11 Lehigh County farms have been identified for preservation

Lehigh County officials have selected 11 farms totaling nearly 786 acres to be saved from development in 2027. If all the properties are approved, the county would have more than 29,500 preserved acres, making it one of the strongest programs in the state.

“This is one of the most important votes our board takes each year,” said Lehigh County Commissioner Ron Beitler, who chairs the Farmland Preservation Board, which oversees the program. “These farms represent another significant step toward permanently protecting Lehigh County’s agricultural land and heritage.”

While the board advances Lehigh County farms from the waiting list, each property is ranked objectively, Beitler said, taking into consideration soil quality and productivity, the size and layout of the farm, its proximity to other preserved farms, development pressure and other standards.

“The beauty of this program is that every farm is evaluated under the same publicly adopted criteria,” Beitler said. “The process is objective, completely transparent and fair, giving applicants and the public confidence in how farms are selected.”

The farms under consideration are in Upper Saucon, Washington, Heidelberg, Lynn, Lower Milford, Weisenberg and North Whitehall townships.

Farms are preserved through a combination of county and state funding. Northampton County has a program similar to Lehigh County’s. In February, three Lehigh County farms were saved through an investment of $1.65 million, including $1.4 million from the state and $14,994 from the county. 

Lehigh County is likely to surpass 30,000 preserved acres in 2028, officials said.

“Lehigh County continues to rank first in Pennsylvania for preserved farmland as a percentage of its total land area,” said state Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh. “This reinforces that preserving open space remains a top priority for residents. Priorities like this help ensure Lehigh County remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

Agricultural landowners interested in permanently preserving their farms may contact the Lehigh County Farmland Preservation Office at 610-336-5680 for more information.