On the heels of Governor Josh Shapiro’s tour to launch The Great American Getaway, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Executive Deputy Secretary Mike Hanna, Jr. visited Merrymead Farm in Montgomery County last week to officially launch Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail.
“No summer getaway is complete without a scoop of ice cream from a Pennsylvania creamery,” Secretary Redding said. “Knowing you’re supporting one of Pennsylvania’s more than 4,000 dairy farms just sweetens the adventure.”
Launched in 2018, Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail, is a partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and its PA Preferred program, DCED’s Tourism Office, and the Center for Dairy Excellence.
“Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail is a fun and delicious way to support Pennsylvania small businesses and our dairy industry,” said Executive Deputy Secretary Hanna. “This year’s trail will take visitors all across the Commonwealth and is a great way to spend time with friends and family this summer. The Shapiro Administration is proud to support the agriculture industry, which is one of the five key sectors included in Pennsylvania’s economic development plan to position the Commonwealth for strong economic growth and more good-paying jobs.”
This years ice cream trail features 41 creameries across Pennsylvania, including one in Berks County. Located at 7701 Bernville Road in Bernville, Way-Har Farm Market is a third-generation, family-owned business that has been retailing its milk and ice cream for over 50 years. In 1970, the Lesher family opened the farm market as a retail dairy store to sell milk directly from their cows.
Today, the market is a popular destination for ice cream cones, milkshakes, sundaes, and their very own ‘Way-Har Whips’. Customers also stop into the market for homemade baked goods, deli items, and specialty candies. In addition, Way-Har provides a travelling ice cream wagon and ice cream catering service to serve weddings, fairs, and community events.
Travelers can plan their adventures, learn about participating creameries, and sign up free at visitpa.com/scooped. Dedicated dairy lovers can accumulate points to earn prizes, including a commemorative stainless-steel ice cream scooper by visiting five stops, and a t-shirt with 10 stops.
Pennsylvania has the second largest number of dairy farms in the U.S. and is ranked eighth in milk production nationally. The Pennsylvania dairy industry provides more than 47,000 jobs and supports our state economy to the tune of $11.8 billion annually. Pennsylvania continues to be a national leader in the production of ice cream, butter, and Swiss cheese.
“The dairy industry is an economic driver for Pennsylvania, and 99 percent of our state’s dairy farms are family owned,” said Center for Dairy Excellence Communications and Marketing Manager Emily Barge, “Each summer, the Ice Cream Trail is a fun way for families from Pennsylvania and beyond to actually meet the dairy farm families who work around the clock, 365 days a year, to produce delicious dairy products and farm-fresh ice cream.”
The Ice Cream Trail is a great addition to any Getaway in Pennsylvania and one that delivers dollars to small businesses across the state. Governor Josh Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy prioritizes the tourism and agriculture industries and adopts a new marketing strategy to showcase all that the Commonwealth has to offer.
Led by DCED’s Tourism and Business Marketing offices, the new marketing strategy will showcase how the Commonwealth’s iconic attractions and hidden gems support the state’s economy and create jobs for local businesses — all while improving residents’ quality of life.
“I was thrilled to welcome Agriculture Secretary Redding and DCED Executive Deputy Secretary Hanna to my district to launch the 2024 Ice Cream Trail,” said Senator Maria Collett. “We know that family-owned farms like Merrymead are critical to the economic success of communities in every corner of the Commonwealth. The Ice Cream Trail is the perfect way to spotlight these businesses, support local jobs, and attract visitors – all in the worthwhile pursuit of sweet summer treats.”
Those who embark on the Ice Cream Trail are encouraged to share every sweet stop #PAScoops on visitpa.com’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
