93% of Pennsylvanians desire to purchase and consume locally-sourced products. The PA Preferred® logo helps consumers identify products of Pennsylvania agriculture, providing a valuable service to both the producer and consumer. The program exists, as well, to increase awareness, accessibility and consumption of products grown and processed (if applicable) in Pennsylvania. The logo has become recognized not only by consumers but also by retailers, wholesalers, chefs and restaurateurs as a symbol of superior taste, quality and freshness.
Choose PA Preferred Products to:
- Support local producers and thereby the local economy
- Enjoy optimal freshness, quality and taste
- Benefit the environment as a result of minimal product transportation
Registration Standards
The Pennsylvania Preferred® logo may be used to denote any product or entity meeting the following criteria. Sales entities not meeting the criteria to have the overall entity denoted as a Pennsylvania Preferred business are encouraged to carry registered products and take part in the program's promotional and educational aspects.
Fresh, Unprocessed Food, Nursery Products and Other Agricultural Commodities
Fresh, unprocessed food, nursery products and other agricultural commodities can become licensed if they meet any one of the following criteria:
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Must be 100% harvested (sourced) in a raw/live state from a Pennsylvania location, or
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Must be grown at a Pennsylvania site for at least 75% of the product’s production cycle, or
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If the product is inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, USDA, FDA, or an independent certifying organization approved by the Department, the product must meet the quality standards thereof without any exception(s).
Processed Products
Processed products meeting all state and federal food safety and sanitary requirements can become licensed if they meet all of the following criteria:
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Company must be headquartered in Pennsylvania,
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Products must be final processed and packaged at a Pennsylvania facility,
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If the primary agricultural ingredients of the processed product are grown in Pennsylvania [1], the processor must agree to buy as much of that ingredient as is practical given seasonal restrictions and other business exigencies,
[1] Product used as an ingredient is listed within the Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics Annual Report as being grown in the Commonwealth at a commercial level.
The Program also licenses retailers, restaurants, food service operations, distributors, processors, nurseries and more! Please view the Downloadable Licensing Agreement below to learn about the qualifying standards for those business types.
Contact Information
If you meet the registration standards above, are interested in joining the PA Preferred® program, or would just like more information, please fill out the online contact
form and a PA Preferred
® representative will be in touch.