Pennsylvania Adds More Than 40 Farms and 4,000 Acres to Nation-Leading Farm Preservation Program

News provided by

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Dec 12, 2013, 01:44 ET

Program Surpasses 4,500 Preserved Farms Milestone

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's Agricultural Land Preservation Board today safeguarded 4,181 additional acres on 41 farms in 21 counties through the state's nationally renowned farmland preservation program.

The board preserved farms in Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Cumberland, Greene, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Mifflin, Monroe, Northampton, Snyder, Somerset, Union, Westmoreland and York counties.

Since the program began in 1988, state, county and local governments have invested more than $1.2 billion to preserve 484,270 acres on 4,532 farms in 57 counties for future agricultural production.

"With this meeting, we conclude a successful 25th year for the program by surpassing the 4,500 farm milestone," said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. "Preserving Pennsylvania's farmland requires passionate farmers and dedicated program administrators who work together to keep Pennsylvania growing for generations to come."

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program identifies properties and slows 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.

In some cases, the federal Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program provides additional assistance. Last fiscal year, Pennsylvania received $4.2 million 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: A list of the farms preserved follows:

Adams

  • The Wayne Rodgers farm, a 128.69-acre crop and livestock operation
  • The Richard C. and Kathryn E. Patterson farm, a 30.18-acre crop farm

Allegheny
The David and Linda L. Mischen farm #2, a 57.45-acre crop and livestock operation

Beaver
The James H. Spiker farm #2, a 152.15-acre crop farm

Berks

  • The Ronald J. Bordner farm #1, a 26.4-acre crop farm
  • The Robert D. and Dianna Ketterer farm #1, a 117.1-acre dairy farm
  • The Ronnie C. and Lynn Folk farm #1, a 137.6-acre crop farm
  • The Richele E. Greib farm #1, a 51.6-acre crop and livestock operation
  • The Ernest E. Heckman Family Trust farm, a 189-acre crop farm
  • The Charles E. and Christi Loverich farm #1, a 75-acre crop and livestock operation
  • The Phares K. and Ellen W. Newswanger farm #1, a 125.4-acre crop farm
  • The Phares K. and Ellen W. Newswanger farm #2, a 50-acre crop and livestock operation
  • The Dalton R. and Dorothy S. Zimmerman farm #1, a 105.7-acre crop farm

Bucks

  • The David Library Farm, a 52.59-acre crop farm
  • The Robert C. Pope farm, a 76.21-acre crop farm
  • The Arthur and Timothy Shull farm #2, a 97.26-acre crop farm

Butler

  • The Michael and David Burgoon farm, a 60-acre crop farm
  • The Matthew L., N. Jane and James G. Vadnal and Connie C. Turner farm, a 195.36-acre crop farm

Chester
The Brian K. and Linda J. Campbell farm, a 127.61-acre crop and livestock operation

Cumberland
The Victor and Cheryl and David and Jill Barrick farm, a 146.72-acre crop farm

Greene
The Charles Harry farm #1, a 162.04-acre crop farm

Huntingdon
The Wayne M. and Margaret E. Friling farm #1, a 156.69-acre crop and livestock operation

Lancaster

  • The Harold M. III and Anna M. Barley farm #2, a 70.1-acre crop and livestock operation
  • The Fred L. and Connie L. Ranck farm, a 152.16-acre crop and livestock operation

Lebanon

  • The Edwin G. and Karen J. Copenhaver farm, a 28.39-acre crop farm
  • The David E. Rittle Sr. farm, a 45.32-acre crop and livestock operation
  • Spring Nook Farms, a 226.99-acre crop and livestock operation

Luzerne
The Thomas and Sara Jane Wenner farm, a 96.95-acre crop and livestock operation

Mifflin
The Samual K. and Wendy R. Kauffman farm, a 157.82-acre crop and livestock operation

Monroe

  • The Stuart and Darlene Klingel farm #2, a 49.09-acre crop farm
  • The Steven R. Kresge farm, a 60-acre crop farm

Northampton

  • The Carolton L. and Patricia A. Michaels farm, a 27.85-acre crop farm
  • The Erica L. Busch farm, a 131.25-acre crop farm
  • The Earl J. and Marian E. Reagle farm, a 106.92-acre crop farm

Snyder
The Richard Shirey farm #1, a 73.42-acre crop and livestock operation

Somerset
The Mildred Berkebile farm, a 176.88-acre crop farm

Union
The Michael P. and Bronwen A. Sanders farm, a 120.7-acre crop and livestock operation

Westmoreland

  • The Charles S. Jr. and Marilyn J. Carr farm #4, a 106.22-acre crop farm
  • The William R. Smith farm #3, a 71.35-acre crop farm

York

  • The George O. Phillips Jr. farm #2, a 111.39-acre crop farm
  • The Alan J. and Philip G. and Jennifer D. Yost farm #1, a 47.29-acre crop farm

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

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