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Pennsylvania invests $8.8 million to preserve 22 farms, 1,775 acres

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The Shapiro administration announced that Pennsylvania will invest nearly $8.8 million to purchase development rights for 1,775 acres on 22 farms in 16 counties, ensuring the land remains in agricultural use and is protected from future residential or commercial development.

The funding, approved by the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board, supports farms in Berks, Bucks, Centre, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Erie, Franklin, Lehigh, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill and Wayne counties.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the investment helps preserve family farming legacies while supporting one of Pennsylvania’s most important industries.

Among the farms preserved are the John and Joel Ickes beef farm in Penn Township, Cumberland County, and Thomas Wisler’s crop farm in Bedminster Township, Bucks County. The Ickes property adds to a block of 518 contiguous preserved acres and becomes the 33rd protected farm in the township. Wisler’s 17-acre farm is the third property he has preserved, expanding a growing area of permanently protected farmland in Bedminster Township.

The action follows an April announcement of more than $10.2 million to preserve 31 farms and 2,645 acres. So far in 2026, Pennsylvania has preserved 78 farms totaling 6,325 acres. In 2025, the state preserved 167 farms and more than 14,000 acres through investments exceeding $50 million.

Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program allows the state, local governments and nonprofit partners to purchase development rights from landowners. Farmers retain ownership while guaranteeing the land will remain in agricultural production.

Since voters approved the program in 1988, Pennsylvania has preserved 6,726 farms and more than 667,000 acres in 58 counties, investing more than $1.84 billion. The state continues to lead the nation in preserved farmland.

Among the largest investments approved this round were $2.73 million in Montgomery County, $1.23 million in Cumberland County, $1.13 million in Chester County and $831,000 in Franklin County.

In Cumberland County, $1.23 million will preserve the 134-acre Ickes beef farm in Penn Township and the 173-acre Lehman-View Properties dairy farm in West Pennsboro Township.

Franklin County received $830,798 to preserve three farms totaling more than 330 acres in Peters, Antrim and Southampton townships.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has identified agriculture as one of five key industries in Pennsylvania’s 10-year economic development strategy. Nearly 49,000 farms contribute $132.5 billion to the state economy and support almost 600,000 jobs.

The administration has also expanded support for agriculture through investments in innovation, conservation, organic farming, poultry health, local food access and farmland protection programs statewide.

Source: pa.gov

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