To preserve farmland in Pennsylvania, the state and its partners have been purchasing land development rights from land owners. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) announced that it had protected 32 new farms, totaling 2,264 acres in 18 counties today. Landowners can sell the rights to their farms to preserve and protect their land from residential, commercial, or industrial development in the future. To date, Pennsylvania has invested over $1.6 billion since 1988 to protect a total of 613,884 acres on 6,076 farms in 58 counties.
“Saving farmland protects the beauty and productivity of our state, the health of our environment, the vitality of our economy, and our ability to feed a growing population,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “It is not only one of the most important investments our state, federal and local governments make together, it is a priority we all agree on.”
The PDA has provided a list of each of the farms preserved today and the dollars invested:
Berks County – Total investment $603,159 state, $148,150 county
The Allen P. and Mary J. Grube Farm, Centre Township, a 132.7-acre crop farm
The Kathy Levan Farm, Oley Township, a 163.6-acre crop farm
Bucks County – Total investment $931,552 state, $574,467 county, $58,240 non-profit
The Peter E. Bennett and Jean V. Nevins Farm, Springfield Township, a 60-acre dairy farm
Plumstead Acquisitions LLC, Plumstead Township, a 68-acre dairy farm
Centre County – Total investment $210,609 state, $1 county, $1 township
The Nancy A. and Webb C. Miller Farm, Ferguson Township, an 84-acre crop farm
Chester County – Total investment $264,402 state only
The Jacob Lantz Farm, Honey Brook Township, a 56.6-acre crop, horse and beef farm
Cumberland County – Total investment $234,808 state, $75,000 county
The Steven W. and Thomas H. Nealy Farm #5, North Newton Township, an 82-acre crop farm
Dauphin County – Total investment $76,695 state only
The Loretta L. and James L. Long, Jr. Farm, Wayne Township, a 51-acre crop farm
Lancaster County – Total investment $819,962 state, $180,569 county
The Aaron Ezra and Gary H. Eby Farm, Earl Township, a 52-acre dairy farm
The Matthew R. Hess Farm, Strasburg Township, a 35-acre crop and beef farm
The Stephen S. and Anna M. King Farm #2, Colerain Township, a 49.6-acre crop farm
The Park H. and Sheila A. Ranck Farm, Strasburg Township, a 39.7-acre crop farm
The Abram M. and Anna M. Stoltzfus Farm, Salisbury Township, a 66-acre crop farm
The Troy S. and Nicole M. Wenger Farm, Rapho Township, a 57.8-acre crop farm
Lebanon County – Total investment $222,891 state, $67,224 county
The Donald L. and Sharon L. Bollinger Farm, Millcreek Township, a 114-acre crop and poultry farm
Lehigh County – Total investment $119,203 state, $108,930 county
The Kevin L. Smith #5 Farm, Washington Township, a 36.3-acre crop farm
Lycoming County – Total investment $59,602 state, $6,304 county
The Lynn R. Lunger Farm, Franklin Township, a 50.4-acre crop farm
Mifflin County – Total investment $147,514 state, $15,250 county
The Irvin R. Fleming Family Irrevocable Trust Farm, Kathryn M. Fleming, trustee, Menno Township, a 117.3-acre crop farm
Monroe County – Total investment $162,249 state only
The Christopher Schmidt Farm #2, Polk Township, a 27-acre crop farm
Montgomery County – Total investment $181,871 state, $2,013 county, $27,615 township
The New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ Farm #2, Upper Hanover Township, a 20-acre crop and beef farm
Northampton County – Total investment $379,007 state, $569,954 county, $317573 township
The Floyd G. and Doris J. Brewer Farm, Lower Mt. Bethel Township, a 53.9-acre crop farm
The Jeffrey A. and Kevin M. Brewer Farm #3, Lower Mt. Bethel Township, a 44.9-acre crop farm
The James Folk Farm, Washington Twp., a 51.9-acre crop farm
The Arnell D. and Gordon J. Mann, Sr. Farm, Lorie E. Gaugler, trustee, Allen Township, a 54.5-acre crop farm
The Roger Marth Farm, Allen Township, a 29.2-acre crop farm
The Alvin P. and Heidi Messinger Farm, Upper Mt. Bethel Township, a 26-acre crop farm
Perry County – Total investment $46,441 state, $39,837 county
The Dennis R. and Brian R. Cauffman Farm #2, Jackson Township, a 75.9-acre crop and livestock farm
Schuylkill County – Total investment $261,663 state, $35,000
The Halabura Partners Farm, West Brunswick Township, a 143.6-acre crop farm
Washington County – Total investment $348,400 state, $113,863 county
The Drew M. and Kimberly S. Cowden Farm, Hopewell Township, a 149.5-acre crop and livestock farm
York County – Total investment $509,619 state, $265,680 county
The W. Darren and Suzanne K. Marsteller Farm #1, Hopewell Township, a 113-acre crop farm
The Kenyon L Miller Farm #1, East Hopewell Township, a 70.7-acre crop and livestock farm
The Mary F. Sterner Farm, Larry W. and Michael E. Sterner, trustees, Heidelberg Township, an 86.6-acre crop and livestock farm
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