Two Chester County farms have been protected from future development through the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. Since its establishment in 1988, the effort has purchased permanent conservation easements on 5,949 Pennsylvania farms.

The action ensures the properties will remain as farms in the future.

“Farmland preservation provides a secure pathway for future generations to succeed,” said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “It ensures future agriculturalists have land to farm, and in return, consumers will have food on the table.

“Once farmland goes out of production, it rarely comes back, which is why farmland preservation is so important.”

This latest round protected 1,999 acres on 21 farms in 13 counties. It covered produce, crop, and livestock operations.

The two Chester County farms now covered by a permanent conservation easement are:

• Mark A. & Claudia V. Cole farm, Cochranville, a 42-acre crop and livestock operation
• Leila & Sander Lehrer farm, Warwick Township, a 56-acre crop operation

To preserve these two farms, the state participated with an $18,861.94 investment, while Chester County invested $497,728.17.