November 3, 2022
Reading — November 3, 2022 — Today Gov. Tom Wolf announced $1.82 million in tax credits to support projects in the 11th Senatorial District through the Neighborhood Assistance Program.
NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. The applicants and tax credit amounts are as follows:
- Alvernia University — $41,250
- Helping Harvest — $11,000
- Habitat for Humanity— $100,000
- Kutztown University Foundation — $99,375
- Berks Latino Workforce Development — $150,000
- Barrio Alegria — $71,250
- Berks Encore — $26,250
- GoggleWorks — $675,000
- SuperNatural & Fresh Produce, Inc. — $500,000
- Medical Arts Development, LP — $150,000
Sen. Judy Schwank thanked Gov. Wolf for his continued commitment to Berks County and the ongoing redevelopment effort in downtown Reading. She said the tax credits demonstrate that Berks County is home to many organizations that are making the area a better place to live.
“It’s encouraging to see so many transformative projects in Berks County and the City of Reading get the support they deserve from the commonwealth,” Schwank said. “Today’s announcement from the governor demonstrates that Berks County’s private sector wants to be a part of enacting positive change within our community.”
The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance submitted the application for the tax credit on SuperNatural & Fresh Produce, Inc’s behalf. The project will help a minority-owned business transform a dilapidated property in the city of Reading into a location with fresh produce, meats and a deli. In addition, the project will be a wholesale distribution warehouse, manufacturing facility for fresh dough discs and a fast- dining option creating 120 full-time jobs.
The full list of investments in the Lehigh Valley Region, project descriptions, and the private sector contributors can be found here.
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March 6, 2019
Hughes, Schwank, Haywood offer multi-faceted approach
Harrisburg – March 6, 2019 – Senate Democrats said today that they are sponsoring a three-bill legislative package designed to provide additional tax credits to farmers, encourage the use of locally sourced food and expand farmers’ markets.
State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Democratic Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Sen. Art Haywood, (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) who serves as Democratic chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee are the prime sponsors of the package.
Hughes’ legislation would raise the Rural Jobs and Investment Tax Credit from its current capped amount of $1 million per year to $20 million over four years.
“A comprehensive economic plan requires investments in a broad array of industries, including agriculture,” Hughes said. “There is strong justification to raise the tax credit cap and allow farmers to retain and reinvest because agriculture is a key feature of our economy.”
Hughes noted that 48 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania are classified as rural and that more than a quarter of the state’s population lives in rural counties.
Schwank, who has a long record of involvement in agriculture issues, is the prime sponsor of a measure to help farmers sell their products locally. Under Schwank’s legislation, the requirement for using the lowest bidder on a state contract for the purchase of food would not apply to locally sourced products, provided the deviation in price was not more than 10 percent from the lowest bidder.
“It is important that local markets be better developed, and one way to achieve this goal is through a pricing incentive that encourages the use of food produced in state,” Schwank said. “Our farms are able to deliver high-quality foods to local markets at reasonable prices.”
Pennsylvania has more than 58,000 farms and an estimated 7.7 million acres are involved in agriculture production. According to survey data, 93 percent of Pennsylvanians prefer locally produced food.
Haywood said rising demand has opened an opportunity to expand the Farmers’ Market Development Program to serve more communities. His legislation would enable grants through the program to be used for agritourism initiatives, renovations, and establishment of new satellite locations the bill also increases grants per market from $10,000 to $100,000.
“Consumer demand for fresh blueberries, mangoes, and spinach continues to grow exponentially and the expansion of farmers’ markets provide local access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Haywood said. “Farmers’ markets offer an effective way to make fresh foods available, especially in areas where they are not.”
Pennsylvania has the fourth-largest market in the nation for direct farm sales.
The senators indicated that they were reintroducing the legislation. The bills were initially introduced last session (Senate Bills 1075 -1077) but were not scheduled for a vote.
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