00:01 - Good morning, fellow

00:02 - Pennsylvanians, our hardworking farm families

00:05 - and distinguished guests, including Congressman Glenn G.T.

00:09 - Thompson, Senator Judy Schwenk, Representative Eddie

00:13 - de Shinseki, Representatives Tom Mahaffey and Chad Reichard,

00:18 - and Adjutant General John Pippy, and our Auditor General Tim DeFore.

00:23 - Thank you all for attending this morning, and welcome to the 110th

00:28 - Farm Show.

00:35 - I'm Lisa

00:35 - Graybill, a deputy secretary at the Department of Agriculture,

00:39 - and I have the privilege of overseeing this wonderful complex.

00:43 - As part of my duties,

00:44 - it's my honor to welcome you this morning to our opening ceremonies.

00:48 - We're really celebrating a lot here this week.

00:50 - For more than a century, 110 years, these halls behind me have served

00:56 - as a living testament to the grit, innovation and spirit of the Commonwealth.

01:02 - But this year, our commemoration has a deeper resonance.

01:06 - We are celebrating growing a nation,

01:09 - as we do so with our eyes fixed on the historic milestone.

01:13 - The America 250 celebration today and throughout the coming week.

01:18 - We celebrate Pennsylvania as the cradle of American liberty

01:23 - and our farmers who provided the fuel for that freedom.

01:27 - When our country's founders met in Pennsylvania

01:31 - and in Philadelphia to draft the blueprints of this nation,

01:35 - they were fueled by the grain, the meat, the fruits and vegetables,

01:40 - and the dairy produced by Pennsylvania farm families.

01:44 - Our agriculture community didn't just provide the setting for a revolution.

01:49 - It provided the sustenance to grow

01:52 - a nation, you must first be able to feed a nation.

01:56 - And for 250 years, Pennsylvania agriculture has done just that.

02:02 - This year, agriculture also is being celebrated on the world

02:05 - stage with the United Nations Declaration

02:09 - of the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

02:12 - As a third generation

02:13 - dairy farmer with my family and partners in southern Lancaster County.

02:17 - I'm proud to be a woman in agriculture who makes up

02:20 - 35% of all Pennsylvania producers.

02:24 - Many of us.

02:31 - Many of us will be wearing these pins throughout the week,

02:34 - inviting anyone to ask us questions about farm show and agriculture.

02:39 - Thank you for joining us here to celebrate Pennsylvania agriculture,

02:43 - our shared history, and the communities, rural and urban,

02:47 - that shaped the Commonwealth and therefore our nation.

02:50 - But before we move on with the ceremony, I also want to recognize

02:54 - and thank our incredible Farm Show Complex team led by our new Executive

02:59 - Director, Heidi Savannah MC and new Assistant Director

03:03 - Chris Bond.

03:10 - This is a huge responsibility every year and the workload is huge.

03:15 - So, they proudly showcase our agriculture industry.

03:18 - Thank you for joining me in recognizing them.

03:22 - Let's begin, as we always do, by honoring our country.

03:26 - We will now have the presentation of the colors

03:29 - by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Color Guard,

03:33 - accompanied by the revolutionary New Philly Fife and Drum Company.

05:09 - Each year,

05:10 - the Department of Agriculture holds a contest called.

05:13 - Oh. Say, can you sing?

05:15 - Entrants are carefully screened and then selected by viewers on line

05:19 - to perform our national anthem.

05:21 - Each day at the opening of Farm Show and at various events throughout.

05:26 - Please welcome our national anthem performer who received the most votes

05:30 - statewide.

05:31 - 14 year old Carly Green from Tamaqua

05:34 - in Schuylkill County.

05:44 - Oh, can you see

05:50 - by the dawn's early light.

05:55 - What so proudly we hailed.

06:00 - At the twilight's last gleaming.

06:05 - Whose broad stripes and bright stars.

06:10 - Through the perilous fight.

06:15 - O'er the ramparts we watched.

06:20 - Were so gallantly streaming.

06:25 - And the rockets red glare, the bombs

06:31 - bursting in air.

06:35 - Gave proof through the night

06:40 - that our flag was still there.

06:45 - Oh, say does that star spangled

06:50 - banner yet wave, wave.

06:56 - O'er the land of the free.

07:01 - And the home of the brave.

07:14 - Thank you.

07:14 - Carly.

07:15 - I think we now can all understand

07:17 - why Carly received the most votes in the singing contest.

07:21 - We will now have the retirement of colors.

08:04 - As we shift from ceremony to purpose,

08:07 - it's important to pause and reflect on what brings us together.

08:11 - Not just today, but across generations.

08:14 - Please welcome Isabella Boone, Pennsylvania State Grange

08:17 - young adult ambassador, to offer a reflection.

08:28 - Good morning, and welcome to the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

08:31 - Today we come together to celebrate agriculture, community

08:35 - and an important moment in our nation's history.

08:38 - The 250th anniversary of the United States.

08:41 - From the very beginning, agriculture helped grow our nation.

08:44 - Early American farmers worked the land to feed their families,

08:48 - support their neighbors, and build strong communities.

08:51 - Here in Pennsylvania, farming played a key role

08:54 - in helping the colonies become a new independent country.

08:57 - The hard work of farmers

08:59 - helped America grow stronger, one field and harvest at a time.

09:03 - Generations later, that same spirit lives on.

09:06 - Pennsylvania farmers continue to care for the land, raise animals,

09:10 - and grow crops that feed people across our state and beyond.

09:13 - Many of you here today,

09:15 - especially our youth in agriculture, are part of that future.

09:19 - Through the Grange for FFA and farm families.

09:23 - You were learning responsibility, leadership and the value of hard work.

09:28 - The Pennsylvania Farm Show is a place where tradition meets innovation.

09:32 - It celebrates where agriculture has been and where it is going next.

09:36 - As we open this year's Farm Show, we thank the farmers, exhibitors,

09:40 - volunteers and young people who make this event possible.

09:44 - As we celebrate 250 years of America,

09:47 - we are reminded that agriculture continues to grow our nation.

09:51 - Together, we are honoring the past.

09:53 - Shaping the future and growing a stronger Pennsylvania.

09:57 - Thank you.

10:03 - Thank you.

10:04 - Isabella.

10:05 - That reflection reminds us that our traditions are not static.

10:08 - They're carried forward by new voices and new leaders.

10:12 - As Pennsylvania prepares to commemorate America's

10:15 - 250th anniversary, we're honoring our past while looking toward the future.

10:20 - To introduce that vision, please welcome America 250 Executive

10:24 - Director Cassandra Coleman.

10:31 - Thank you so much, and good morning, everyone.

10:34 - As I mentioned, I'm Cassandra Coleman and I have the distinct honor of serving

10:38 - as executive director of America at 250 P.A.

10:41 - and we are the Commonwealth's official commission

10:44 - that was charged with planning and coordinating all of the programing

10:48 - projects and events around the 250th anniversary of our nation this year.

10:54 - And how great is it that we can finally say that?

10:58 - We want to thank Secretary Redding

11:01 - and the entire Farm Show team for welcoming us today.

11:05 - And thank you to everyone who puts in the hard work and long hours

11:10 - that it takes to make each farm show a showcase worthy of Pennsylvania.

11:15 - It feels exactly right to begin

11:18 - the Commonwealth's semi centennial year

11:22 - right here at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, alongside the people who feed

11:27 - our communities, who care for our land,

11:30 - and who keep Pennsylvania growing.

11:34 - America was created by the General Assembly

11:37 - and the governor in 2018, with a clear purpose

11:40 - to help Pennsylvanians in every corner of our Commonwealth.

11:45 - Mark this milestone in a way that reflects

11:48 - who we are curious, connected, and most importantly,

11:54 - proud of where we come from and invested in where we are going.

11:59 - The Farm Show brings together the whole Commonwealth rural, urban

12:03 - and suburban lifelong farmers and first time visitors,

12:07 - grandparents who never miss it and kids who are seeing it

12:10 - for the very first time, including my son who's out there somewhere.

