Pennsylvania
Millions in PA dairy farmer aid proposed to cut insurance costs
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown.
BELLEFONTE — As part of his administration’s efforts to bolster the agriculture industry through state spending, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to use millions of dollars to connect more Pennsylvania farmers to a federal dairy program.
The governor’s budget pitch includes $5.6 million to create a state subsidy that would lessen sign-up costs for the federal Dairy Margin Coverage Protection Program, which gives farmers direct payments to help them deal with volatile milk and feed prices.
The dairy industry requires a large amount of initial capital investment, and there’s no guarantee that market prices will stay the same each month, so making a profit is difficult, said Jayne Sebright, executive director of Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence. The center operates within the state Department of Agriculture.
William Thiele, a sixth-generation dairy farmer in Butler County, equated the price fluctuations to riding a roller coaster. He signed up for the federal program — which works like an insurance plan — to curb some risks.
Funded by the federal Farm Bill in 2018, the program pays farmers when the difference between the national milk price and the average feed cost falls below a certain threshold.
Coverage levels range from $4 to $9.50 per 100 pounds of milk. The most basic protection is free except for a $100 administrative fee required for all participants.
Yearly premiums can range between $118 and $7,000, depending on various factors — like the coverage level and what percentage of coverage participants want.
In such a shifting market, costs deter participation, Sebright said.
“It’s a tight business we’re in,” Ed Hartman, a dairy farmer with operations in Berks and Lancaster Counties, told Spotlight PA. “You have to watch every dollar.”
Some farmers choose not to participate because they don’t want government support, Thiele said. Others might not know it exists, he added.
Pennsylvania has 4,940 dairy farms, according to state data. Of those, 1,778 are enrolled in the federal program, which made $102 million in payments statewide last year.
Christopher Allen Wolf, an agricultural economics professor at Cornell University, said participation in the federal program offers farmers, especially smaller ones, a safe way to reduce risks.
“Our hope is that by sharing the costs, more dairy farmers will take advantage of the federal program,” Shannon Powers, a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesperson, told Spotlight PA.
Minnesota incentivizes participation through its Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative. The state’s $8 million program, launched in 2019, made payments to operations that produced less than 16 million pounds of milk and enrolled for five years of federal coverage.
Before DAIRI, low milk prices and high feed costs had the dairy industry in crisis, said Paul Hugunin, a division director at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
The state subsidy, Hugunin said, was a way to give farmers direct cash with long-term benefits. Since 2020, Minnesota has received more than $245 million in federal dairy margin coverage payments.
“We got a heck of a deal for $8 million,” Hugunin said.
State Reps. Emily Kinkead (D., Allegheny) and Marci Mustello (R., Butler) are using Minnesota as a model as they craft legislation that would enable the governor’s pitch.
“There’s no sense in trying to reinvent the wheel,” Kinkead told Spotlight PA.
The 2018 Farm Bill expired in December, but after Congress couldn’t agree on an updated version, lawmakers extended the provisions through the rest of 2024. Any legislation creating a subsidy in Pennsylvania would apply to future dairy margin coverage cycles, Mustello said.
Agriculture investments have received bipartisan support in the General Assembly, but total spending faces an uphill legislative battle. Republicans, including those who control the state Senate, say the governor’s overall proposed budget is fiscally irresponsible.
State Sen. Elder Vogel (R., Beaver), who chairs his chamber’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said the proposed agriculture spending, $599 million total, is “a pretty fair budget.” Vogel, also a dairy farmer, told Spotlight PA he supports efforts to stabilize his industry amid fluctuating prices.
Along with the proposed subsidy program, Shapiro wants to use a portion of the $5.6 million to create a specialist position in the state Department of Agriculture that would advocate for the industry and its farmers.
State Rep. Dan Moul (R., Adams) previously told Spotlight PA he wasn’t convinced all of the proposed investments were necessary, including the subsidy program, a $10.3 million grant program for innovation, and additional staffing for the agriculture department. He’d rather see money go toward expanding farmers’ access to broadband.
