from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Photo courtesy of Shreyas Sane on Unsplash
On Thursday, Dec. 12, the Shapiro Administration announced that Pennsylvania is investing $10,215,541 to purchase development rights for 2,842 acres on 31 farms in 13 counties, protecting them from future residential or commercial development. In 2024, Pennsylvania preserved 167 new farms and 13,847 prime acres of farmland across the state, investing more than $50.6 million. These joint investments by state and local governments ensure that Pennsylvania farmers will have the prime-quality land they need to continue supporting families, communities, and jobs.
“Saving farmland for producing food, rather than losing it to warehouses and sprawl is an investment we can’t afford not to make,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Farmers face fierce competition from developers seeking to buy their land. The Shapiro Administration is committed to joining farm families and county and local government to protect our valuable land as an investment that will feed our families and economy in the future.”
These easement purchases multiply the impact of Pennsylvania dollars invested in conservation initiatives, including the $154 million Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP), Clean & Green tax incentives, $13 million annually in Resource Enhancement and Protection tax credits, and historic levels of support for Pennsylvania farmers who are conserving priceless resources and working for cleaner water and healthier soil.
Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget includes new investments in agriculture innovation and conservation to keep Pennsylvania a national leader, including a new $10 million Agriculture Innovation Grant, plus $35 million in new dollars for ACAP, and another $5 million for the Nutrient Management fund.
Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farmland. Since 1988, when voters overwhelmingly supported creating the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, Pennsylvania has protected 6,482 farms and 646,754 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.7 billion in state, county, and local funds.
The state partners with county, and sometimes local government and nonprofits to purchase development rights, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security. By selling development rights, farm owners ensure that their farms will remain productive farms and never be sold to developers.
Farms preserved are listed below by county, along with a breakdown of the total $10,215,541 invested.
Berks County – Total investment – $760,925; state – $708,288; county – $52,637
- Samuel F. and Sadie G. Lapp, 45-acre crop and livestock farm, Bethel Township
- Willard R. and JoAnn Shirey, 78-acre crop and livestock farm, Alsace Township
- Kevin L. Stein, 147-acre crop farm, Bethel Township
Blair County – Total investment – $283,358; state – $213,358; county – $70,000
- Penn England Family Limited Partnership, 117-acre crop and livestock farm, Woodbury Township
Bucks County – Total investment – $1,290,940; state – $920,521; county – $189,999; Heritage Conservancy – $180,420
- Judith E.W. Kehr, Executrix of the Estate of Doris L. Weikel #1, 39-acre crop farm, Hilltown Township
- A. Bruce and Gretchen G. Weikel, 51-acre crop farm, Hilltown Township
Chester County – Total investment – $752,3017; state only
- Joseph S. and Barbara K. Allgyer, 76-acre crop farm, West Caln Township
Dauphin County – Total investment – $455,437; state – $243,809; county – $211,628
- James A. Hentzc, 49-acre crop farm, Halifax Township
- Jeffrey L. and Karen S. Weaver #1, 134-acre crop farm, Conewago Township
Franklin County – Total investment – $381,966; state only
- Donald L. and Denise M. Martin #2, 49-acre crop farm, Guilford Township
- Rodney J. and Bonnie F. McKenrick, 102-acre crop farm, Greene Township
Lancaster County – Total investment – $1,116,889.30; state – $44,165; county – $972,724; Warwick Township – $50,000; Caernarvon Township – $50,000
- A&R Nissley, Inc., 114-acre crop farm, Conoy Township
- Robert Himmelberger, Trustee of the Elias D. Grube Family Trust, 59-acre crop farm, Warwick Township
- Isaac M. and Anna Mae Shirk, 66-acre crop and livestock farm, Caernarvon Township
- Daniel B. and Mary L. Stoltzfus, 49-acre crop farm, Fulton Township
Lawrence County – Total investment – $273,909; state – $225,269; county – $48,640
- Lance J. and Megan E. Nimmo #4, 91-acre crop farm, Scott Township
- William and Carol Heinz Family Trust, 103-acre crop farm, Wilmington Township
Lehigh County – Total investment – $1,311,415; state – $779,405; county – $477,315; Lynn Township – $2,002; North Whitehall Township – $52,693
- Barbara A. Bollinger, 72-acre crop farm, Lynn Township
- Terry C. Muth, 77-acre crop farm, North Whitehall Township
- Mary Ann Wagner, 60-acre crop farm, North Whitehall Township
Snyder County – Total investment – $258,825; state only
- Randall J. Kratzer #2, 121-acre crop and livestock farm, Middlecreek Township
Tioga County – Total investment – $178,197; state – $101,435; county – $76,762
- Mark L. Hamilton, Trustee of the Hamilton Family Trust, 105-acre crop farm, Rutland Township
Union County – Total investment – $648,375; state – $168,826; county – $479,549
- Wilmer B. and Anetta Z. Hoover #1, 95-acre crop and livestock farm, Buffalo Township
- Paul D. and Miriam A. Stoltzfus, 93-acre crop and livestock farm, Kelly Township
York County – Total investment – $2,503,004; state – $1,436,114; county – $1,066,890
- Robert L. Jr. and Sharon K. Baumgardner #2, 163-acre crop farm, Washington Township
- Neil E. Carico and Kimberly J. Carrick #1, 53-acre crop and livestock farm, Shrewsbury Township
- Susan C. Deardorff #2, 58-acre crop farm, Dover Township
- Eleanor B. Fuhrman #1, 148-acre crop and livestock farm, Heidelberg Township
- Lynn D. and Tammie M. Godfrey #2, 137-acre crop farm, North Hopewell Township
- Dean F. and Rebecca J. Innerst, 110-acre crop and livestock farm, North Hopewell Township
- James C. and Wendy M. Innerst, 108-acre crop and livestock farm, North Hopewell Township
To learn more about Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program and investments in a secure, sustainable future for Pennsylvania, visit agriculture.pa.gov.
Learn how Governor Josh Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy recognizes agriculture as key to our future economic success, and learn more about how the Shapiro Administration is supporting Pennsylvania farmers here.
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Source: bctv