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Panel approves near-doubling of Ag Innovation Fund after rejecting mushroom-specific earmark
Summary
The committee voted to increase the Ag Innovation Fund from $10 million to $19 million for FY 2026–27 and reported House Bill 2468 after rejecting an amendment to set aside $3 million for mushroom-fly research (amendment A03171 failed on a roll call reportedly 13–12). A motion to re-refer to Appropriations also failed and the bill was passed by committee.
The House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee reported House Bill 2468, which increases the Ag Innovation Fund from $10,000,000 to $19,000,000 for fiscal year 2026–27, after debate over an amendment to earmark funding for mushroom growers.
Representative Lawrence offered amendment A03171 to require not less than $3,000,000 be used for remediation and innovation research to address phorid (referred to in the record as "ford/florid") flies affecting mushroom growers and nearby homeowners. "Roughly half of all the mushrooms grown in the United States are grown right here in Pennsylvania," Lawrence said, arguing that the amendment would support mitigation techniques and broader implementation strategies for a commodity central to the state's agriculture.
Representative Sapi said she would not oppose assistance for growers but was concerned the $3,000,000 would come out of the $19,000,000 increase rather than being additional funding; she noted the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture had already provided $1,000,000, created a new Conservation District position and expanded quarantine measures, though the new position had not yet been filled.
Representative Khan asked members to vote no on the amendment, saying the bill's goal is broader Ag Innovation and that the mushroom-fly remediation might be better handled in separate legislation. Other members argued the Innovation Fund is precisely for innovations like this and noted ongoing Penn State research and local homeowner impacts.
The committee held a roll-call vote on amendment A03171; the chair announced the amendment was defeated by one vote (reported as 13–12 against). Representative Cooper moved to re-refer the bill to the Appropriations Committee on fiscal grounds; the motion to re-refer failed on a subsequent vote, and the committee then proceeded to a final vote on the bill. The chair announced House Bill 2468 passed with the majority voting in favor and will be reported from the Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee.
The bill as considered raises the Ag Innovation Fund ceiling; the committee rejected the specific $3,000,000 earmark in A03171 but did not change the overall proposed fund increase during the meeting.
