Key Takeaways
- Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and DCED Secretary Rick Siger announced the Keystone AgTech Alliance on Aug. 11, 2026, a collaborative agreement with Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Team Pennsylvania and Innovation Works, Inc.
- The alliance builds on the state’s $30 million Agricultural Innovation Grant Program: the first $10 million round funded 88 projects out of $68 million in requests, and a second $10 million round drew 317 applications requesting $73 million.
- The 2026-27 state budget funds a third $10 million round of the grant program, and four Centers for Excellence, including one for plant sciences at Penn State, share a combined $4.1 million.
- The announcement took place at the FIRA Robotics Village’s first East Coast appearance, held during Penn State’s Ag Progress Days in Pennsylvania Furnace.
- Pennsylvania agriculture supports more than 48,800 farms and nearly 600,000 jobs, contributing $132.5 billion annually to the state’s economy.
Pennsylvania Launches Keystone AgTech Alliance to Coordinate Farm Innovation
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger announced the Keystone AgTech Alliance Aug. 11, a collaborative agreement with Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Team Pennsylvania and Innovation Works, Inc. It is meant to coordinate industry, research and state government around farm technology adoption statewide.
The announcement took place at the FIRA Robotics Village, making its first East Coast appearance at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days in Pennsylvania Furnace. The venue showcased robotics, artificial intelligence, automation and precision agriculture solutions.
“Today’s agreement is another step toward our shared goal of helping farmers address real-world challenges safely, effectively, and efficiently,” said Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary.
Officials Detail Keystone AgTech Alliance Partners and Goals
“The Keystone AgTech Alliance gives us the coordination infrastructure to do that more effectively, connecting our research, our extension network, and our industry partnerships in service of Pennsylvania producers,” said Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
“Agriculture isn’t a sector where one-size-fits-all technology works. Growing conditions, soil composition, crop cycles, and labor availability vary county by county across Pennsylvania,” said Kevin Dowling, Managing Director of the Robotics Factory and Hardware Program at Innovation Works.
Grant Program Funding Behind the Initiative
The Keystone AgTech Alliance builds on the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, a $30 million Shapiro administration initiative described as the first of its kind nationally. The first $10 million round funded 88 projects out of $68 million in requests. A second $10 million round, funded through the 2025-26 state budget, drew 317 applications requesting $73 million total. The 2026-27 state budget funds a third $10 million round.
Early Projects and Economic Stakes
One of the 88 first-round projects, based at Penn State’s Fruit Research and Extension Center, tests a drone-based precision spraying system under a $19,000 grant. The state also put $300,000 toward the college’s Ag Resource Center as part of $2.2 million in research grants awarded in early 2026, and funds four Centers for Excellence, including one for plant sciences at Penn State, at a combined $4.1 million. Pennsylvania agriculture supports more than 48,800 farms and nearly 600,000 jobs, contributing $132.5 billion annually to the state economy.
