The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced the preservation of 2,553 acres on 30 farms in 21 counties, forever protecting them from residential or commercial development. This investment of more than $8.7 million brings the total during 2023 to nearly $46.3 million invested to purchase land development rights for 13,663 acres on 166 farms.

“Without prime farmland, we simply don’t have the resources to grow food and supply the $132.5 billion our industry feeds into our economy every year,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Pennsylvania farm families who sell their land development rights are leaving a legacy that ensures Pennsylvania families will have green spaces and healthy farmland available to produce food, income, and jobs.”

Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farmland. Since 1988, when voters overwhelmingly supported creation of the Farmland Preservation Program, Pennsylvania has protected 6,314 farms and 632,856 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.69 billion in state, county, and local funds.

Pennsylvania partners with county, and sometimes local government and nonprofits to purchase development rights, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security. By selling their land’s development rights, farm owners ensure that their farms will remain farms and never be sold to developers.

Farms preserved and dollars invested, by county: 

Adams County – Total investment – $348,810, $299,721 – state, $24,989 county, $60,100 Township

  • Arentz Family #2 – 60-acre crop farm, Union Township
  • Bruce Pohlman and Son Hog Farm – 43-acre crop farm, Union Township

Berks County – Total investment — $1,011,061, $451,359 – state, $559,702 county

  • Jerry L. and Darlene A. Berk – 89-acre crop farm, Albany Township
  • Dean E. and Darene B. Hartman – 140-acre crop farm, Lower Heidelberg Township
  • Elam G. Hoover – 133-acre crop farm, Bern Township

Blair County – Total investment – $270,127, $185,127– state, $85,000 — county

  • James R. and Linda J. Negley – 125-acre crop farm, Huston Township

Bucks County – Total investment – $143,500, state only

  • TNT Groundworks – 17-acre crop farm, Riegelsville Borough

Chester County – Total investment – $239,977, $9,645 state, $230,333 county

  • Thomas W. Morelli, Jr. – 42-acre crop farm, East Nantmeal Township

Erie County – Total investment – $165,051 state only

  • Shane L. and Judith A. Kosterman #1 – 92-acre crop farm, Venango Township

Franklin County – Total investment – $271,066 state only

  • Donald and Denise Martin #1 – 105-acre crop farm, Guilford Township

Huntingdon County – Total investment – $301,630, $256,630 state, $45,000 county

  • Kristen N. and Kenneth E. Snyder Jr. – 224-acre crop and livestock farm, Warriors Mark Township

Lancaster County – Total investment – $182,806, $12,046 — state, $125,760 – county, $45,000 township

  • Sandra J. Witmyer – 43-acre crop farm, Warwick Township

Lebanon County – Total investment – $51,423, $26,498 – state, $24,929 county

  • Charles R. and Susan M. Zimmerman – 20-acre crop farm, Jackson Township

Lehigh County – Total investment – $1,474,385, $1,178,403 – state, $206,019 – county, $89,963 – township (Upper Milford)

  • Russell E. and Susan L. Foster – 130-acre crop farm, Weisenberg Township
  • Stanley A. and Carol A. George – 64-acre crop farm, Weisenberg Township
  • Donald A. Haas – 55-acre crop farm, Lowhill Township
  • Leslie H. Nonnemacher – 21-acre crop farm, Upper Milford Township

Lycoming County – Total investment – $230,423, $217,852 – state, $12,572 county

  • Mountaintop Real Estate Holdings – 98-acre crop farm, Cogan House Township
  • Gary R. and Barbara A. Womelsdorf – 81-acre crop and livestock farm, Moreland Township

Mifflin County – Total investment – $230,099, $175,830 – state, $54,269 county

  • Steven R. and Juanita M. Byler – 167-acre crop farm, Granville Township

Montgomery County – Total investment – $1,420,431, $902,031 – state, $302,400 county, $216,000 — township

  • Andrew Dale and Tanya Joy Frankenfield – 12-acre crop and livestock farm, Franconia Township

Northampton County – Total investment – $317,682 state only

  • Stacey and Clayton Stine III – 42-acre crop farm, Upper Mount Bethel Township

Union County – Total investment – $464,958, $388,976 – state, $75,982 county

  • Luke W. and Ada Mae Hoover #2 – 25-acre crop farm, Buffalo Township
  • Alan C. and Chrystal L. Kaler #1 – 141-acre crop and livestock farm, Lewis Township

Washington County – Total investment – $244,893, $234,893 – state, $10,000 — county

  • Charles E. Monticello #2 – 97-acre crop and livestock farm, Cross Creek Township

Wayne County – Total investment – $145,542, $132,712 – state, $12,829 — county

  • Charles J., Amy S. and Andrew Theobald – 96-acre crop and livestock farm, Clinton Township

Westmoreland County – Total investment – $311,174 state only

  • Rosa Beth Snyder-Boyd and Kenneth H. Ofslager #2 – 86-acre crop farm, South Huntingdon Township

Wyoming County – Total investment – $147,868, $96,378 – state, $51,490 — county

  • Benjamin Zdandiewicz – 68-acre dairy farm, Falls Township

York County – Total investment – $722,708, $430,317 – state, $292,392 — county

  • Daniel J. and Beth A. Innerst #2 – 103-acre crop and livestock farm, Springfield Township
  • Christopher G.F. and Megan E.F. Lighty #1 – 138-acre crop farm, Windsor Township

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program and investments in a secure, sustainable future for Pennsylvania agriculture, visit agriculture.pa.gov.

This post adapted from a release by the Department of Agriculture.