Five farms in Berks County will remain farmland forever following the latest round of investments from Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The Shapiro Administration announced this week that the state and county are jointly investing more than $815,000 to protect 271 acres of agricultural land in Berks from future development.
The preserved farms include:
- Daniel H. and Barbara H. Laudenslayer, a 48-acre crop farm in Oley Township
- Morris A. and Donna M. Manley, a 46-acre equine farm in Douglass Township
- Timothy Ray and Amy Beth Martin, a 51-acre crop and livestock farm in Tulpehocken Township
- Howard J. and Jill Stark #2, a 58-acre crop and livestock farm in Rockland Township
- David G. and Ryan D. Zerr, a 68-acre crop farm in Spring Township
Of the $815,771 total investment, $483,621 came from the state and $332,150 from the county.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding emphasized the importance of protecting farmland statewide. “When farms are replaced by warehouses or housing developments, they are gone forever,” Redding said. “Productive, high-quality farmland is one of Pennsylvania’s most valuable natural resources and economic assets. The Shapiro Administration continues to stand up for Pennsylvania’s farmers, not just with words but with actions, investing to protect our priceless land, water, and soil resources.”
Part of a statewide effort
The Berks County farms are among 33 statewide that were preserved at the August meeting of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board. In total, the state approved $8.8 million to safeguard 2,017 acres across 16 counties.
Since the start of the Shapiro Administration, Pennsylvania has invested $134 million to preserve 448 farms and more than 37,000 acres of farmland. Berks County is consistently among the state’s leaders in farmland preservation.
Pennsylvania created its Farmland Preservation Program in 1988. To date, more than 6,500 farms covering 656,000 acres in 58 counties have been protected from development. The program works by purchasing development rights from farm owners, ensuring the land remains in agricultural use permanently.
Agriculture’s role in the economy
State officials noted that agriculture remains one of Pennsylvania’s strongest economic drivers, contributing $132.5 billion annually and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs. Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget includes additional funding for farmland preservation, agricultural innovation, and food security programs.
