Dennis C. Wolff

Denny Wolff
24th Secretary of Agriculture of Pennsylvania
In office May 5, 2003 – December 16, 2009
Governor	Ed Rendell
Preceded by	Samuel Hayes
Succeeded by	Russell Redding
Personal details
Born	(1951-09-09) September 9, 1951 Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Josey
Website	Campaign website

Dennis C. "Denny" Wolff (born September 9, 1951) is an American farmer, non-profit founder, and former public official who is currently running for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's (new) 9th Congressional District.

Wolff is a former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, where he served in the cabinet of Governor Edward G. Rendell.^[1]

On October 12, 2017, Wolff, a resident of Columbia County, announced his candidacy for Congress. After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the congressional map put in place in 2011, the Court crafted a new map to eliminate the gerrymandering of the previous version, and Columbia County was placed in the new 9th congressional district. ^[2]

Wolff is also the founder and president of The Nicholas Wolff Foundation, a non-profit which operates as Camp Victory. Camp Victory is a summer camp for chronically ill children and their families.

Campaign for Congress

On October 12, 2017, Wolff announced his candidacy for Congress.^[3] Wolff is a Blue Dog Democrat, a coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats, often from rural areas. Wolff was formally endorsed by the Blue Dogs on February 8, 2018.^[4] Wolff is only one of two Congressional candidates endorsed by the Blue Dogs in Pennsylvania, the other being Conor Lamb. Another prominent Blue Dog from Pennsylvania is former Congressman Tim Holden, a Schuylkill County resident.

Wolff was also endorsed by the National Farmers Union. “It’s an exceptional thing for the [National Farmers Union] PAC to make a primary endorsement, but Denny Wolff is an exceptional candidate," said National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson.^[5]

In his announcement, Wolff stated that "When I look at the United States Congress, I don’t see many people that have lived the same kind of life that I have, the same kind of life my neighbors have.”^[6] Drawing attention as a qualified candidate and moderate rural Democrat running in a district drawn to favor a Republican, PoliticsPA in October 2017 added this race to their list of vulnerable districts in the 2018 election cycle, noting that "party officials are high on Dennis Wolff, a dairy farmer and former state secretary of agriculture." ^[7] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in November 2017 placed the district on their "battleground" lists for the 2018 election cycle.^[8]

After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the 2011 congressional map on January 22, 2018, the Court put in place a redrawn congressional map on February 19, 2018. Columbia County was placed into the new 9th Congressional district, which includes all of Carbon, Columbia, Montour, Schuylkill and Lebanon counties. It's also includes parts of Berks, Luzerne and Northumberland counties.

The new 9th Congressional District, which includes all of Carbon, Columbia, Lebanon,Montour, and Schuylkill counties. It also includes parts of Berks, Luzerne, and Northumberland counties.

Although a number of congressional candidates have chosen to run in districts in which they do not actually reside (sometimes referred to as "candidate self gerrymandering"), Wolff remains a candidate in the district that he is a resident of. Many candidates seeking elected office outside of their own district do so because winning an election in their own district would be significantly more challenging.

On May 15, 2018, Wolff won the Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District, taking in 41% of the vote, compared to Gary Wegman's 31% and Laura Quick's 28%. Wolff won every county in the district except Wegman and Quick's home counties. The general election will be held on November 6, 2018.

Dairy Farmer

Wolff is the owner of Pen-Col Farms, based in Millville, Pennsylvania. He is a fifth-generation Pennsylvania dairy farmer and began his own farming operation in 1970. Wolff started in a rented farm with thirty-five Holstein cows and grew into an operation which spanned several farms and included over 500 Holsteins. From 1970 through the early 2000s, Pen-Col Farms operated a dairy store just outside of Millville that sold fresh milk and other dairy products. The store was noted particularly for their chocolate milk.

In the 1980s, Wolff took Pen-Col Farms international and entered the world market for fresh and frozen bovine embryos. The farm has since shipped to over 30 countries. The Pen-Col herd has received international accolades for their impact on the global Holstein breed. The farm has bred 456 cows rated Very Good or Excellent, 54 Gold Metal Dams, and 122 Dams of Merit. Pen-Col emphasizes breeding for superior performance as measured by protein yield.

Wolff received a Master Farmer award in 1994 and was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture in 2003.

