Gov. Josh Shapiro details his Lightning Plan, which he said would lower energy costs for farmers and rural communities across the state, during a visit to Penn England Farms in Williamsburg on Wednesday morning. He was joined by (from left) Penn England owner Yvette Longenecker, Blair County Farm Bureau President Mark Heeter and Blair County Commissioner Laura Burke, among others.
Mirror photo by Rachel Foor

WILLIAMSBURG – Gov. Josh Shapiro called on Democratic and Republican lawmakers to come together for “a common sense energy strategy that empowers our farmers” while visiting Penn England Farms on Wednesday morning.

The visit was made to highlight Shapiro’s “Lightning Plan,” which would “lower energy costs for farmers and rural communities across the Commonwealth,” according to a release from the Governor’s Office.

Penn England Farms uses an on-site manure digester that converts cow manure into clean energy and natural gas, reducing nearly 40,000 metric tons of pollution a year, while powering the farm and contributing excess energy to the power grid.

Methane or “manure” digesters also produce “nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, helping farms improve sustainability, waste management and operational efficiency,” the release states.

Since 2006, Penn England Farms has saved about $1.6 million in energy costs, a yearly average of about $90,000. The Lightning Plan would give more farms access to this technology, Shapiro said.

“We think they’re an important engine of our economy,” Shapiro said of the state’s small- and mid-sized farms. “But they don’t necessarily have the dollars or skill set to be able to set up their own (methane) digester.”

The plan would also invest in “next-generation energy projects,” including “anaerobic digesters, hydropower and solar” to “create clean, reliable and affordable energy,” according to the release.

Penn England owner and eighth-generation farmer Yvette Longenecker said Penn England has incorporated conservation practices like no-till farming and cover cropping for more than 30 years.

“Like all farmers, I’ve spent my life working hard to produce a high-quality milk product while also being a good steward of the land,” Longenecker said. “That is one of the reasons why we made the decision to incorporate an anaerobic methane digester at one of our farms in 2006 – one of the first dairies in Pennsylvania to take this step.”

Instead of the manure from their 4,000 cows “just sitting in a lagoon and producing methane,” the digester captures the greenhouse gas and turns it into “something even more valuable to us – renewable energy,” Longenecker said. The digester also helps them manage nutrients more efficiently, reduce odor and improve water quality by reducing run-off.

“This technology provides an additional revenue stream for farms, making our operations more sustainable in the long run,” Longenecker said. “By supporting policies and programs that encourage this technology, we can create a future where dairy farms not only feed our families, but also help power our state.”

More power, more freedom

Shapiro’s energy plan would provide funding for new projects through an updated state Economic and Development for a Growing Economy manufacturing tax credit. It would also streamline energy project approvals by creating a state energy siting board and encourage communities to lower utility bills through shared energy resources, the release states.

Stephen McKnight, president and CEO of the Altoona Blair County Development Corporation, said the last time the state had a formal economic plan was in 2023 – 22 years ago.

“It might have been a good plan back then, but for today’s modern economy, we needed a new vision and relevant programs that helped us get things done, and that motto has rung true for the last several years,” McKnight said.

State Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said the Lightning Plan was coming at the right time, as “there are things you have to do first to set this plan up.” He said it was about economic development, how it’s approached and how it’s thought about.

“This facility is a demonstration of innovation,” Redding said. “To think we’re the only state in the nation with an innovation fund, that’s allowed us to do really creative things, both on facilities, in food processing on the farm and digesters. That sets the stage for a conversation about energy.”

Shapiro said he’s hopeful there will be bipartisan support for the plan.

“It’s common sense,” he said.

Lawmakers will have the opportunity to consider the legislation and move it forward, Shapiro said, adding that “the ball is going to be in their court.”

“Now, they’ve got to act,” Shapiro said. “They’ve got the proposal again … and I hope that they’ll move on it quickly and empower our farmers to generate more power soon. Get that bill to my desk and we’ll sign it.”

Shapiro said he was proud that the state is “the second-largest net energy exporter in the entire country.”

“More power means more independence,” Shapiro said. “More power means more economic freedom and I think freedom runs right through our farmlands, runs right through great places like Penn England.”

Shapiro was also joined by Mark Heeter, Blair County Farm Bureau president, and Laura Burke, Blair County commissioner.