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Governor Rendell Says PA Continues Economic Push With New Investments in Agriculture, Tourism

Posted on: Monday, 13 April 2009, 14:44 CDT

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New state investments to grow Pennsylvania's agriculture and tourism industries will help farmers buy new land, livestock and equipment, and complete construction and renovation work on projects that are designed to attract tourists, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today.

"Even in this economy, we are committed to supporting the commonwealth's two largest industries by providing resources that encourage growth and expansion," said Governor Rendell "Today's $12.2 million investment reflects our strategy to leverage private investment in rural communities, generate employment opportunities, and help Pennsylvanians weather this economic storm."

The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved the loans and guarantees for 35 projects in 19 counties.

One of today's approved projects, a First Industry Fund Tourism Loan Guarantee for $2.5 million, will help bring an upscale restaurant and lounge to Bethlehem's South Side neighborhood, one of the city's largest tourism areas. The restaurant, which will seat 200 people, will be the neighborhood's most ambitious dining and entertainment project. The loan guarantee will finance renovation and construction work on an existing building and the purchase of new machinery and equipment.

For more information on state investment programs available through the Department of Community and Economic Development, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit www.newpa.com.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following projects, by county, were approved by the CFA today:

Adams County

• $120,000 agriculture loan to William and Jaime Mickley toward the $240,000 purchase of an 83-acre farm in Biglerville.
• $43,293 tourism loan to CL Hankey LLC (doing business as The Pike Restaurant & Lounge) for the $86,586 purchase of new equipment and to repave a parking lot in Gettysburg.

Bedford County

• $70,500 agriculture loan to Melinda and Steven Smith toward the $141,000 construction cost and purchase of manure handling equipment in Woodbury.

Berks County

• $150,000 machinery and equipment loan to Meck Brothers LLC towards the $302,000 purchase of milking equipment and 85 additional cows in Womelsdorf.
• $125,000 agriculture loan to Brian and Kimberly Trexler to purchase a 107-acre, $275,000 farm in Kempton.

Centre County

• $200,000 tourism loan to Moerschbacher Enterprises Inc. (doing business as Hoag's Catering), and Cyril Moerschbacher and Jacqueline Casale toward a $712,000 construction project to expand the existing facility by 3,800 square feet in State College.

Chester County

• $25,886 machinery and equipment loan for a previous project to Kenneth and Susan Miller for the $476,773 purchase of two robotic milking systems in Chester Springs.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Sunset Mushrooms Inc. towards the $706,500, 2.8-acre purchase of land that includes a mushroom production facility in Kennett Square.
• $40,750 machinery and equipment loan to Karl and Barbara Herr towards the $82,200 purchase of a new Sunflower no-till grain drill and tractor for their farming operations in Oxford.

Columbia County

• $142,500 agriculture loan to Winston and Deborah Jarrard (doing business as Roaring Creek Evergreens) for the purchase of a $285,000, 27-acre farm property in Catawissa.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Joel and Sarah Knoebel towards the $879,950 construction costs of building a hog finishing facility that will house 4,360 hogs in Elysburg.

Delaware County

• $5 million machinery and equipment loan to Sun Center LP towards the $10 million purchase and installation of software development equipment, audio-visual equipment, computer hardware, and equipment for the food and beverage business. The Sun Center will operate as a sound stage facility, events center, and tourist attraction based around the movie and television industry in Aston.

Franklin County

• $200,000 agriculture loan to Stanley and Janice Burkholder towards the $651,700 construction of a freestall barn in Chambersburg.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Donald and Denise Martin towards the $1.3 million purchase of 153-acres of farmland in Chambersburg.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Ernest and Carolyn Rotz towards the $569,700 construction of a 204-cow freestall barn in Chambersburg.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Sherwin and Rebecca Breechbill towards the $669,200, 85-acre farm purchase in Chambersburg.

Lancaster County

• $200,000 agriculture loan to Jacob and Mary Fisher for the purchase of a $500,000, 34-acre farm in Conestoga.
• $205,250 machinery and equipment loan to Jacobus and Jana Meulenberg for the $410,500 purchase of livestock, milking equipment and farm machinery in Kirkwood.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Jonathan Hess towards $1.2 million purchase of a 103-acre farm in Lancaster's Farmland Preservation Area.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Karl Hess towards the $1.7 million, 117-acre purchase of land in a Farmland Preservation Area in Conestoga.
• $200,000 agriculture loan to Randall and Christine Andrews towards the $840,000 construction costs of two new broiler houses located in an Agriculture Security Area in Lancaster.

Lebanon County

• $200,000 agriculture loan to David and Kimberly Gish to purchase a $1,054,200, 156-acre hog farm located in an Agriculture Security Area in Palmyra.
• $100,000 agriculture loan to Curvin and Dawn Good to finance working capital for a dairy farm located in an Agriculture Security Area in Myerstown.

McKean County

• $75,000 tourism loan to Joseph Frombach Jr. (doing business as John Williams European Pastry Shop) towards the $155,000 construction costs of a dining room and gift shop expansion, and to construct a rear patio in Bradford.

Mifflin County

• $105,000 agriculture loan to Samuel and Wendy Kauffman towards the $235,000 construction of a 90-cow freestall barn in Belleville.

Northampton County

• $2.5 million tourism loan guarantee of a loan totaling $8 million from the First Savings Bank of Perkasie. The loan guarantee will be used to finance renovation and construction of an existing building for use as a restaurant and lounge, as well as the purchase of new machinery and equipment.

Northumberland County

• $200,000 agriculture loan to Hummel Farms, and Scott and Karen Hummel towards the $835,000 construction costs of two turkey houses in Sunbury.
• $72,000 agriculture loan to Alma Stahl (doing business as Richard Stahl & Sons) towards the purchase of 300 mink breeders in Sunbury.

Potter County

• $200,000 agriculture loan to Dale and Carol Hoffman (doing business as Kar-Dale Acres) towards the $400,000 purchase and renovation of a 211-acre dairy farm located in an Agriculture Security Area in Coudersport.

Somerset County

• $50,000 tourism loan to BP and MR Smith (doing business as Confluence Cyclery) towards the $244,665 construction costs to renovate the second floor of a newly acquired building and finance working capital costs in Confluence.
• $75,000 tourism loan to Judith Pletcher towards the $150,343 construction costs of renovating the hostel to accommodate travelers in Rockwood.

Susquehanna County

• $75,000 agriculture loan to Alfred Jones for the $150,000 purchase of cattle in Friendsville.
• $200,000 tourism loan to The Inn at Montrose for the $606,050 purchase of the real estate from the existing owners in Montrose.

Union County

• $56,000 machinery and equipment loan to Kenneth and Dorothy Martin towards the purchase of a new $112,000 layer system in Mifflinburg.

York County

• $119,000 agriculture loan to Thomas and Julie Waltersdorff towards the $408,000, 36-acre purchase of farmland in Spring Grove.

CONTACT: Theresa Elliott (DCED) 717-783-1132 Michael Smith 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Source: PR Newswire

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