Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Board this week approved the investment of $25.2 million to preserve 5,879 acres of farmland in 18 counties, including the Grove Farm in Adams County -- the first farm to be preserved under a unique county-township partnership.

Of today’s total investment, the state contributed $16.2 million.

“By joining with counties and townships to preserve valuable farmland, we are ensuring the future success of production agriculture in Pennsylvania,” said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. “As the state’s number one industry, every measure must be taken to keep agriculture growing, for the benefit of our producers and consumers.”

Pennsylvania continues to lead the nation in the number of farms and acres preserved with 360,620 acres on 3,223 farms since the program began in 1988.

This year, Pennsylvania is allocating nearly $40 million for the preservation program. County programs will contribute $37 million in matching funds to protect quality farmland from development and non-agricultural uses. This $77 million in combined funds can preserve an additional 38,500 acres or more than 300 farms.

The latest preserved farms are in 18 counties: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Cumberland, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montgomery, Northampton, Tioga, Susquehanna, Westmoreland and York. Currently, 57 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are participating in the program.

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program was developed 18 years ago 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.

6/22/2007