Conklin announces over $129,000 in agricultural innovation funding for Penn State

Rep. Scott Conklin August 14, 2026 | 1:03 PM

STATE COLLEGE, Aug. 14 – Today, state Rep. Scott Conklin announced that $129,800 in funding from the state’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program will support optimizing the performance of Penn State University’s anaerobic digester.

The funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture was announced by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis during the annual Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ Ag Progress Days. The $9.7 million in funding statewide aims to leverage innovative technology to keep Pennsylvania agriculture a backbone of the commonwealth.

Penn State’s on-farm anaerobic digester was constructed as part of the Department of Animal Science’s renovation program. An anaerobic digester is a system to break down organic material and create biogas, which can either generate electricity or be further refined into renewable gas or other fuels.

“The innovative nature of Penn State’s agricultural programs always amazes me, and this innovation is no different,” Conklin said. “This technology improves the waste handling process, controls odors, and improves sustainability across the university’s operations. I appreciate the commonwealth looking out for our student leaders and supporting an initiative that can eventually be applied across Pennsylvania.”

For more information on the Penn State anaerobic digester, visit https://extension.psu.edu/all-about-the-penn-state-digester. For more on the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, visit https://www.pa.gov/services/pda/apply-for-the-agricultural-innovation-grant.

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