12:15 - There he is. Jimmy, raise your hand.

12:16 - Jimmy's here with us for the first time.

12:22 - And this

12:23 - reminds us that Pennsylvania is strongest

12:27 - when we come together around shared

12:30 - values and shared traditions.

12:33 - This year's Pennsylvania Farm Show theme, Growing

12:36 - a Nation, captures that idea beautifully.

12:39 - The milestone that defines America are rooted here in Pennsylvania.

12:45 - And while July 4th, 1776, is the date that, of course, is etched in our minds,

12:50 - the real work of democracy has stretched far beyond Independence Hall.

12:54 - It happened in our towns.

12:56 - It happened in our neighborhoods, in our workshops

12:58 - and our mills, in our barns and in our fields.

13:01 - Pennsylvanians shaped what this country became,

13:05 - and agriculture has always been at the heart of that story.

13:10 - Over the past several years, America has been working across

13:13 - all 67 counties to lay the groundwork for this moment.

13:18 - Partnering with schools, historic sites, communities, volunteers and local leaders

13:23 - to ensure that this anniversary is something people can feel

13:26 - connected to and most importantly, proud of.

13:30 - Now, with 2026 officially here, yes, it is a little overwhelming,

13:34 - but most importantly, it is so exciting and that this work officially

13:38 - comes to life across all 67 counties and hundreds of local communities.

13:43 - America is preparing an epic year of engagement,

13:47 - one that invites Pennsylvanians everywhere to participate in ways

13:51 - that feel meaningful and close to home no matter where you live.

13:55 - There is a place for you in this milestone to learn

13:59 - to serve, to reflect, and most importantly, to come together.

14:03 - The Farm Show sets the tone for the year ahead.

14:05 - It reflects the pride we take in our work, the respect we have for tradition,

14:10 - and the belief that when Pennsylvanians show up

14:13 - together, really good things can happen.

14:16 - Thank you for being here.

14:18 - Thank you for what you do.

14:19 - And thank you for making today one of the first moments

14:22 - where Pennsylvanians can come together to mark 250 years

14:26 - of shared history, shared effort and shared possibility.

14:30 - It is now my honor to introduce a woman who was there

14:35 - at the very beginning of our story,

14:38 - and whose flag continues to inspire us.

14:43 - Betsy Ross.

15:16 - Hip hop

15:17 - has song.

15:22 - My dear

15:24 - fellow Pennsylvanians,

15:29 - I am best known by the name Betsy Ross.

15:33 - And before I became surrounded by legend

15:39 - and also sculpted out of butter.

15:45 - I am so honored

15:48 - before all of that.

15:51 - I was indeed a Philadelphian,

15:54 - working with my hands,

15:57 - raising a family, and doing my part

16:01 - for a new and uncertain country.

16:05 - And some remember me as the woman who stitched

16:10 - the first flag of these United States.

16:14 - 13 stars and 13 stripes.

16:19 - A simple design for a powerful idea

16:25 - that liberty is worth the labor.

16:31 - This year, we mark 250 years

16:37 - since the founding of our nation

16:41 - and people across this country,

16:44 - people across the world.

16:47 - They will look to celebrate our history.

16:53 - And it is only fitting

16:55 - that so much of that reflect action

16:58 - begins right here in Pennsylvania.

17:03 - For it is here

17:05 - that Doctor Franklin tamed lightly.

17:09 - It is here that we declared independence didn't see.

17:14 - It is here that we built

17:16 - the institutions that would endure

17:20 - our constitutional government

17:23 - and the armed forces that defend it.

17:28 - And yes, it is here

17:31 - that we stitched the first flag.

17:35 - Or at least it was my first flag.

17:39 - But beyond the fight

17:41 - from the drums, beyond the parchment, in the speeches stood

17:45 - the people who nourished

17:49 - the spirit of 76.

17:52 - The farmers

17:55 - who fed a growing nation.

18:00 - And while I labored with needle

18:03 - and thread as an upholsterer, farmers

18:07 - sewed and reaped across Pennsylvania.

