State: 15 local farms among 35 preserved across the state

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The Shapiro Administration announced today that 35 farms in 18 counties were preserved with $8.64 million in state, county, and local funds. 

“The move protects 2,645 acres from future residential or commercial development so that Pennsylvania farms can continue feeding our families and our economy in the future,” the administration said in a press release. 

The budget Gov. Josh Shapiro signed last month makes investments in supporting Pennsylvania farmers in their work to conserve resources, investing in the equipment purchases, business planning, and farm management tools they need to innovate and continue to grow. 

“’No farms, no food’ is the battle cry for farmland preservation across the country,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Pennsylvania has led that charge, and families who preserve their farms join forces with government, investing together to ensure that future Pennsylvania families will have green spaces and healthy farmland available to produce food, income, and jobs.”   

Pennsylvania continues to lead the nation in preserved farmland. Since 1988, when voters overwhelmingly supported the creation of the Farmland Preservation Program, Pennsylvania has protected 6,266 farms and 628,967 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing nearly $1.68 billion in state, county, and local funds, according to Redding. 

Pennsylvania partners with county and sometimes local governments 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. 

 Local farms preserved today and dollars invested, by county: 

 Adams County – Total investment – $251,606.85; $197,885.49 – state, $24,418.80 – county, 

$29,302.56 – township 

Beatrice F. Waybright Farm #2, Cumberland Township, 71-acre crop farm 

 Cumberland County – Total investment – $847,625.55; $527,830.03 – state, $319,795.52 county 

Jonathan W. Bream Farm #2, Penn Township, 14-acre crop farm 

Arlin D. and Karla D. Wadel Farm, Southampton Township, 113-acre poultry operation 

Weaver Farm, North Newton Township, 101-acre poultry operation 

 Dauphin County – Total investment – $476,632.78 state only 

Bruce and Carol Mattis Farm, Halifax Township, 124-acre crop and livestock farm 

The Henninger Family Irrevocable Trust, Michael W. & David H. Henninger and Joanne K. 

Rheem, Trustees, Washington Township, 145-acre crop farm 

Lancaster County – Total investment – $1,797,783.98; $1,760,783.98 – state, $37,000 -county 

John S. and Esther S. Beiler Farm, Colerain Township, 74-acre dairy farm 

Reuben Z. and Naomi S. Beiler Farm, Salisbury Township, 87-acre crop and livestock farm 

Victoria K. Graybeal Farm, Fulton Township, 103-acre crop farm 

William E. and Diane K. Hershey Farm #1, Little Britain Township, 118-acre dairy farm 

William E. and Diane K. Hershey Farm #2, Little Britain Township, 80-acre crop farm 

Randall C. and Maria R. Kreider Farm, Manor Township, 20-acre crop farm 

Lebanon County – Total investment – $509,778.27; $416,258.47 – state, $93,519.80 – county 

Dale E. and Pattie L. Maulfair Farm, Bethel Township, 201-acre crop farm 

York County – Total investment – $701,603.05 state only 

Joel D. and Susan C. Deardorff Farm #1, Dover Township, 102-acre crop farm 

David C. and Bettie J. Holloway Farm #1, Shrewsbury Township, 128-acre crop and livestock farm 

 These investments will multiply public dollars invested in conservation initiatives, including the new $154 million Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, supporting farmers’ efforts to reduce water pollution and improve soil quality. 

 Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program also secured a $7.85 million federal grant from USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program to support climate-smart conservation on preserved Pennsylvania farms, an investment that will not only improve conservation efforts, but help measure their impact, the administration said.