Posted on December 15, 2025

Berks Farms Included in 2,354 Acres of PA Farmland Preserved

Berks Farms Included in 2,354 Acres of PA Farmland Preserved

From Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

The Shapiro Administration announced on Thursday, Dec. 11, that Pennsylvania is investing more than $6.9 million to purchase development rights for 2,354 acres on 27 farms in 13 counties, protecting them from future residential or commercial development. In 2025, Pennsylvania preserved 167 farms and 14,147 prime acres of farmland across the state, investing more than $50.1 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.

“Protecting farmland isn’t just about preserving open space; it’s about safeguarding the resources that feed and sustain all of us,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “High-quality farmland is one of Pennsylvania’s most valuable economic assets. Through the newly enacted 2025-26 budget, the Shapiro Administration is once again delivering real results for Pennsylvania agriculture, investing to protect our priceless land, water, and soil resources, supporting the next generation of farmers, and funding the innovation and infrastructure that will keep Pennsylvania’s farms strong and competitive for decades to come.”

Since the Shapiro Administration began, Pennsylvania has invested nearly $147 million to preserve 499 new farms and 41,628 prime acres of farmland across the state.

Through Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program, the state partners with local governments and nonprofits to purchase development rights to preserve farmland, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security. By selling development rights, farm owners ensure their farms remain in agricultural production and are never sold to developers.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of preserved farms. Since 1988, when voters statewide overwhelmingly supported creating the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, Pennsylvania has protected 6,648 farms and 661,035 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.84 billion in state, county, and local funds.

Governor Josh Shapiro recognizes that agriculture is not only part of Pennsylvania’s heritage — it’s essential to the Commonwealth’s economic future. Nearly 49,000 farms contribute $132.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy and support almost 600,000 jobs. That’s why agriculture is one of five key industries prioritized in the Governor’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy — the first of its kind in more than two decades.

Pennsylvania’s investments in easement purchases multiply the impact of dollars invested in conservation initiatives, including the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP), which is changing the landscape of rural PA. More than 2,700 Pennsylvania farmers have sought financial and technical support from ACAP to improve their management practices and have a lasting impact not just on their farms but on the entire region’s water and soil health. ACAP funding is reaching farmers across Pennsylvania who are eager to invest in the economic and environmental health of their farms.

Among the farms approved are two Adams County farms in Conewago Township that bring the total land Hanover Shoe Farms’ owners have preserved to just over 3,100 acres. The Phillips family’s farm in Codorus Township, York County, is the fourth preserved farm for the family, bringing their total preserved acres to 1,000. These investments — in an area where landowners face immense pressure from residential and commercial developers — will help ensure the future of agriculture in the southcentral part of the state.

Farms preserved at today’s Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board Meeting are listed below by county, along with a breakdown of the total $6,987,284 invested:

Adams County – Total investment – $1,426,707; state – $21,687; county – $1,405,020

Berks County – Total investment – $1,133,511; state – $767,159; county – $366,352

Butler County – Total investment – $456,000; state – $416,297; county – $39,703

Chester County – Total investment – $587,264; state – $33,550; county – $511,074; Cheshire Land Preservation Fund – $42,640

Columbia County – Total investment – $195,089; state – $148,538; county – $46,551

Cumberland County – Total investment – $296,517; state – $20,242; county – $276,274

Dauphin County – Total investment – $767,023; state only

Lancaster County – Total investment – $382,285; state – $96,055; county – $219,131; Manor Township – $37,670; Lancaster Farmland Trust – $29,429

Mercer County – Total investment – $76,916; state only

Northampton County – Total investment – $230,944; state – $17,131; county – $213,812

Perry County – Total investment – $9,348; state – $9,347; county – $1

Union County – Total investment – $228,621; state only

York County – Total investment – $1,197,059; state – $710,699; county – $486,360

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

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