Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Secretary of Labor & Industry Nancy A. Walker joined PA State Council of Farm Organizations President Kimberly Paley at Adams County Nursery in Aspers to honor three critical food industry workers as Pennsylvania Farmworkers of the Year. Award winners were Adams County Nursery Orchard Laborer Wilson Garcia Deras, Harvest Supervisor Jose Maderas of Leidy’s Premium Meats in Souderton, Montgomery County, and Crew Supervisor Jose “Ponce” Cruz of Bonnie Brae Fruit Farms in Gardners, Adams County.
The awards highlight outstanding frontline farm and food-processing employees who work tirelessly to produce a safe, secure food supply, feeding families and local economies across Pennsylvania. The three honorees are among the nearly 600,000 workers who keep Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry in business.
“Hard-working, skilled, team-players like Wilson, Ponce, and Jose inspire their coworkers to perform extremely well in demanding, difficult jobs to put food on all our tables and keep their employers in business,” Secretary Redding said.
Workers eligible for the award included frontline field and livestock workers, seasonal workers, meat-packaging, and food-processing workers. Nominees were selected for their initiative, determination, and positive impact on their coworkers and their employers’ daily operations.