18:12 - Farmers held our communities together

18:18 - through good days and bad.

18:22 - And the fruits of their labor fed and clothed

18:25 - the continental troops who won our freedom.

18:31 - Who recalls

18:32 - the first of the three rights enumerated by Mr.

18:38 - Jefferson in our declaration of Independence?

18:43 - That first rights

18:46 - life,

18:48 - then liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

18:53 - And some might honor me by saying

18:55 - that my creation of a flag

18:59 - that brought our country together.

19:02 - But perhaps.

19:04 - And yet without the harvest,

19:08 - there would be no life together

19:12 - for the cause of liberty.

19:16 - The early flags stitched from wool,

19:20 - but only the Pennsylvania farmer

19:24 - could truly stitch together

19:27 - the fabric of America.

19:31 - George Washington saved

19:33 - that with reference to the national welfare.

19:37 - Agriculture is of primary importance

19:42 - because there is no liberty without life,

19:46 - and no life can be sustained

19:49 - without the work of farmers

19:52 - by the sweat of their brow, by the strength of calloused hands,

19:56 - they turned soil into sustenance

20:01 - and made the dreams of Independence Hall a reality.

20:09 - Pennsylvania farmers

20:12 - have kept this nation growing

20:16 - their values, patience,

20:20 - progress,

20:22 - purpose

20:23 - have become part of our national creed.

20:28 - Because being a farmer,

20:30 - like being an American,

20:32 - is to believe in tomorrow,

20:38 - to plant

20:40 - is to hope

20:42 - through drought and flood, through war and peace,

20:46 - through lean years and seasons of plenty.

20:50 - Our farmers have done the work

20:53 - and kept the faith.

20:56 - And that is why this year's Farm Show

20:59 - theme feels so appropriate.

21:04 - Growing a nation.

21:08 - That's exactly what our farmers have done

21:12 - across seasons and generations.

21:15 - And as we look ahead to the next 250 years,

21:20 - we ask important questions.

21:24 - Who will take up the plow

21:28 - and labor for liberty?

21:31 - Who will keep us growing?

21:36 - Farming,

21:38 - agriculture

21:41 - must be both heritage

21:44 - and horizon.

21:47 - And so, thankfully, even as today, we celebrate the past.

21:51 - We also welcome a new generation

21:56 - who is stepping forward

22:00 - to plant, to preserve,

22:02 - to grow the future of America.

22:07 - And I can see that future

22:09 - all about here in this farm show.

22:13 - In the very youngest of the Pennsylvanians.

22:18 - They're laughing. They're learning.

22:20 - They're asking questions.

22:22 - They're discovering where their food came from.

22:26 - I see it in the children as they will climb on to the little tractors.

22:30 - I want those things. Amazing.

22:33 - And they're going to witness a cow giving birth.

22:37 - They will begin to understand that the food

22:41 - we enjoy here and at the table is across the Commonwealth.

22:46 - It is the result of steady

22:50 - patient labor.

22:54 - It is these young faces

22:57 - that fill my heart with joy

23:00 - and remind me that farming, like liberty,

23:06 - is an act of stewardship.

23:11 - Each generation receives it,

23:15 - not as a possession,

23:18 - but as a responsibility.

23:22 - Something to tend to protect and to pass on.

23:27 - Stronger than we found it.

23:32 - And seeing the next generation

23:35 - gives me confidence

23:39 - that the spirit of our founding

23:42 - still lives on

23:45 - in our fields, in our communities,

23:50 - and in the small hands

23:52 - of a young Pennsylvanian.

23:55 - At the very first Farm Show,

24:00 - ready to carry this heritage

24:03 - into the future.

24:06 - My friends,

24:08 - liberty is always worth the labor.

24:14 - And if you ever need a reminder of that fact,

24:20 - our flag

24:23 - and our farmers,

24:26 - they will stand here as a beacon of light

24:33 - for the generations to come.

24:37 - I thank you indeed.

24:46 - Thank you, Betsy, and I will invite you to, visit

24:49 - our sewing and quilting and family living for our farm show.

24:54 - America 250 is not just about history.