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The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Wednesday, May 6, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 6 drawing
18-27-51-65-68, Powerball: 05, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 2 numbers from May 6 drawing
Day: 8-6, Wild: 9
Evening: 8-2, Wild: 5
Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 6 drawing
Day: 7-3-8, Wild: 9
Evening: 1-7-9, Wild: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 6 drawing
Day: 5-6-3-1, Wild: 9
Evening: 0-3-0-0, Wild: 5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from May 6 drawing
Day: 6-6-5-5-5, Wild: 9
Evening: 0-5-8-0-6, Wild: 5
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from May 6 drawing
04-19-26-32-40
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from May 6 drawing
07-08-19-21-25
Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from May 6 drawing
02-19-20-38-39-48
Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 6 drawing
04-21-36-48-69, Powerball: 05
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 6 drawing
06-18-30-32-43, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
- Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
- Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
- Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.
When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily
- Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
- Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
- Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Pennsylvania
Woman extradited from Pennsylvania, charged with murder after deadly 2024 Waterbury shooting
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — A 19-year-old Waterbury woman was extradited from Pennsylvania in connection with the fatal shooting of a 38-year-old man in 2024, according to Waterbury police.
Desire Aitken was arrested on Friday and charged with murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, illegal discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit and first-degree assault.
She was charged in connection with the death of 38-year-old Keno Williams of Waterbury, who was pronounced dead after receiving a gunshot wound to the back of his head on Jan. 30, 2024.
On the day of his death, police responded to Bertie’s Restaurant around 7:49 p.m. regarding a motor vehicle crash. They found that the car had drove through the parking lot and backyard area of a nearby home, where it struck several objects before coming to a stop.
Williams was found with a gunshot wound to the back of his head and succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the hospital.
Aitken, who was a juvenile at the time of the alleged shooting, was found in Pennsylvania on April 10 and taken into custody. She was extradited and served with an arrest warrant in Waterbury on Friday.
She’s being held on a $2 million bond.
FARRELL, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Sherry Buchanan, 87, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, May 4, 2026, in UPMC Jameson Hospital, New Castle.
Mrs. Buchanan was born on May 6, 1938, in Barkeyville, Pennsylvania, a daughter of the late Marion L. (Stanley) Smock.
Her husband, James Eugene Buchanan, whom she married on February 5, 1954, passed away on August 12, 2014.
A dedicated homemaker, Sherry loved to cook, crochet and watch wildlife in her backyard. Her life revolved around her family and her children. When her children were in school, she was highly involved in the Jefferson Elementary School PTA, and was the Past-President. Sherry also had a passion for fishing and bird watching. In her free time, she relaxed by reading and doing puzzles.
She is survived by four daughters, Jamie Dobrozdravic, Cyndi Buchanan, Regina Scott, all of Florida, and Karen Spehn (Jack), of Arizona; three sons, Robin Buchanan (Pam), of Alabama, Gregg Buchanan, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Jeffrey Buchanan (Sue Ann), of Farrell; 12 grandchildren, Geno, Jeffrey, Amy, Todd, Heidi, Ryan, Shana, Tyler, Spencer, John, William, and Jeffrey, Jr.; several great-grandchildren; and a dedicated niece, Joy Hayden.
In addition to her parents and husband, Sherry was preceded in death by a son, James Buchanan, Jr.; a son-in-law, Paul Dobrozdravic; and a sister, Jerry Thompson.
The family suggests memorial contributions be directed to the Shenango Valley Animal Shelter, at 2599 Broadway Rd., Hermitage, PA 16148; or ASPCA, at www.ASPCA.org
A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday May 9, 2026 in the chapel of Hillcrest Memorial Park, 2619 East State St., Hermitage. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com
Interment: Hillcrest Memorial Park, Hermitage.
Arrangements are being handled by the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sherry W. Buchanan, please visit our flower store.
A television tribute will air Wednesday, May 6 at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
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