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BELLEFONTE -- A 152-acre crop and livestock farm in Potter Township will be permanently protected from development as part of a new round of Pennsylvania farmland preservation investments announced by the Shapiro administration.
The Christopher A. Ishler farm was approved for a $508,726 conservation easement, including $463,726 in state funding, $20,000 from Centre County and $25,000 from Potter Township.
The easement will become part of the property deed, ensuring the land remains available for agricultural use even if ownership changes.
The Centre County property is among 34 farms totaling 2,565 acres in 16 counties approved for preservation by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board. The state and local investment totals more than $9.1 million.
"Pennsylvania leads the nation in farmland preservation because farm families, communities, and the Commonwealth are working together to protect the land that feeds us," Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said.
The latest approvals also include farms in Adams, Beaver, Bucks, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Lycoming, Northampton, Schuylkill, Tioga and York counties.
Among the larger projects, Cumberland County will preserve a 190-acre crop and livestock farm owned by John L. and Cynthia K. Clouse in Upper Frankford and Lower Mifflin townships. State officials said that property will help create a nearly 800-acre cluster of federally preserved farmland in the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape.
In Schuylkill County, a 123-acre farm owned by Jerry L. and Edna F. Musser will become the family's second preserved parcel and help create a five-farm, 434-acre block of protected farmland.
Lancaster County received the largest investment in the latest round, with nearly $2.58 million committed to preserving 11 farms.
Pennsylvania's Farmland Preservation Program allows the state, counties, municipalities and, in some cases, nonprofit organizations to purchase development rights from farmers. The restrictions remain with the property and prevent future residential or commercial development.
Since the program was created in 1988, Pennsylvania has preserved 6,759 farms covering 669,854 acres in 58 counties, using more than $1.82 billion in state, county and local funding.
The Shapiro administration said it has invested nearly $182 million to preserve 610 farms and more than 50,000 acres since taking office.
Agriculture remains one of Pennsylvania's largest industries, with more than 48,800 farms contributing more than $132 billion annually to the state economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs.