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Kulp Dairy Farm received a key permit four months ahead of schedule for their
expansion project thanks to the Shapiro Administration’s work to cut red tape, speed up
government, and support the agriculture sector.
With agriculture contributing $132 billion annually to Pennsylvania’s economy and
supporting over 600,000 jobs, Governor Shapiro and his Administration are helping
farmers expand and modernize through faster permitting and strategic investments.
Martinsburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Pennsylvania farmers and agriculture
leaders at Kulp Dairy Farm in Blair County to highlight how the Shapiro
Administration’s work to modernize and accelerate permitting are delivering speed
and predictably for farmers — allowing them to invest and expand their operations.
From day one, Governor Shapiro has made cutting red tape and streamlining
government a top priority. By speeding up permitting processes, his Administration is
helping farmers like the Kulps expand their operations with confidence — supporting
jobs, boosting food production, and driving rural economic growth.
“From day one, my Administration has been laser-focused on cutting red tape and
speeding up government so Pennsylvanians can get answers more quickly and
move forward with their plans — whether that’s a dairy farm expanding, a barber
opening a new shop, or a teacher starting in the classroom,” said Governor
Shapiro. “By modernizing the permitting process, we’re helping family farms like
the Kulps grow and thrive, while making sure our ag sector continues to feed our
families and power our Commonwealth’s economy.”
Kulp Dairy Farm, a third-generation, family-owned farm founded in 1973, is planning a
major expansion to add new animal housing barns, a milking parlor, a manure
separation building, a waste storage pond, and other infrastructure improvements. The
expansion will allow the farm to add nearly 1,000 dairy cows, increasing its capacity to
supply milk to Land O’Lakes while sustaining and creating local jobs.
When the farm raised concerns earlier this year about potential delays in securing its
stormwater construction permit, the Governor’s Office of Transformation and
Opportunity (OTO) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) worked
closely with the farm to expedite the process. As a result, the Kulps received their
permit more than four months ahead of schedule. DEP completed its review in just 83
business days — compared to the standard 117 days — thanks to the Shapiro
Administration’s reforms and the Kulps’ consistently high-quality applications, as the
farm has expanded several times over the past few years.
“Governor Shapiro’s leadership in streamlining permitting — particularly environmental
permits — gives Pennsylvania farmers the certainty they need to move forward with
confidence,” said Secretary Redding. “Timely decisions mean farmers can invest in
innovation, adopt conservation practices, and grow their businesses without being held
back by delays. That’s how we keep agriculture strong and sustainable for the future.”
“Over the last 26 years, through hard work and the blessing of many great employees,
our business has grown to 2,900 milking cows across three locations with 47 full-time
employees,” said Kyle Kulp, owner of Kulp Dairy Farm. “As my generation steps into
leadership, we’re excited to make the next large investment in our farm — for the
benefit of our cows, our employees, our community, and Pennsylvania agriculture.
We’re very appreciative of the strong communication and timeliness of the permitting
process. From our initial submission on February 5 to final approval on August 7, the
review was remarkably quick compared to historical norms — a strong testament to the
Governor and his team.”
“Today is actually a celebration — thank you, Governor Shapiro, for coming through
with what you promised,” said Chris Hoffman, President of the Pennsylvania Farm
Bureau. “When he was campaigning, the Governor said he would be a tireless
advocate for agriculture and that he would address our issues. And today, we’re here to
celebrate with the Kulp family a milestone — something we’ve worked a really long time
to achieve. Getting permits and forms together in a relatively short amount of time is
critical to keeping farms moving. Agriculture doesn’t sit still — it moves at the speed of
light — and we need a government that runs with us, works with us, and delivers the
support we need.”
“We know that farmers are some of the best stewards of the land, and we’re glad to
keep farms and farm communities moving at the speed of business, without giving up
environmental protections we all deserve,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley.
“Thanks to the Shapiro Administration’s investments in DEP staff and permitting
efficiency, we were able to review and ultimately approve the permit for the Kulp Farm
in less than half the normal time.”
Delivering for Pennsylvania Agriculture and Cutting Red Tape
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has brought Democrats and Republicans together
to invest in new technologies, strengthen supply chains, and expand opportunity for
farmers, growers, and producers. Pennsylvania’s more than 50,000 farms feed families,
support rural communities, and sustain the Commonwealth’s rich agricultural heritage.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Pennsylvania’s economy, contributing $132 billion each
year and supporting over 600,000 jobs. Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, the
Commonwealth has made historic investments in agriculture while cutting red tape and
modernizing government to help farms and agricultural businesses grow, including:
• Creating the first statewide Economic Development Strategy in nearly two
decades with agriculture at the forefront.
• Fully funding the PA Farm Bill at $13.8 million annually to support workforce
development, processing expansion, and market access
• Investing $1 million to launch the Organic Center of Excellence and establish
the PA Preferred Organic™ brand
• Launching the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program with $10 million in state
funding; in its first year, 88 farms and organizations in 45 counties received
grants supporting 40 areas of innovation across 31 commodities
• Preserving more than 448 farms and nearly 37,200 acres of farmland with
over $134 million in state investment
• Setting aside more than $65 million to mitigate Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza and support poultry farmers
• Funding a state-of-the-art animal health lab in Western Pennsylvania to
enhance disease testing and biosecurity
• Expanding the Fresh Food Financing Initiative with $2 million to increase access
to local food and support small businesses
• Investing $35 million to continue Clean Streams Fund support for the Agriculture
Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP)
• Cutting overall permit, license, and certification times by 70 percent compared to
2022 — including reducing DEP’s permit backlog by 98 percent and eliminating
the oil and gas permit backlog entirely
• Launching the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development
(SPEED) program for Chapter 102 Individual NPDES permits, allowing qualified
professionals to conduct initial application reviews — providing farmers more
flexibility and predictability
• Cutting business filing wait times from eight weeks to just two days on average
— making it easier for entrepreneurs, including ag businesses, to start and
expand
• Supporting more than 200 businesses through OTO, resolving 60 permitting
challenges, and engaging with more than 35 companies considering expansion
or relocation to Pennsylvania
In his 2025-26 proposed budget, Governor Shapiro has called for additional
investments, including:
• $13 million more for the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program
• $4 million expansion of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System
• $4 million increase to the State Food Purchase Program
• $2 million to fully operate the new state animal diagnostic lab
Governor Shapiro’s leadership is ensuring Pennsylvania remains a national leader in
agriculture — building a more resilient agricultural economy, safeguarding the food
supply, and securing a prosperous future for Pennsylvania’s farming communities.
Learn more about the commonsense investments in the Governor’s 2025-26 budget
proposal at shapirobudget.pa.gov and how the Shapiro Administration is supporting
Pennsylvania’s farmers.
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