Governor Ridge Announces Preservation Of 35 More Farms
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Gov. Tom Ridge an
nounced on March 23 the ap
proval of 35 farms - nearly 4,100
acres - for preservation. The ap
proval puts Pennsylvania two
thirds of the way toward
fulfilling Gov. Ridge’s pledge to
preserve 100 farms during the
“100 Days of Growing
Greener.”
“In January, I announced our
goal of preserving 100 farms by
Earth Day to demonstrate our
commitment to Pennsylvania’s
farm families and our state’s
proud agricultural heritage,”
Gov. Ridge said. “Already,
we’ve invested nearly $l2 mil
lion to help protect 67 farms that
are threatened by development,
and safeguard the quality of life
that these farm families enjoy.”
But that’s only the beginning.
‘Growing Greener’ will invest a
total of $lOO million over the
next five years to save top qual
ity farmland for future genera
tions of farmers and farm
families.
“When we preserve farms, we preserve
part of the essential Pennsylvania experience
the scenic farmland vistas we pass as we
cross the state, and the fresh Pennsylvania
produce we enjoy at the grocery store or the
farmers’ market. The loss of farmland is a
loss for all Pennsylvanians. And that’s why
‘Growing Greener’ the state’s largest-ever
environmental investment was my No. 1
legislative priority last fall and will continue
to be a priority for my Administration.”
Gov. Ridge said the 35 farms approved for
preservation on March 23 is a record for one
State Agricultural Land Preservation Board
meeting, and represents nearly $6.3 million in
state funds to protect farmland from non
agricultural development.
Created in 1989, the Pennsylvania Agricul
tural Land Preservation Board oversees the
state Farmland Preservation Program. The
program allows the state and counties to pur
chase development rights, referred to as ease
ments, to guarantee that farms will remain as
agricultural land.
Agriculture Secretary Samuel E. Hayes Jr.
said he will continue to work with the State
Agricultural Land Preservation Board,
county farmland-preservation boards and the
state’s farm community to reach Gov. Ridge’s
goal of 100 farms.
“The hoard shares the Gov. Ridge’s enthu
siasm and commitment to Pennsylvania’s
farm families,” Secretary Hayes, Chairman
of the State Agricultural Land Preservation
Board, said. “We are determined to meet his
goal of preserving 100 farms in 100 days.”
Including the six county-owned easements
accepted in March, the Farmland Preserva
tion Program has protected 1,260 farms in 42
counties encompassing 156,289 acres.
Following is a list of 29 properties ap
proved for easement purchase using state
funds, including owner, municipality, acreage
and purchase cost:
ADAMS COUNTY: Nadine Baugher,
Tyrone and Huntington townships, 96 acres,
$114,871;
BERKS COUNTY: Timothy A. and
Pamela F. Behm, Maxatawny Township, 114
acres, $228,000; Irvin G. and Nancy J.
Weaver, Marion Township, 88 acres,
$175,800;
CHESTER COUNTY: Guiney Partner
ship, Highland Township, 107 acres,
$384,750; George P. and Suzanne P. Lam
born, West Nottingham Township, 133 acres,
$406,362; Sara W. Moore, London Grove
Township, 63 acres, $202,973; Joseph W. 11l
and Blanche C. Thompson, Londonderry and
Penn townships, 159 acres, $811,054;
COLUMBIA COUNTY: Frank A. and
Jean E. Getty, Franklin Township, 129 acres,
$128,903; Ronald L. and Cathy S. Rohrbach,
Franklin and Catawissa townships, 59 acres,
$59,300;
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: Mark E. and
Linda G. Brandt, Southampton Township,
155 acres, $232,500; Gregory A. Briggs and
Patricia Whitaker, South Middleton Town
ship, 97 acres, $222,147; Galen R. and Linda
K. Smith, Southampton Township, 99 acres,
$129,467;
LACKAWANNA COUNTY:
John, Joseph and Sal Cognetti,
Benton Township, 235 acres,
$367,086;
LANCASTER COUNTY:
Dale R., Clair H. and Steven B.
Hershey Farm, Penn Township,
131 acres, $269,387; Gerald H.
Hess, Penn Township, 97 acres,
$312,180;
LAWRENCE COUNTY:
Harold S. and Mary C. McCon
nell, Washington Township, 93
acres, $92,510;
USDA Announces New
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The
USDA announced that producers
who raise livestock owned by others
can be reimbursed for income lost in
1999 because of natural disasters that
killed the livestock.
In Lancaster County, producers
affected by Hurricanes Floyd and
LEBANON COUNTY:
Ronald L. and Brenda H. Co
penhaver, South Annville
Township, 121 acres, $181,500;
Steve J., Bonnie L., Glenn J. and
Jean L. Wenger, South Lebanon
Township, 98 acres, $147,375;
LYCOMING COUNTY: J.
Larry Sr. and Sandra J. Fores
man, Washington Township,
101 acres, $90,720; Charles J.
Kitzmiller, Jordan Township,
238 acres, $214,020; Charles C.
Stammel Jr., Gamble Township,
58 acres, $46,980; Charles and
Disaster Relief For Livestock Losses
Dennis may qualify.
Farmers can sign up for this pro
gram March 27 - May 1 at the Farm
Service Agency.
The Livestock Indemnity Program
for Contract Growers (LIP-CG) is
available where presidential or secre
tarial disaster declarations were made
Patricia Ulrich, Washington
Township, 95 acres, $76,788;
MERCER COUNTY: David
E. and Esther Mae Dixon,
Lackawannock Township, 158
acres, $126,424;
MONTGOMERY COUNTY:
J. Robert Astheimer, Limerick
Township, 71 acres, $710,000;
Stephen J. Virus, Upper Hano
ver Township, 55 acres,
$191,380;
SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY:
John R. and Donalee T. Ben-
1 through Dec. 31,
between Jan,
1999.
Livestock producers who quali
fied for benefits under previous live
stock indemnity programs can’t get
benefits from this program. Funding
for this assistance was explicitly
authorized by the Consolidated
scoter, Auburn Township, 105
acres, $73,150;
WESTMORELAND
COUNTY: Robert T. Zaffey,
East Huntingdon Township, 151
acres, $287,425;
YORK COUNTY: David and
Christine Druck, Lower
Chanceford Township, 218
acres, $242,753; and Joseph and
Fern Pomraning, Chanceford
Township, 295 acres, $418,984.
Created in 1989, the Pennsyl
vania Agricultural Land Preser-
Appropriations Act, 2000 (Pub.L.
106-113).
More information is available at
local FSA office or USDA Service
Centers, which are listed in telephone
books under “United States
Government, Department of
Agriculture, or http://www.fsa.usda
.gov/pas/news/releases/index.htm