Agriculture has historically been, and remains, an integral part of Pennsylvania’s landscape, economy, and culture. Relative to the continuation of the agricultural industry, farmland preservation is a topic of interest across the Commonwealth. Farmland Preservation Programs and Techniques in Pennsylvania will detail what is available to landowners and elected officials to aid in the preservation of farmland.
Issues such as utility-scale solar development, shifting migration patterns, and localized growth in housing in some communities all present challenges and opportunities for communities to consider various farmland preservation strategies.
To help address the overall challenge of retaining farmland and agricultural production, numerous programs are available to landowners and/or elected officials. An example of one such program is the Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania leads the nation in farmland preservation through the purchase of permanent agricultural conservation easements.
To date, 6,004 farms totaling 608,091 acres have been preserved in perpetuity. Investments in agricultural conservation easements significantly impact Pennsylvania’s thriving $132.5 billion agricultural economy. Additional programs exist that assist with development pressure, such as Agricultural Security Areas, preferential property tax treatment, and protections for agricultural practices from nuisance claims and unreasonable local ordinance restrictions. Land use planning and regulatory techniques are also available for encouraging farmland preservation.
This event is being offered at no charge to participants. Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar. Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording.