Farmland preservation in Pennsylvania has reached another milestone.
The State Department of Agriculture has reached the 600,000 acres mark in commitment to its preservation efforts. Secretary Russell Redding joined in a celebration of that effort earlier this week.
“This milestone is noteworthy for many reasons and certainly for the farm and preservation itself,” Redding said. “But it’s also a reminder of the partnerships across the levels of government, across our counties, and even across our nation when you look at the interest of our townships, our non-profit organizations, the land trusts, the USDA and more.”
In Butler County, another farm, the 88-acre crop and livestock Thurber Farm, will now be protected from future residential, commercial, or industrial development in order to preserve the future of farming and food security in the state.
Nearly 6,000 Pennsylvania farms including over 50 in Butler County have been preserved through this program so far.