Pennsylvania Preserves More Than 2,100 Acres of Farmland

More than 468,000 Acres Now Preserved Statewide

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's Agricultural Land Preservation Board today safeguarded 2,138 additional acres on 22 farms against development through the state's nationally renowned farmland preservation program.

The board preserved farms in Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Northampton, Susquehanna, Union and Washington counties.

Since the program began in 1988, state, county and local governments have invested nearly $1.2 billion to preserve 468,092 acres on 4,342 farms in 57 counties for future agricultural production.

"Preserving farmland is an important part of securing a stable financial future for Pennsylvania agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. "As the cornerstone of our state's economy, agriculture generates $5.7 billion in annual cash receipts. One in seven jobs is linked to agriculture, so by preserving farmland, we're sustaining farming and ensuring jobs."

To help save the state's farmland, 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 $6.1 million federal reimbursements, the largest amount ever.

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 Arentz Family LP farm, a 92.94-acre crop farm

Bedford

• The Kevin and Pamela Grubb farm #2, a 53.06-acre crop farm

Berks

• The Allen and Rebecca Rebman and Richard and Carol Reed farm, a 92.90-acre crop and livestock operation

Bucks

• The Walter Trycieki Estate farm, a 69.93-acre crop farm
• The Donald Metzger farm, a 248.02-acre crop and livestock operation

Chester

• The Moore Family Farm Ltd. farm, a 96.82-acre crop and dairy operation

Dauphin

• The Earl Zartman farm #1, a 59.87-acre crop farm

Franklin

• The Norman Feldman farm #2, a 49.74-acre crop farm
• The Ernest and Harry Rotz farm, a 59.28-acre crop and livestock operation

Lancaster

• The Elvin Lapp farm, a 76.41-acre crop farm
• The Elmer and Annette Sensenig farm #1, a 45.40-acre crop farm
• The Elmer and Annette Sensenig farm #2, a 112.64-acre crop farm
• The McKonley/Frey Dairy Farms, a 74.97-acre crop and dairy operation

Lebanon

• The Eleanor Eby-Patterson farm, a 122.99-acre crop and livestock operation
• The Irvin J. Hess farm, a 116.49-acre crop farm

Montgomery

• The Living Hope Farm #1, a 35.60-acre crop farm

Northampton

• The Robert Jr. and Christine Baggit farm, a 127.16-acre crop farm
• The Larry and Elizabeth Kemmerer farm, a 98.44-acre crop farm
• The Mariann Ulecka farm, a 19.19-acre crop farm

Susquehanna

• The David and Barbara Grosvenor farm, a 69.61-acre crop farm

Union

• The Alice, Ed, Frances and Lewis Kepler and Amy Waldron farm, a 204.17-acre crop farm

Washington

• The Joseph Pagliarulo farm, a 212.82-acre crop farm

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture