On February 13, the Department of Agriculture announced the investment of $6,699,378 to purchase development rights for 1,837 acres on 19 farms in 16 counties, protecting them from future residential or commercial development.

These joint investments by state and local governments ensure that Pennsylvania farmers will have the prime-quality land they need to continue supporting families, communities, and jobs.

“Food security is national security,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Farmers face fierce competition from developers seeking to buy their land, and saving that land to produce food is one of the most important things we can do to ensure that we can keep feeding Pennsylvania and the world. The Shapiro Administration is committed to investing, along with these farm families, to protect our valuable land to feed our families and economy in the future.”

These easement purchases multiply the impact of Pennsylvania dollars invested in conservation initiatives, like the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP),  Clean & Green tax incentives, Resource Enhancement and Protection tax credits, as well as historic levels of state support for Pennsylvania farmers who are conserving priceless resources and working for cleaner water and healthier soil.

In 2023 and 2024, Pennsylvania preserved 333 new farms and 27,510 prime acres of farmland across the state, investing more than $96.9 million.

Pennsylvania continues to lead the nation in preserved farmland. Since 1988, when voters overwhelmingly supported creating the state’s Farmland Preservation Program,

Pennsylvania has protected 6,500 farms and 648,692 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.7 billion in state, county, and local funds.

The state partners with county, and sometimes local government and nonprofits to purchase development rights, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security.

By selling development rights, farm owners ensure that their farms will remain productive farms and never be sold to developers.

Click Here for a list of farms preserved.

Click Here for the Department of Agriculture's announcement.

Visit Agriculture's Farmland Preservation webpage to learn more about this program.

NewsClip:

-- MCall: Another Lehigh Valley Farm Saved From Development

[Posted: February 13, 2025]

2/17/2025