Banta: Grapes Grown by Farmers Impacted by Sudden Market Change Will Now Feed Community

July 2, 2026

ERIE – Rep. Jake Banta (R-Erie) announced today $500,000 will be used in emergency funding to purchase, process and transport 350 tons of grapes from 11 Erie County growers whose contracts were terminated by Refresco earlier this year. Grapes purchased from these local family farms will be made into juice concentrate and distributed to Feeding Pennsylvania-member food banks through the Pennsylvania Agriculture Surplus System (PASS). 

In March, Refresco, a global grape juice manufacturer, suddenly terminated its contracts with grape growers in the Lake Erie region with no prior notice. Affected farmers had no market to sell acres worth of their grapes and feared being out tens of thousands of dollars this year. 

The PASS program makes connections between the local agriculture industry and the non-profit sector responsible for getting more nutritious food into the hands of Pennsylvanians at risk of hunger. PASS will purchase grapes for processing by a New York-based company into 100% juice concentrate for distribution at foodbanks across Pennsylvania. 

“Just a few months ago, these farmers feared the worst – that they had spent an entire year working their farms for harvest and market with no-where to ship or send their grapes. For some, it meant being out tens of thousands of dollars,” Banta said. “This investment is well-deserved for our local farmers who were blindsided by Refresco. I’m pleased to see how their grapes will support the entire Commonwealth.”

The funding comes after Banta introduced similar legislation in May. House Bill 2521 would allow the Agricultural Business Development Center to deploy short-term funding for a wider variety of agricultural emergencies, including severe and unforeseen market interruptions. 



Representative Jake Banta
4th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Lindsey Cook
Lcook@PAHouseGOP.com