(HARRISBURG, PA)—As a new state budget continues to take shape, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF) Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell issued the following statement urging continued investments in agricultural efforts that benefit clean water.
"Continued investments in conservation efforts on Pennsylvania farms is critical to the economic viability of those farms as well as the health and welfare of all our citizens.
"Funding for agricultural conservation programs and practices through county conservation districts and Commonwealth agencies supports the ability of farmers to be good stewards of the land and water, and guardians of their livelihoods.
"Pennsylvania's smart investments in clean water efforts through state agencies and the county conservation districts are also important for their potential to leverage additional dollars through federal and private funding, further expanding opportunities for farms to be economically viable.
"As the new state budget continues to take shape, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of investments that are critical to future of family farms and for those farmers to take measures that will keep nutrients and soil on their farms, instead of in the water.
"We look forward to working with legislators and farmers, in striving to achieve a better future for Pennsylvania's farmers and our rivers and streams.
"Clean water and healthy farms are important legacies to leave our children and grandchildren."
