Three Berks County farms, totaling 245 acres, will remain agricultural land permanently thanks to a recent state investment aimed at protecting farmland from future development.
The announcement was made as part of a broader initiative by the Shapiro Administration, which allocated nearly $10 million statewide to preserve 35 farms across 18 counties. In Berks County, $738,265 was invested — with $637,936 from the state and $100,329 from the county — to purchase development rights for the following properties:
• Dawn A. Dieter Farm – a 60-acre crop and livestock farm in Upper Tulpehocken Township
• Meadow Glen Farm – a 134-acre crop farm in Windsor Township
• Bryan R. Younker Farm – a 51-acre crop and livestock farm in Greenwich Township
These preservation easements ensure that the land will not be sold for residential or commercial development, a move state officials say strengthens Pennsylvania’s long-term agricultural viability.
“Preserving Pennsylvania farmland is an investment in the future of our economy and farm families,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “When that land is lost to development, we lose one of our most valuable economic assets.”
Since the beginning of the Shapiro Administration, Pennsylvania has preserved 415 farms covering more than 35,000 acres of farmland. In total, more than 6,500 farms and over 650,000 acres have been preserved since the state’s Farmland Preservation Program began in 1988.
Berks County, which remains one of the most active counties in the program, partners with the state to purchase these development rights through joint funding. The goal is to ensure farming remains a viable part of the region’s economy and landscape for generations to come.
For more information on the Farmland Preservation Program, visit agriculture.pa.gov.