Four Lancaster County farms are among 27 farms in 13 counties that will be preserved with a $6.9 million investment by local governments, nonprofits and the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program.

State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced the funding Thursday in Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farmland, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Since 1988, the state has protected 6,648 farms and 661,035 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing nearly $1.84 billion in state, county and local funds.

According to local agriculture officials, Lancaster County leads the state in farmland preservation. Over the past four decades, county government and partner organizations have preserved more than 1,600 local farms encompassing 124,000 acres.

Per Thursday’s announcement, about 117 acres in western and southern Lancaster County will remain dedicated to agriculture in perpetuity after officials purchased the development rights from their owners.

Most of the $382,285 investment came from Lancaster County government ($219,131), with the rest covered by the state ($96,055), Manor Township ($37,670) and Lancaster Farmland Trust ($29,429).

The preserved farms are the 24-acre Colerain Township crop farm of Aaron J. and Rebecca K. Beiler; the 20-acre Little Britain Township crop farm of Marilyn Fuller, as well as a 36-acre crop and livestock farm in the township, also owned by Fuller; and a 37-acre Manor Township crop farm owned by Keith Frey Properties LLC.

List of newly preserved farms across Pennsylvania

Adams County – Total investment – $1,426,707; state – $21,687; county – $1,405,020

Adams County Clean and Green 157-acre crop farm, Conewago Township

Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. #43, 93-acre crop farm, Conewago Township

Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. #44, 217-acre crop farm, Conewago Township

 

Berks County – Total investment – $1,133,511; state – $767,159; county – $366,352

Geissler Tree Farms, 152-acre crop farm, Penn Township

Marvin W. and Debra L. Reinert, 70-acre crop farm, District Township

Steven G. and Denise J. Rentschler, 59-acre crop farm, Jefferson Township

Saddle Road, LLC, 95-acre crop farm, Greenwich Township

 

Butler County – Total investment – $456,000; state – $416,297; county – $39,703

Meadow Grove Farm, 88-acre crop farm, Slippery Rock Township

 

Chester County – Total investment – $587,264; state – $33,550; county – $511,074; Cheshire Land Preservation Fund – $42,640

Primitive Hall Foundation, 21-acre crop farm, West Marlborough Township

Samuel and Barbara E. Townsend, 59-acre crop farm, West Nantmeal Township

 

Columbia County – Total investment – $195,089; state – $148,538; county – $46,551

Gerald R. and Shirley D. Bodman, 155-acre beef farm, Main Township

 

Cumberland County – Total investment – $296,517; state – $20,242; county – $276,274

Bonnie L. Asper, 32-acre crop farm, Southampton Township

Mary L. Dodrill Estate, 41-acre crop farm, Penn Township

 

Dauphin County – Total investment – $767,023; state only

Jonathan Coble, 181-acre crop and livestock farm, Conewago Township

Todd Shade, 91-acre crop farm, Mifflin Township

 

Lancaster County – Total investment – $382,285; state – $96,055; county – $219,131; Manor Township – $37,670; Lancaster Farmland Trust – $29,429

Aaron J. and Rebecca K. Beiler, 24-acre crop farm, Colerain Township

Marilyn Fuller #1, 20-acre crop farm, Little Britain Township

Marilyn Fuller #2, 36-acre crop and livestock farm, Little Britain Township

Keith Frey Properties, LLC, 37-acre crop farm, Manor Township

 

Mercer County – Total investment – $76,916; state only

Bruce W. and Joyce A. Woods, 79-acre crop & livestock farm, Fairview Township

 

Northampton County – Total investment – $230,944; state – $17,131; county – $213,812

Kevin Brent, Denise M. and Brayden W. McEwen, 31-acre crop farm, Lower Mt. Bethel Township

 

Perry County – Total investment – $9,348; state – $9,347; county – $1

Ann Miller and Amy M. and Thomas Herd, 204-acre crop farm, Spring Township

 

Union County – Total investment – $228,621; state only

Joanna B. Hoover, 49-acre crop and livestock farm, East Buffalo Township

Kyle Anthony and Makayla Brynne Stoltzfus, 14-acre livestock farm, Kelly Township

 

York County – Total investment – $1,197,059; state – $710,699; county – $486,360

Gene H. Burton Jr. and Carolene C. Burton, 94-acre crop and livestock farm, Codorus Township

Flinchbaugh Farms, LP #4, 138-acre crop farm, Hopewell Township

George O. Phillips Jr. and Kristi Marie Snowden, 103-acre crop farm, Codorus Township