Published on Politics PA by Brittany Foster

January 6, 2014

Taking full advantage of the state’s Farm Show spirit this week, Governor Corbett will announce “Farm Families for Corbett-Cawley” on Monday at the Farm Show Complex.

Farm Families for Corbett-Cawley will organize and activate members around the state in support of Governor Corbett’s record in the agricultural community.

Under the Governor Corbett administration, the inheritance tax on family farms was eliminated, updates potato packaging laws were made and extended growing seasons were protected from real estate taxes. Governor Corbett gave the PA Preferred trademark permanent status to promote local commodities and increased funding for the PA Farm Show.

During his time as Attorney General, Corbett supported the passage of and enforced the Agriculture, Communities and Rural Environment Act (ACRE) to ensure farmers maintain their right to farm and strike down illegal farming restrictions.

Corbett had a similar support group in 2010, Farm Families for Corbett Coalition. Joining him at the announcement for the 2014 group will be Congressmen Joe Pitts (R-Chester) and Glenn Thompson (R-Centre).

The leadership of Farm Families for Corbett-Cawley includes Chairman Keith Eckel, Sole Proprietor and President of Fred W. Eckel Sons Farms, Inc.; Honorary Chairman, Elder Vogel, Jr., Chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee; and Honorary Chairman John Maher, Chairman of the Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s #1 industry that supports 63,000 family farms, employs 1-in-7 Pennsylvanians and generates more than $67 billion in economic impact.

(Brittany Foster, "Gov Announces "Farm Families for Corbett-Cawley"," Politics PA, 1/6/14)