24:56 - It's about people in place.

24:59 - It's about how our shared story continues to shape communities

25:02 - across the Commonwealth.

25:04 - First, we'll hear what America 250 means for rural Pennsylvania.

25:08 - From Todd Richards of the Washington County Fair.

25:20 - Good morning, and thank you for welcoming the Washington

25:22 - County Agricultural Fair to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show.

25:26 - As they said, my name is Todd Richards.

25:28 - And I do serve as the president of the board

25:30 - for the Washington County Fair

25:31 - in the rolling hills of southwestern Pennsylvania.

25:34 - Washington County has proudly hosted its agriculture fair for 228 years,

25:39 - uniting farmers, families and youth in the proud tradition

25:43 - of promoting and supporting agriculture across our great region.

25:47 - It is truly a privilege to carry forward a tradition that connects generations

25:51 - and celebrates the hardworking individuals who keep our community thriving.

25:56 - As we honor our 250th anniversary of the United States,

25:59 - we are reminded that agriculture has not only shaped our nation's

26:02 - past past, but will continue to define its future.

26:07 - Today, we celebrate that legacy

26:08 - and the great opportunities ahead for Pennsylvania agriculture.

26:12 - Thank you for allowing us to be part of this momentous celebration.

26:15 - And I extend a one invitation to you all to come see our fair in August.

26:19 - Thank you very much.

26:26 - Thank you.

26:26 - Todd.

26:27 - And just as that story lives on in our rural communities,

26:30 - it also thrives in our cities.

26:33 - Please welcome Danielle Houston, executive director of Grow Pittsburgh,

26:37 - to share the urban perspective.

26:45 - Good morning.

26:46 - I'm honored to be here from Pittsburgh, representing urban agriculture,

26:50 - and take part in an event that strengthens connections across our Commonwealth.

26:55 - Agriculture has been a part of American Story from the very beginning,

26:58 - and continue to shape our future as we approach America's 250th anniversary.

27:04 - We honor a legacy rooted in the land and carry forward

27:08 - by the people who care for it.

27:10 - Today, I'm proud to represent urban agriculture

27:13 - and the farmers, and are growing food on city blocks and our schoolyards,

27:18 - on rooftops, in greenhouses and community gardens.

27:21 - Urban agriculture is where tradition is innovation.

27:25 - It's where young people first touch the soil for the first time,

27:28 - where our neighbors become stewards and where we can refresh.

27:31 - Food becomes access, dignity and opportunity.

27:35 - Urban agriculture also helps grow

27:37 - the next generation of our producers, our growers and entrepreneurs.

27:41 - It shows people, often for the first time,

27:44 - that agriculture can be a part of their future.

27:46 - Agriculture has changed my life for food, urban agriculture.

27:50 - I have discovered not only how to grow food, but how to grow

27:53 - confidence, opportunities and connections

27:57 - and has opened doors that I had never thought possible before.

28:00 - It showed me that agriculture is not just about theocracy.

28:04 - It thrives wherever people are willing to care for the land and for each other.

28:09 - And as we look forward to this coming year.

28:12 - Urban agriculture reminds us that farming has always been adaptable.

28:17 - It grows with our communities.

28:18 - It needs new challenges and it creates new possibilities.

28:22 - The Farm Show brings together every part of Pennsylvania under one roof.

28:26 - It's a powerful reminder that we are all connected

28:30 - and brought by the land, by food, and by our shared future.

28:34 - So today, let's recommit not only to growing crops, but growing communities.

28:39 - Not only food, but futures.

28:42 - Thank you and enjoy the Farm Show.

28:49 - Thank you.

28:50 - Danelle.

28:51 - Our agricultural future is also shaped

28:54 - by strong partnerships with the federal government.

28:57 - Please join me in welcoming a steadfast supporter of Farm Show,

29:01 - Pennsylvania's 15th District Representative and the chairman

29:04 - of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Glenn G.T.

29:08 - Thompson.

29:15 - Well, good morning, Pennsylvania Farm show.

29:19 - Yeah,

29:21 - America 215.

