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PRINTER'S NO. 975
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 128
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, BOSCOLA, BARTOLOTTA, DUSH, VOGEL,
TARTAGLIONE, BROWN, FARRY, FONTANA, STEFANO, KIM, ARGALL AND
ROTHMAN, JUNE 20, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
JUNE 20, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Encouraging the Department of Community and Economic Development
to partner with the private sector and tourism promotion
entities to establish and promote a Pennsylvania Sweet and
Salty Trail to honor and recognize the importance and value
of the confectionery, snack food, food manufacturing and
agricultural industries in this great Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is the home of several industry-leading
confection and snacking companies known for their iconic brands,
economic impact and philanthropic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is also home to numerous small and
medium-sized confection and snacking businesses and food
manufacturers that play a vital role in our economy and produce
local, regional and seasonal sweets, treats and snacks; and
WHEREAS, Established as Pennsylvania's legacy industries, the
agricultural, confectionery and snack food manufacturing sectors
have an economic impact that is prevalent across this
Commonwealth from dairy production in the northwest, south
central and northern tier regions to snack and confectionery
product manufacturing with hubs in the south central, central,
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northeast and Lehigh Valley regions; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is the snack food capital of the world,
leading all other states in the manufacture of pretzels and
potato chips and among the highest in confection; and
WHEREAS, Since the founding of this Commonwealth, agriculture
and agribusiness has been a central part of our identity; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's farms, dairy facilities, bountiful
apple and stone fruit orchards, fruit and vegetable farms and
sprawling hardwood forests have shaped our cultural and
industrial heritage and the production of commodities used in
confection and snack foods throughout this Commonwealth and the
world; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail will help ensure that the
Commonwealth continues as a national leader in the agriculture,
confectionery, snacking and food manufacturing industries; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a hub for snack food and
confectioneries, ranking second and first for number of
employees in the United States, respectively; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is also within the top five for our
number of snack food manufacturing establishments; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is responsible for producing chocolate,
candies, sweets, chewing gum, mints, pretzels, popcorn, potato
chips, crackers, cheese puffs, chocolate covered pretzels and
chips, peanuts and nuts, fudge, cupcakes, pies, ice cream,
milkshakes, cookies, whoopie pies, donuts, maple syrup and
candies, honey and other related confection and snack items
enjoyed by consumers around the world; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would help shine a light on
an industry that supports tens of thousands of Pennsylvania jobs
through direct employment and through the sourcing,
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transportation, storage and distribution of raw materials,
including agricultural commodities such as milk, cheese,
potatoes and the distribution and sale of the finished products;
and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would support industries
that provide more than $1 billion in taxes to this great
Commonwealth and local governments around this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would recognize the
interconnectedness of this Commonwealth's economy and the
realization that no sector thrives on its own; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would help generate
engagement and support for our private sector and support
Pennsylvania's millions of dollars invested within AgTech and
innovation; and
WHEREAS, Through tourism, the Sweet and Salty Trail would
help support the more than 1 million small businesses in this
Commonwealth, even those outside the specific confectionery and
snack food industry; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would help further support
our 190,000 skilled graduates produced by Pennsylvania colleges
and universities each year; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth's many confectionery and snack
food businesses, both big and small, directly employ tens of
thousands of Pennsylvanians throughout this Commonwealth with
family-sustaining jobs in manufacturing and distribution; and
WHEREAS, The confection and snack food industries also
support Pennsylvania's transportation, shipping and distribution
industries; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would help recognize and
further support the hundreds of millions of dollars generated in
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annual tourism revenue and economic development within this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, A Sweet and Salty Trail would celebrate this
Commonwealth's commitment to quality products, food safety and
the manufacturing jobs that make Pennsylvania the snack food
capital of the world and the sweetest place on Earth; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate encourage the Department of
Community and Economic Development to partner with the private
sector and tourism promotion entities to establish and promote a
Pennsylvania Sweet and Salty Trail to honor and recognize the
importance and value of the confectionery, snack food, food
manufacturing and agricultural industries in this great
Commonwealth.
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