PA Farm Preservation 2-19-2009

On 2-19-09, the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Board preserved 4,682 acres on 48 farms bringing the State's total to 411,892 acres on 3,745 farms. Based on productivity of soil and other criteria, each county processes and recommends farms for preservation.

Land Trusts allow reimbursement of up to $5000 in incidental costs to a non-government entity, which helps Mennonite and Amish farmers to preserve their land. The Mennonite and Amish communities normally do not deal with government. For this purpose, PA has a maximum annual pool of $200,000.

Preservation funds come from a number of sources—a cigarette tax, $20.5 million; the Environmental Stewardship Fund from garbage tipping fees, 14.8% of the total fee; (grant portion based on realty transfer tax and the match is based on ag production); Federal Farm and Ranch Land protection funds; Pennsylvania; counties; municipalities; and in one county, a percent of Earned Income Tax is earmarked for preservation of farms.

At meetings, some farms are discussed in great detail. One such farm withheld approximately a 100 acre section of the farm used for recreation, and preserved the other 150 acres. Another farm worked out an agreement with a neighbor.

At the farmer's discretion, House Bill 505 seeks to allow up to a 20' non-motorized trail when open to the public without charge. Trails could only be on the perimeter of the property.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Farms
• farmland
• preservation
• Jo Ellen Litz
• Lebanon County
• Commissioner meeting
• Pennsylvania
• www.joellenlitz.com
• litz@mbcomp.com