Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
01/07/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/07/2026 14:05
Nelson, Banta Proposal Would Help Farmers Expand Crop Damage Protections
Jan. 07, 2026
HARRISBURG - State Reps. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) and Jake Banta (R-Erie) today introduced legislation that would allow more farmers to protect their crops from destruction by nuisance animals.
"As a farmer, I've seen my neighbors lose thousands in crop damage from wildlife, yet current law limits which farms can protect their investments," Nelson said. "This bill enables more farmers to protect their crops. It's a grassroots effort that came from conversations with Westmoreland County families excluded from the program because they had jobs off the farm. Rep. Banta and I worked with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to fix the issue."
Under current law, farmers must show greater than 50% of their annual income is generated from agricultural operations to be granted a "Depredation Permit" from the PGC. The permit allows farmers to work with their local game wardens to defend their crops outside of PGC seasons without bag limits and other restrictions placed on licensed hunters. Wildlife taken under this permit are collected by the PGC and donated to Hunters Sharing the Harvest.
"This win-win legislation helps farmers protect their investment and increases donated meat to families who need it," Banta explained. "Wildlife isn't eating grass; it is eating crops. This legislation is needed to support livelihoods."
This special allowance enables farmers to protect their crops throughout the year, expand their varieties of produce and potentially reduce crop insurance claims. However, such permits are only available to those property owners who can demonstrate more than half of their annual income is derived from their agricultural operations.
House Bill 2119 proposes to change that requirement to include any farm more than 10 acres in size or any farm with an income of at least $10,000 annually. The proposal is modeled after the legal definition of a "normal agricultural operation" in Pennsylvania's Right to Farm Act.
Representative Eric Nelson
57th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
[email protected]
"As a farmer, I've seen my neighbors lose thousands in crop damage from wildlife, yet current law limits which farms can protect their investments," Nelson said. "This bill enables more farmers to protect their crops. It's a grassroots effort that came from conversations with Westmoreland County families excluded from the program because they had jobs off the farm. Rep. Banta and I worked with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to fix the issue."
Under current law, farmers must show greater than 50% of their annual income is generated from agricultural operations to be granted a "Depredation Permit" from the PGC. The permit allows farmers to work with their local game wardens to defend their crops outside of PGC seasons without bag limits and other restrictions placed on licensed hunters. Wildlife taken under this permit are collected by the PGC and donated to Hunters Sharing the Harvest.
"This win-win legislation helps farmers protect their investment and increases donated meat to families who need it," Banta explained. "Wildlife isn't eating grass; it is eating crops. This legislation is needed to support livelihoods."
This special allowance enables farmers to protect their crops throughout the year, expand their varieties of produce and potentially reduce crop insurance claims. However, such permits are only available to those property owners who can demonstrate more than half of their annual income is derived from their agricultural operations.
House Bill 2119 proposes to change that requirement to include any farm more than 10 acres in size or any farm with an income of at least $10,000 annually. The proposal is modeled after the legal definition of a "normal agricultural operation" in Pennsylvania's Right to Farm Act.
Representative Eric Nelson
57th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
[email protected]
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Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus published this content on January 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 07, 2026 at 20:05 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]