County reaches 1,000 preserved farms

Lancaster County has reached a milestone.

At their weekly Wednesday meeting, the County Commissioners are expected to approve the expenditure of $686,320 in county money to preserve 259.83 additional acres of land on three area farms.

With this action, Lancaster County will have preserved 1,000 farms, totaling just under 80,000 acres.

Preservation is achieved when the owner voluntarily sells to the county an "agricultural conservation easement," which is a deed restriction preventing future development of the land. The County pays the farmer an appraised value to not sell the land to any developer.

Lancaster County and Pennsylvania continue to lead the nation in farmland preservation. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has preserved over 400,000 acres, according to available statistics.

Maps of preserved areas by municipality and countywide are available at http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=371&q=606791&lancoNav=|&lancoNav_GID=985.