Camp Victory: "A Special Camp For Special Kids"

Wolff is the president and chairman of the board of directors of Camp Victory, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.^[9] The camp is "A Special Camp for Special Kids." In 1984, Wolff's youngest son, Nicholas, was born with biliary atresia, an extremely rare liver disease. Nicholas spent the first two years of his life in and out of hospitals until receiving a life-saving liver transplant in 1986 at the University of Minnesota.

Once Nicholas returned home after his 1986 transplant, the Wolff family, realizing the value of having a place to share their triumps and struggles, shared a dream to found a camp for chronically ill children. Wolff donated the initial 35 acres of land to start the camp. Through partnerships and an outpouring of community support, Camp Victory began construction. In 1994, the camp hosted in first campers, when five groups brought 325 campers. Since this time, Camp Victory's hosted over 30,000 overnight guests and counselors.^[10]

Camp Victory consists of 14 guest cabins, a dining hall, and a medical shed to address special health needs of campers, among other buildings. Campers can utilize a nature center, fishing pond, zip line, arts & crafts building, chapel, sports pavilion, archery area, outdoor stage, baseball field, swimming pool, volleyball court, basketball court, game pavilion, wetlands preserve, climbing wall, and wheelchair-accessible tree house during their time at the camp.^[11]

Secretary of Agriculture

Newly sworn-in Governor Ed Rendell appointed Wolff to be his Secretary of Agriculture, a cabinet-level appointment, in January 2003.^[12] He was confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate later that year.^[13] Wolff played a leading role in the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, the largest indoor agricultural exhibit in the United States. In 2014, the agriculture sector contributed over $8.1 billion to Pennsylvania's economy. In 2016, one out of every seven jobs in the state were related to agriculture and 7.72 million acres of land in the state were used for agricultural purposes.^[14]

During his time leading the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Wolff implemented several key programs intended to promote the agriculture industry. He founded the Center for Dairy Excellence, which "was created to develop and support programs for both the Center for Dairy Excellence and other Pennsylvania dairy organizations which educate, cultivate, and inspire a thriving and sustainable Pennsylvania dairy industry."^[15]

Wolff implemented the "PA Preferred" program, a branding program to promote Pennsylvania products, which can be found at more than 4,000 locations throughout the Commonwealth. The program allows consumers to choose local agricultural products. After Wolff stepped down from his role as Secretary in 2009, Governor Tom Corbett signed state House Bill 1424 in 2011, making PA Preferred the permanent branding program of agricultural commodities produced in Pennsylvania. Governor Corbett stated that "Buying PA Preferred products helps support farmers and local businesses that work to produce quality products, while making investments in local economies and keeping Pennsylvania growing. PA Preferred makes a difference."^[16]

He also implemented the "Blueprint to End Hunger," an initiative that brings together local, state, and federal government entities to engage the issue of hunger and food insecurity.

Wolff also founded the "PA Grows" program, which helps agribusinesses in Pennsylvania obtain low-rate financing necessary to begin, continue or expand their operations.^[17]

Wolff resigned in 2009 and was succeeded by Russell Redding.^[18]

Board Positions

Wolff has served on/as:

• The Agricultural Technical Committee of the World Trade Organization^[19]
• The Board of Directors at American Farmland Trust
• The Board of Trustees at Penn State University^[20]
• The Board of Overseers at the University of Pennsylvania
• The Board of Directors at Agway Insurance Company
• The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board^[21]
• President of the Northeast Association of State Department of Agriculture
• President and Chairman of the Board of Camp Victory
• State Committee of the USDA's Farm Service Agency

Awards

Wolff's Awards:

• Honorary Doctorate, Delaware Valley College^[22]
• Holstein Association USA's Distinguished Leadership Award^[23]
• Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's Distinguished Service Award, 2010
• National Agribusiness Technology Center's Best Available Technology Award, 2009
• Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's Barnraiser Award, 2009
• Future Farmers of America's (FFA) Blue & Gold Award
• Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association's Presidents Award, 2008
• Founders Award, Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors, 2008
• Leadership Central Penn Award, 2007
• Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association's Friend of Horticulture Award, 2006
• Small Business Development Center's Partnership and Economic Development Award, 2006
• National Association of Agricultural Educator's Outstanding Cooperation Award, 2004
• Master Farmer Award, 1994^[24]

References