Pennsylvania Adds 18 Farms, Nearly 1,500 Acres to Preservation Program

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's Agricultural Land Preservation Board today safeguarded 1,495 additional acres on 18 farms in 10 counties through the state's nation-leading farmland preservation program.

Since the program began in 1988, federal, state, county and local governments have invested nearly $1.3 billion to preserve 504,252 acres on 4,750 farms in 57 counties for future agricultural production.

"It's an honor to again chair the meetings of the board of our nation-leading farmland preservation program," said acting Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. "The program's success comes through the work of staff at all levels of government, support from a public who values farmland, and from the farmers themselves who offer their land for preservation. I look forward to the program's future success."

The board approved a $30 million state funding threshold for 2015 easement purchases. Counties across Pennsylvania have certified $14.7 million for farmland preservation in 2015.

The board preserved farms in ten counties: Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Susquehanna, Union and York.

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program identifies properties and slows the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. It enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements, also called development rights, from owners of quality farmland.

In some cases, the federal Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program provides additional assistance. Last fiscal year, Pennsylvania received $541,000 in federal reimbursements.

For more information, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and search "farmland preservation."

Media contact: Will Nichols, 717-787-5085

Editor's Note: Farms preserved:

Allegheny
The John Opatkiewicz farm #1, a 117.3-acre crop and livestock operation

Berks
The Mae B. Baver farm #1, a 120.6-acre crop and livestock operation
The Earl B. and Anne E. Martin farm #1, an 85.3-acre crop and livestock operation
The Louise M. Rick farm #1, a 44-acre crop farm

Bucks
The John and Mary Budd farm, a 78.7-acre crop farm

Chester
The Abner R. and Mary E. King farm, a 110.6-acre crop and dairy operation
The Lofting Family and Kerr Trust farm, a 133.8-acre crop and equine operation
The Anthony W. and Karen M. Mangus farm, a 13.4-acre vineyard
The Samuel, Ruth, Benuel and Sara Stoltzfus farm, a 73.4-acre dairy

Lancaster
The Norman Jr. and Judith E. Henry farm, a 34.3-acre crop and livestock operation
The John T. Wiker Jr. farm, a 70.3-acre crop farm
The Daniel B. and Annie S. Zook farm, a 40.2-acre crop farm

Lehigh
The Gregory W. and Rene G. Snyder farm #3, a 60.6-acre crop farm

Montgomery
The E. Carl Barndt Estate farm #1, a 66.3-acre crop farm
The Winifred Linsenmaier Estate farm #1, a 77.5-acre crop farm

Susquehanna
The Mark and Judith Sartell farm #2, a 120.4-acre crop and livestock operation

Union
The Marlin Sauers farm #1, a 120.7-acre crop farm

York
The J. David Yale farm, a 137.4-acre crop farm

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Related Links

http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us

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