Department of Agriculture Launches New Favorite PA Website Connecting Pennsylvanians to PA Products and Agricultural Destinations

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Representative Eddie Day Pashinski to visit PA Preferred® member Maylath Farm and Orchard in Sugarloaf to invite Pennsylvanians to explore farmers markets and agricultural destinations across the Commonwealth this fall and winter . The Luzerne County family farm is celebrating over 15 years in the agritourism business.

“Major world events, including the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, have made Pennsylvanians intimately more aware of where their food comes from,” Redding said. “Buying products with the blue and yellow PA Preferred check mark means one simple thing – you support Pennsylvania farmers and growers and keep your money here at home. You can be confident that what you are buying is grown, harvested or produced in Pennsylvania.

To support the growing demand for a direct connection between farmers and consumers, the department today launched a website for the PA Preferred brand. At papreferred.com, Pennsylvanians can search for Pennsylvania products and connect with Pennsylvania farmers.

The new site offers:

• An opportunity for Pennsylvanians to search for PA Preferred members and their products based on location,
• An accessible way for PA Preferred members to connect with customers and partner with other PA Preferred businesses,
• A streamlined system for the department to manage members and data, and
• Information on connecting with veteran farmers through the Homegrown by Heroes program and information on the Farm to School program.

The website will soon offer a searchable calendar of events and more.

In addition to serving consumers, the website offers PA Preferred members the opportunity to expand their reach and grow their business. More than 820 members are in 65 counties in Pennsylvania.

To expand on-farm opportunities and ensure local foods remain available, accessible and affordable, Governor Tom Wolf crafted the Pennsylvania Farm Bill to support Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agricultural industry. . Since 2019, this landmark package of laws has invested more than $76 million in Pennsylvania agriculture, including funding to support PA Preferred. Since 2015, the Wolf administration has invested more than $15 million to increase recognition of the PA Preferred brand, helping consumers identify agricultural products grown, produced and processed in Pennsylvania.

Many on-farm markets, such as Maylath Farm and Orchard, and farmer’s market vendors are members of the PA Preferred program or sell PA Preferred products. PA Preferred is the statewide branding program for agricultural products grown, produced and processed in Pennsylvania.