Warren, PA - The Warren County Farm Bureau gathered this week for its annual meeting, focusing on challenges facing farmers locally and statewide.

Topics included available grants, crop losses due to dry weather, legislation on Sunday hunting and solar panels, and growing concerns over labor shortages and equipment costs.

Anna-Marie Labowski, District 14 state board director for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said one of the biggest issues farmers face is a lack of stable labor.

“It is hard, as everyone knows, to get labor, and with the current H2A program, which allows us to bring immigrant workers in to help on our farms, it only allows them to stay a limited amount of time,” Labowski said. “What we are looking for is a more stable and updated system that would allow immigrant laborers to come here and obtain legal citizenship or long-term visas.”

Local farmers also highlighted uncertainty around this year’s crop yields.

“It’s kind of tough. It started out really wet in the spring and early crops were kind of spotty,” said Richard Harrington, a Warren County grain farmer. “We really don’t know though—our crops aren’t in yet, so we don’t know what kind of effect we’re dealing with yet, other than hay crops are real short.”

Rising costs were another major topic of discussion.

“Parts are extremely expensive,” said Kim Spicer, local dairy farmer. “You go in to buy parts and it’s like five or six hundred bucks, and you carry it out in your hand. It makes it tough, but we stay with it I guess.”

Farm Bureau leaders said meetings like this give farmers a chance to share concerns, exchange information, and stay connected on issues that affect their livelihoods.

The group plans to continue advocating for local farmers as legislative discussions move forward in Harrisburg.