Pennsylvania protected 2,478 acres on 30 farms in 18 counties from future residential, or commercial development, investing more than $8.9 million in state, county, local, and nonprofit dollars in protecting prime farmland for the future. One is in Chester County.

Pennsylvania ends 2022 continuing to lead the nation, having protected 170 farms and 13,069 acres this year.

“Protecting prime farmland from development is one of the most important investments we make in our economy, our environment, and our quality of life,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “These farm families, together with every level of government, are investing in guarding their legacies and ensuring that other Pennsylvania families will have food, green spaces, income and jobs in the future.”

By selling their land’s development rights, landowners ensure that their farms will remain farms and never be sold to developers. Pennsylvania partners with county and sometimes local governments and non-profits to purchase development rights, ensuring a strong future for farming and food security.

The Daniel B. and Rachel B. King Farm, a a 50-acre crop and livestock farm in Lower Oxford Township, was preserved.

The state invested $12,029 for its protection, while the county invested $184,980 for a total of $197,008.

Read more about the other farms protected at the Pennsylvania Pressroom.