Berks County farms help Pa. reach milestone.

State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) congratulated the owners of two Berks County farms who joined the ranks of more than 5,000 Pennsylvania farms preserved through the efforts of the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board.

“Berks County is a big reason Pennsylvania has preserved over 5,000 farms,” Schwank said today following the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Board’s meeting at Smuckerland Farms located in Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County.

“The 227 acres of prime, local agricultural space added by the board means Berks County farms will remain a leader in producing nutritious food for generations to come.”

The total conservation easements for the following Berks County farms totals $566,750:

Wagner Farms Partnership, Oley Township, 113.20 acres;

Leon S. & Alta M. Zimmerman, Longswamp & Maxatawny Township, 113.50 acres.

In Berks County, 713 farms consisting of 70,354 acres have been preserved.

“Our county has preserved more acres of farmland than any other county,” said Schwank. “We have demonstrated and made preserving farms a priority.”

Pennsylvania is recognized as a national leader for farms and acres preserved. Since the Farmland Preservation program began in 1988, more than $1.3 billion has been invested by federal, state, county and local governments to preserve more than half a million acres on farms in 57 counties for future agricultural production.