A32—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Nay 12,1984 1.7 million Clean/Green acres reported HARRISBURG - Statewide participation in the Clean and Green Act, which was created to help preserve the state’s farmland, forest land and and open space, continued to grow in 1983, ac cording to State Agriculture Secretary Penrose Hallowell. Results from the annual sum mary of participation in the act reveal that 1,721,138 acres in 34 counties ’ were enrolled by lan downers in 1963, reflecting a 13 percent or 204,508 acre increase over the previous year. The number of landowners par ticipating rose by 12 percent to 21,246 during the period. The statewide average for each lan downer was 81 acres. The Clean and Green Act became law in 1974 after Penn sylvanians voted for a con stitutional amendment permitting preferential assessment of far mlands and forest lands. Under the act, enrolled land is assessed for tax purposes according to its farm value rather than its market value for development purposes. Bradford County reported the largest acreage enrolled with 400,000 acres entered by 4,500 participants. Washington County reported the greatest owner participation with 4,927. McKean County had the second highest acreage enrollment of 291,982 acres by 760 participants and Huntingdon County was third with 221,295 acres entered by 1,558 participants. Lancaster County reported the least number of participants and acreage enrolled with two and 24 respectively, unchanged from 1982 statistics. Delaware County, in its second year of participation, reported the second lowest acreage of 148, entered by two participants. Among the counties par ticipating, the percent reduction in dollar value per acre ranged from 0 to 97 percent. The average reduction was 54 percent, based upon figures from 23 counties. This average is not weighted to account for greater participation in counties, and no correlation bet ween the percentage of reduction and participation in the program can be drawn. In 1983, survey forms were sent to 66 counties, and all counties responded. Under regulations adopted by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in 1980, county assessors are required to submit information regarding participation in Act 319 each year. The information is subsequently compiled into a summarized report. The report, compiled by the Department’s Office of Planning HARRISBURG - State Agriculture Secretary Penrose Hallowell has announced he has agreed to call a referendum on a proposal to initiate a Pennsylvania peach and nectarine research program. The program would raise funds to provide production and marketing research for peaches and nectarines in Penn sylvania. The referendum, requested by growers, would involve farmers who have 500 or more peach and/or nectarine trees of all ages. They and Research, is not intended to analyze the effectiveness of the Clean and Green, nor its ad ministration by the counties, but to provide up-to-date information on participation. Peach referendum slated will vote whether to assess themselves three dollars per acre for all their peach and/or nec tarine acreage, with the money going to fund long range research projects in these commodities. Voting will take place between May 14 and May 25. If passed by a majority of growers and representing a majority of ‘ production, the program will go into effect July 1 and will cover the 1984 crop. The referendum is estimated to involve about 300 growers who have 500 or more peach and/or Single copies of the report are available from the Office of Planning and Research, Penn sylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110. nectarine trees, and may raise about $25,000 annually. The program would be ad ministered by an advisory board of nine growers appointed by the Secretary from nominations made by affected growers. The board represents the growers propor tionately from three major production areas of Pennsylvania; eastern, central and western. Hallowell conducted a public hearing on the proposed peach and nectarine program on April 25 to receive testimony from growers throughout the state.
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