Eight projects benefiting Berks County have been awarded more than $816,000 through Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, part of a $9.7 million statewide investment announced Thursday by the Shapiro-Davis administration.
Seven projects listed specifically under Berks County received a combined $699,659, while Pennsylvania Saffron received an additional $116,807 for a regional project spanning Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
The grants are part of the second round of Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, which is supporting 97 projects statewide. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the grants will leverage an additional $4.8 million in private investment.
Berks County recipients include F.M. Brown’s Sons, which received $129,800 for bin automation and ingredient-handling upgrades, and Rodale Institute, which received $31,380 to scale precision weed management for organic farmers using photo-guided cultivation systems.
Third Place Processing received $34,405 for a sorting and quality-control system for perennial nut processing, while Alvernia University was awarded $16,200 for an aeroponics greenhouse project.
The Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council received $50,000 to plan a hemp grain cooperative.
Two Berks County projects receiving grants were identified as having a regional impact. Clover Farms Dairy was awarded $310,000 for an automated milk-handling and tracking system, while Earthcare Bethel received $127,874 for a food-waste processing and reduction system.
Pennsylvania Saffron was awarded $116,807 for the development of an artificial intelligence-enabled weeding system for small farms. The project is expected to benefit producers in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
“For the last three years, I’ve visited farms across the Commonwealth to hear from our farmers and see firsthand both the challenges they face and the noble work they do,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “Agriculture is the backbone of our Commonwealth and this important funding will help Pennsylvania farmers, growers, and producers innovate and grow, while building on three years of historic investments that have delivered commonsense solutions to lower costs, open new markets, and strengthen the entire agricultural industry.”
The Department of Agriculture said the grant program supports projects involving technologies designed to improve efficiency and production, protect soil and water resources, reduce food and nutrient waste, and generate renewable energy.
Demand for the program substantially exceeded available funding. The department received more than $68 million in requests for the latest round of grants.
The state’s 2026-27 budget includes another $10 million for a third year of the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program. Applications for the next round are scheduled to open Sept. 1.