Senator Doug Mastriano is pleased to announce that seven farms in the 33rd District have received a significant investment as part of Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.
These farmlands will now be protected from any future residential, commercial, industrial, or solar development.
Pennsylvania’s successful Agriculture Conservation Easement Purchase Program has been a nationwide model for farmland preservation. Under the easement program, 58 participating county programs receive state funds for the purchase of agricultural conservation easements. An agricultural conservation easement is a legal restriction that limits the use of the property to agricultural purposes and the landowner is financially compensated for the sale of the easement.
Since 1988, the program has purchased permanent conservation easements on over 6,000 Pennsylvania farms, covering 606,215 acres in 58 counties.
Senator Mastriano recently announced plans to introduce legislation that will expand the Conservation Easement Program to preserve even more farmland around the state in the future.
Senator Mastriano congratulates the following farms in the 33rd District for receiving the investment:
- Hanover Shoe Farm #28, a 213.60 acre crop and livestock operation in Conewago Township;
- The Doyle and Jennifer Waybright Farm, a 123.57 acre crop operation in Cumberland Township;
- The Andrew Brick Farm, a 164.64 acre crop operation in Southampton Township;
- The Eileen M. Lesher Farm #1, a 99.03 acre crop and livestock operation in Guilford Township;
- The Eileen M. Lesher Farm #2, a 146.63 acre crop and livestock operation in Guilford Township;
- The Ricerest Farm #4, a 116.25 acre crop and livestock operation in Guildford Township; and
- The Wayne H. Mummert Farm, a 110.83 acre crop operation in Reading Township.
Media Contact: Josh Herman