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Agricultural Preserve Board
Matt Knepper, Director
County of Lancaster
Agricultural Preserve Board
150 N. Queen Street
Suite 325
Lancaster PA 17603
(717) 299-8355
8:30 am -5:00pm
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{Ag Preserve} |
"To forever preserve the beautiful farmland
and productive soils of Lancaster County
and its rich agricultural heritage; and
to create a healthy environment for the
long-term sustainability of the
agricultural economy and farming as
a way of life."
In 1980, the
County Commissioners appointed a nine-member Agricultural Preserve Board to devise ways to protect the County's agricultural lands. In 1983, the Preserve Board added staff and was made a County department. Since 1983, the Preserve Board has administered a purchase of development rights program to preserve land for farming. Landowners apply to sell development rights to the Preserve Board which then ranks the applications for priority, hires appraisers to estimate the value of development rights, and makes a formal offer to the landowner. Landowners who sell their development rights must maintain the land in farming.
The Preserve Board receives funding from both the County and the Commonwealth. In 1989, the Preserve Board began to participate in Pennsylvania's statewide purchase of development rights program. As required by State regulations, the Preserve Board preserves farmland in accordance with Program Guidelines.
As of June 9, 2010, the Agricultural Preserve Board has preserved 65,621 acres of farmland on 763 Lancaster County family farms. The Preserve Board has a responsibility to monitor these farms for compliance with the terms of the conservation easement placed on the landowner's deed when the development rights are sold.
Note: The Director of the Lancaster County Agricultural Preserve Board is appointed by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners.
Lancaster County Website