West Chester, Pa. (Octubre 20, 2023) – Two farms in West Fallowfield, totaling more than 150 acres, will be permanently preserved through the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program, state Senator Carolyn Comitta announced today.
The farms, approved by the State Agriculture Land Preservation Board, are as follows:
- The Matthew and Carmela Hershey Farm, a 51-acre crop and livestock farm.
- The Jeffery and Tamela Smoker Farm, a 101-acre crop and livestock farm.
“Just like saving open space and protecting outdoor areas, preserving farmland adds to the natural beauty and strong quality of life in our region,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee, said. “These investments support family farms, maintain our access to locally-grown food, and counter development pressures on farms and rural areas.”
The farmland in Chester County was preserved thanks to $779,218 in funding, with $663,590 coming from the Commonwealth and $115,628 from the county. It comes as part of 1,336 acres of total land protected from future development on 18 farms and in 14 counties with an investment of $3.1 million in state dollars and $433,433 in county dollars.
“Prime farmland and fertile soil are critical not just for feeding our families, but for feeding our economy,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Pennsylvania farm families who preserve their farms partner with government to ensure that all Pennsylvania families will have green spaces and healthy farmland available to produce food, income, and jobs.”
Pennsylvania leads the nation in both the number of farms and acres permanently preserved for agricultural production. The Farmland Preservation Program, also known as the Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program, was developed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s agricultural economy and protect prime farmland. This program enables state and county governments to purchase conservation easements from farmers.
Since it was established in 1988, the program has invested more than $1.68 billion in state, county, and local funds to protect 6,284 farms and 630,302 acres in perpetuity from future commercial, industrial or residential development.
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