Pennsylvania Protects Additional 1,425 Acres of Prime Farmland

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thanks to the efforts of farm families and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Preservation Board, 1,425 additional acres on 16 farms in seven counties are preserved for future generations through the state's nationally recognized farmland preservation program.

The board met today to approve the preservation of these farms, located in Bucks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and York counties.

During the program's 23-year history, 453,419 acres on 4,189 farms have been safeguarded for future agricultural production.

"Preserving farmland is the first step in securing the future of Pennsylvania's number-one industry," said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. "Agriculture provides not only one-in-seven jobs and $51 billion in total economic impact, but also provides a way of life for Pennsylvania's farm families. I thank these producers who have decided to set aside land for agricultural production. They are ensuring the future success of the agriculture industry and its ability to serve as the cornerstone of our state's economic recovery."

The state's farmland preservation efforts work 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.

Greig added that farm succession planning is essential to ensuring producers are available to farm preserved land, and the Center for Farm Transitions can offer assistance to find the next generation of farmers. A number of resources are available at the center's website, www.iplantofarm.com.

For more information about Pennsylvania's nation-leading farmland preservation program, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and search "farmland preservation."

Editor's Note: A list of farms preserved at today's meeting follows:

Bucks
The Ervin and Louisa Gerenser farm, a 93-acre crop farm.

Dauphin

• The Michael and Barbara Beiler farm, a 69-acre crop and dairy operation.
• The Karl and Nancy Laudenslager #3 farm, a 24-acre crop farm.

Lancaster

• The A. and A. Stoltzfus Farm, a 174-acre crop farm.
• The Benuel and Fannie Fisher farm, a 69-acre dairy farm.
• The Stevie and Mary Glick farm, a 77-acre crop and livestock operation.
• The Robert and Eleanor Holzhauer farm, a 115-acre crop and livestock operation.
• The Enos and Rebecca Miller farm, a 57-acre dairy farm.
• Rohrer Dairy Farms #1, an 89-acre dairy farm.
• Rohrer Dairy Farms #2, a 54-acre dairy farm.
• The Bernie and Katie Stoltzfus farm, a 59-acre crop and livestock operation.
• The Wenger Trust, a 155-acre crop farm.

Lehigh
The David and Cynthia Najarian farm, a 99-acre crop farm.

Montgomery
The John and Edith Mack farm, a 44-acre crop and livestock operation.

Northampton
The Jeffrey and Mary McGuire farm, a 77-acre crop farm.

York
The Clyde and Betty Cheek farm, a 171-acre dairy farm.

Media contact: Will Nichols, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture