Redding Confirmed as Pa. Ag Secretary

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Russell Redding of Adams County was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate as the state’s 24th secretary of agriculture, Gov. Ed Rendell announced Wednesday.

The governor nominated Redding on Sept. 12 after the resignation of Dennis Wolff. Since then, Redding has served as acting secretary.

“Russell is the right person to lead our state’s agriculture industry,” Rendell said. “His commitment to this state and the agriculture industry is unrivaled, and his proven leadership at the local, state and federal levels will serve the commonwealth well.”

Redding said that he will focus on ensuring that the department is open and accessible to preserving strong relationships with consumers and businesses, enhancing food safety, expanding environmental stewardship efforts through continued leadership on farmland preservation, making full use of the authority from the Farm Bill for conservation by balancing the needs of farmers and the public with the need for clean water in the Chesapeake Bay, supporting Pennsylvanians who are at risk for hunger, redoubling efforts of existing programs and initiatives to benefit future generations of producers and consumers, and strengthening the department’s connection to its sister agencies and related state and local partners.

The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to send Redding’s nomination to the Senate floor with a favorable recommendation, according to Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-36), chairman of the committee.

Redding served in a leadership position in the Department of Agriculture since being appointed to serve as a deputy secretary in 1995. He has served as the department’s executive deputy secretary since 2003, overseeing more than 1,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees.

“Russell Redding has a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with the issues that face our agriculture community, and I am confident that he will be a strong partner in our efforts to protect and promote our state’s most important industry,” Brubaker said. He also noted that Redding has hands-on experience in agriculture as the former owner of a dairy farm in Adams County.

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) expressed support for Redding’s confirmation in a statement Wednesday.

“From his years of practical experience operating a dairy farm through years of work in the department during several administrations, Russell Redding is exceptionally qualified to serve as secretary of agriculture,” PFB President Carl Shaffer said. “During the brief period as acting secretary, he has already focused on a broad range of matters of concern to farmers, Pennsylvania’s food industry and consumers.”

Redding earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture and extension education from Penn State.