UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, was honored with the 2024 Leadership Award presented by the Penn State Ag Council at its fall meeting in State College.

Also recognized were members of the Pennsylvania in the Balance initiative and undergraduate student Jessica Herr.

Marc Lewis, council president, highlighted the significance of the awards in acknowledging individuals, organizations and initiatives that make a lasting impact on Pennsylvania's agricultural sector. Each winner received a Penn State Nittany Lion statuette and had their names engraved on a permanent display on the University Park campus.

A lifelong resident of Howard, Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before being elected to Pennsylvania’s largest geographical congressional district, he spent 28 years as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager and licensed nursing home administrator.

An Eagle Scout and a Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council member for more than 30 years, Thompson has served youth as scoutmaster, council executive board member and council president. In 2012, he received the National Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, an honor bestowed on just 2,000 people since 1969.

Thompson has been co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus for more than a decade. In the 115th Congress, he introduced the Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which passed the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.

A longtime member and current chair of the House Agriculture Committee, Thompson has been an advocate for agriculture and natural resource management and a strong supporter of the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.

“He is in a unique position to use his expertise and knowledge to improve American citizens’ lives by addressing the issues facing agriculture, rural businesses, communities and families,” Lewis said.

Lewis added that Thompson, a Penn State alumnus, has been a strong supporter of the Research Facilities Act, which is aimed at helping American agriculture remain competitive by increasing funding to ensure that land-grant institutions have updated facilities and technologies to perform needed teaching, research and extension activities.

Pennsylvania in the Balance was awarded the 2024 Leadership in Action Award for fostering collaborative efforts between agriculture and environmental stakeholders in Pennsylvania. Since 2008, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and other partners have organized four "Pennsylvania in the Balance" conferences.

Lewis explained that these events bring together diverse stakeholders, including farmers, environmentalists and policymakers, to discuss and create solutions that ensure a thriving agricultural industry while meeting water quality goals for Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Matt Royer, director of the Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center, and Mary Seaton, assistant director of college relations, lead the planning committee for Pennsylvania in the Balance.

The group includes representatives from key organizations such as the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, PennAg Industries Association, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Stroud Water Research Center.

Specific themes and initial recommendations emerged from these conferences, forming the foundation of collaborative strategy and focused working teams that have worked together consistently to ensure profitable and productive agriculture.

Lewis shared a congratulatory note from Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, who praised Pennsylvania in the Balance for its ability to convene critical stakeholders and build consensus on conservation priorities.

"I credit Pennsylvania in the Balance with convening the right stakeholders, building consensus on priorities, and developing the path forward that has led to Pennsylvania's success in conservation and water quality," Redding said. "I am proud of the work and very much appreciate the dedicated leadership of the Penn State team, especially Matt Royer and Mary Seaton. Congratulations to all, and thank you for the partnership."

The 2024 Youth Leadership Award was presented to Herr, of Lancaster County, a Penn State undergraduate majoring in agricultural science with a minor in leadership development.

Her contributions to leadership began during her tenure as secretary of the Pennsylvania FFA officer team, during which she helped guide FFA participants through the challenges of operating remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Herr’s leadership and dedication culminated in her election as National FFA secretary for the 2022-2023 term. Lewis noted that Herr was only the 12th person from Pennsylvania to hold a National FFA office since the program’s inception in 1928 and the first female from the commonwealth to hold a national FFA office.

In addition to her leadership roles in FFA, Herr completed a summer internship at Horizon Farm Credit, further expanding her knowledge of the agricultural industry. As she continues her studies at Penn State Berks, she remains deeply involved in agricultural advocacy and leadership.

“Jessica is the vision of what our youth leadership award was created to celebrate — serving as a role model, mentor, diplomat and inspiration,” Lewis said.

The Penn State Ag Council, an independent association of more than 90 organizations, works to advise Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and advocate for agricultural education and research in the state.