A 31-acre farm in Northampton County will be preserved under a state investment program that protects them from residential or commercial development.
State Sen. Lisa Boscola and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office made the announcement Thursday. Overall, the state is investing more than $6.9 million to buy development rights for 2,354 acres on 27 farms in 13 counties.
The crop farm in Lower Mount Bethel Township is owned by Kevin Brent, Denise M. and Brayden W. McEwen. The total investment was $230,944, with $17,131 coming from the state and $213,812 coming from the county.
“Once again, working collaboratively, the Commonwealth and Northampton County have made this investment to ensure another 31 acres of farmland will continue to benefit our region and our Commonwealth,” said Boscola, D-Northampton. “Preserving farmland to ensure that it is available to farm for future generations by protecting it from future development is critically important for our region’s quality of life.”
Northampton County has preserved about 270 farms covering more than 20,000 acres since 1989.