PA Adds 44 Farms, More Than 3,600 Acres to Nation’s Leading Farmland Preservation Program

Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board permanently preserved 3,620 acres on 44 farms for agricultural production as part of the Wolf administration’s continued commitment to the future of agriculture in the state. The board preserved farms in 20 counties: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Erie, Franklin, Greene, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lehigh, Lycoming, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Washington and Westmoreland.“Pennsylvania is a rich and diverse state, and our agriculture industry reflects that in its people, its products, and its farms,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “In each corner of our state and everywhere in-between, agriculture is unique, important, and threatened by pressures of development, challenging markets, and a host of other factors. Despite these challenges, the 40 families who stepped forward today to preserve their operations did so because they want to see their land remain in production agriculture in perpetuity. They are committed to the future of agriculture here, so we’re committed to investing in them.”Redding added that today’s meeting resulted in the greatest number of farms and acres being preserved in a single meeting for the program in three years.