29:23 - You know, Pennsylvania, a place that gave birth to the nation has grown the nation.

29:28 - And it really is leading the nation and celebrating

29:32 - the 110th Pennsylvania Farm Show.

29:35 - What an accomplished.

29:36 - What an achievement.

29:37 - And you know what?

29:38 - We're just getting started. The,

29:42 - really proud to be here as chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture.

29:46 - A proud Pennsylvanian, representing the Pennsylvania 15th Congressional district.

29:51 - I love the Pennsylvania Farm Show

29:53 - with celebration showcases our number one industry, agriculture, the industry that

29:59 - that, features that closes and, you know, provides

30:02 - all kinds of natural resources off of that raw acreage.

30:06 - And I'm pleased to be joined today by my colleagues, Congressman dam

30:10 - user and Congressman Mike Kelly and Congressman Rob Bresnahan.

30:14 - This year's theme, growing a Nation, is fitting as we commemorate and celebrate

30:18 - 250 years since our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

30:24 - The journey towards this historic milestone

30:27 - allows us to reflect on our past,

30:29 - honor the contributions of all Americans.

30:32 - And look forward to the future.

30:35 - For generations, American farmers have not only fed to this country,

30:39 - they've helped feed the world.

30:42 - And they've done so by continuously

30:44 - adapting and embracing new tools,

30:48 - new tools, technologies and practices.

30:51 - Pennsylvania agriculture, like American agriculture, can be defined

30:54 - as science, technology, and innovation.

30:58 - The success of U.S.

30:59 - agriculture has been built through ingenuity, hard work, and strategic

31:03 - application of science and technology from seed to soil to harvest.

31:08 - That innovation has been the engine that drives productivity,

31:12 - efficiency and stewardship across the entire value chain.

31:16 - Simply put, American agriculture has become the envy of the world

31:21 - because we have embraced science, technology, and a commitment to progress.

31:27 - Today, thanks to decades of investment in agro agriculture,

31:30 - innovation, and tireless efforts of our producers,

31:34 - the United States is home to the most abundant

31:36 - and affordable and safest food supply in the world.

31:41 - We should be proud of that legacy, and I'm excited

31:43 - to celebrate here today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

31:47 - I look forward to seeing many of you around this weekend.

31:50 - Don't forget to stop by our listening session.

31:53 - We're, traditionally have done now

31:56 - for about 19 years, and it's going to be in the Delaware room at 1 p.m.

32:00 - today.

32:01 - And we're going to start out with a commemorative farm boat

32:04 - farm bill signing of whole milk for healthy kids.

32:08 - Yeah.

32:13 - Thank you all.

32:14 - And God bless.

32:19 - Thank you, Congressman Thompson.

32:21 - Together, these perspectives remind us that agriculture,

32:25 - heritage and community are deeply connected across Pennsylvania.

32:29 - To speak about that connection and the future of agriculture

32:32 - in the Commonwealth.

32:34 - Please welcome Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture,

32:36 - Russell Redding.

32:43 - All right, Lisa, thank you.

32:44 - Good morning everybody.

32:46 - It is an honor to be with you.

32:48 - Welcome to the 110th Pennsylvania Farm Show,

32:52 - a place where soil and seeds meet.

32:55 - Vision and hope, where history meets promise of tomorrow,

33:00 - and where community and perseverance gather

33:03 - to celebrate agriculture.

33:06 - It is wonderful to be reunited

33:08 - with my friend Betsy Ross.

33:11 - She reminds us that small, deliberate actions

33:14 - like stitching a flag can grow into something enduring.

33:19 - Today we celebrate another enduring symbol,

33:24 - one not stitched in fabric,

33:26 - but from soil and sweat, from orchards and barns,

33:31 - from classrooms and city gardens, from hands and hearts of people

33:36 - who care and persevere and believe in the promise of tomorrow.

33:42 - Today we celebrate

33:43 - agriculture's role in growing the nation.

33:47 - It's more than a theme.

33:49 - It's a story.

33:50 - It's a journey.

