04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm
| Share this: | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
State Preservation Board Protects Additional 3,346 Acres of Prime Farmland
|
|
The Agricultural Preservation Board voted this week to safeguard 3,346 additional acres on 36 farms from future development through the state's nationally recognized farmland preservation program.
The latest farms to be preserved are located in Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Union, Westmoreland and York counties.
During the program's 22-year history, 432,054 acres on 3,964 farms have been preserved for future agricultural production.
"Pennsylvania's commitment to preserving farmland is second to none nationally," said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. "Every citizen benefits from farmland preservation. Through increased food production, improved environmental stewardship and enhanced local economies, preserved farms represent the commitment producers have to their communities.
"I applaud those farmers who have taken this important step to protect their farm in perpetuity - meaning it will always remain available for agricultural production. It is with this kind of forward thinking that we can keep Pennsylvania growing."
The state's farmland preservation program works through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program, which was developed in 1988 to help slow the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses.
The program enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements, also called development rights, from owners of quality farmland. Since the program's inception, state, county and local governments have invested more than $1 billion to preserve farms.
Following the state board meeting, a producer panel met to discuss current agriculture issues, including the decisions of whether to preserve farmland, stay in business in a sluggish economy, or whether they should develop renewable energy resources.
The producers, all of whom own preserved farms, also discussed the need for farm succession planning and the assistance the Center for Farm Transitions can offer to find the next generation of farmers. A number of resources are available at the center's website.
For more information, visit the Farmland Preservation webpage.
|
|
2/19/2010 |
| Go To Preceding Article Go To Next Article |
