Care Act and Roe v. Wade, denying millions of American women access to safe and affordable health care,” said Kolbert. “Senator Toomey, the women of Pennsylvania will remember if you forsake women’s health in this political power grab. Let the voters decide whether President Trump or President Biden will select the next Supreme Court Justice.”

“All women deserve more access to better health care, not more problems created by politicians,” said Gov. Wolf. “There is no role for government to step between a woman and her doctor for any health care decision. I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that Pennsylvania women retain access to affordable, quality health care.”