33:52 - It's a farmer like Lisa, who rises

33:54 - before dawn to milk cows in Lancaster,

33:58 - honoring her family's legacy while writing a new chapter.

34:02 - It's the students

34:04 - from Grow Pittsburgh planting their first urban gardens

34:09 - and learning that the smallest seeds can carry the greatest hope.

34:13 - It's the youth from the Grange,

34:16 - guiding animals across the show floor,

34:19 - discovering patience and courage and leadership.

34:23 - And as volunteers like Todd from the Washington County Fair.

34:27 - Preserving traditions.

34:29 - Connecting generations.

34:30 - Keeping alive the rhythm of our land and our lives.

34:35 - That strength comes together here at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

34:40 - From the food we enjoy to the hands that produced it,

34:44 - from the craftsmanship and creativity

34:47 - to the stewardship and innovation.

34:50 - All that and more comes together

34:52 - inside the largest agricultural exposition in America.

34:57 - Every hand has a place here.

35:00 - Every story matters.

35:02 - Every seed, every animal, every blue ribbon, every lesson.

35:07 - These are the threads that grow our nation here.

35:11 - History matters.

35:13 - Generations of farmers, from educators and innovators,

35:17 - laid the roots we build upon today.

35:21 - This year's show honors

35:23 - the legacy and the people who have made it possible.

35:26 - And here we lead the future under Governor Shapiro's leadership.

35:31 - And I just want to say to this team, amazing folks who help us invest in

35:37 - Pennsylvania in innovation, sustainability and preservation and workforce

35:42 - and opportunity so agriculture can continue to feed,

35:47 - to lead and inspire for decades to come.

35:52 - At the Farm Show, we will see the future that's taking shape.

35:56 - Throughout this week, we invite each of you to visit

35:59 - and see the future for yourself, even to see your future in agriculture.

36:05 - See the future of your family and your community right here.

36:09 - Inside these doors.

36:11 - Together we see something larger.

36:15 - It's a nation being drawn

36:17 - and grown not from the soil,

36:20 - but from the values and perseverance and hope

36:25 - as we open these doors.

36:27 - Remember

36:28 - that we are not just growing,

36:31 - not just showing what we grow.

36:33 - We are showing who we are and our values.

36:37 - We honor the past.

36:39 - We celebrate the present.

36:41 - And we plant seeds of the future.

36:44 - Today, that story takes on a new symbol

36:48 - as part of the America 250.

36:50 - We will unveil a specially painted Liberty Bell.

36:54 - This bell was created by Cody Sable of Pittsburgh.

36:57 - You'll meet in a moment. Thank you. Cody.

37:00 - And generously sponsored and supported by the friends of the Farm Show Foundation

37:04 - and America, 250 P.A.

37:07 - like Betsy Ross.

37:08 - This bell represents steady action and shared purpose.

37:13 - It reflects the values that built our nation

37:16 - of liberty and opportunity and equality.

37:19 - And the courage to keep us growing.

37:22 - So with

37:23 - gratitude for everyone who has made this possible.

37:26 - For the pride in the story we carry forward

37:30 - and the hope for the future, we are planting together.

37:33 - It is my honor to be here with you in this moment.

37:37 - As we cut the ribbon and unveil the America 250 Liberty Bell,

37:42 - let it inspire us.

37:45 - Let it remind us.

37:47 - Let it call us to continue to grow as a nation.

37:50 - One story, one seed

37:53 - and one connection at a time.

37:56 - Welcome to the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

37:58 - Let's cut the ribbon.

38:03 - Okay.

38:05 - Yeah, let's unveil the bell,

38:07 - and then we'll get the ribbon set up.

38:11 - One, two.

38:14 - Three. Go!

38:26 - Thank you, Secretary Redding, the moment has arrived.

38:29 - Everyone to officially open the 2026 Farm Show.

38:32 - And I'll ask everyone to gather up front in line for the ribbon cutting.

38:37 - Yeah.

38:42 - Keep you.

38:44 - Go you to.

38:52 - Scare me.

39:07 - Yeah.

39:09 - You better.

39:10 - You. And.