Five Lehigh Valley farms, totaling 326 acres, will be preserved under a state investment program that protects them from future residential or commercial development.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office announced Thursday that more than 1,905 acres on 25 farms in 17 counties were part of a $7.1 million investment in state, county and local funds.
“Our farmers deserve the certainty and support to keep their land in production and continue fueling our local economy,” said state Senator Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton. “They are the backbone of our communities, and protecting their livelihoods means protecting our future. As the nation’s leader in preserved farmland, Pennsylvania is reaffirming its commitment to the farmers and agricultural industry that sustain us all.”
The three Lehigh County farms had an investment of $1.65 million, including $1.4 million from the state and $14,994 from the county, $16,370 from Weisenberg Township, $189,658 from North Whitehall Township and $32,748 from Heidelberg Township. They are:
Joseph F. Sivel Jr. and Karen E. Sivel’s 81-acre miscellaneous crop farm in Weisenberg
Kenneth P. and Heather J. Skorinko No. 1, an 83-acre crop and livestock farm in North Whitehall
Earl O. Zellner Jr. and Kelly A. Zellner No. 2, a 62-acre crop and livestock farm in Heidelberg and Washington townships
The two Northampton County farms had an investment of $843,740, including $633,050 from the state and $210,690 from the county. They are:
Connie A. Muschko and Kay L. Adams’ 77-acre crop farm in Lehigh Township
Muschko and Adams No. 2, a 23-acre crop farm in Lehigh Township
According to its website, Lehigh County has 413 preserved farms covering more than 28,000 acres. Northampton County has a similar program that has preserved 270 farms covering more than 20,000 acres since 1989.
In Carbon County, John Michael and Diane M. Strockoz’s 27-acre crop farm in East Penn Township was preserved with a total investment of $206,544, with $49,611 coming from the county.
The state partners with county and sometimes local governments and nonprofits to buy development rights. By selling development rights, property owners ensure that their properties will remain productive farms and never be sold to developers.
Since 1988, Pennsylvania has protected 6,673 farms and 662,940 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.8 billion in state, county and local funds.
Outside of the Lehigh Valley, farmland was also preserved in Adams, Beaver, Berks, Butler, Centre, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Luzerne, Schuylkill, Somerset and Westmoreland counties.