Pennsylvania Invests $8.8 Million to Preserve 22 Family Farms

By Blake Jackson

The Shapiro Administration has announced a new investment of nearly $8.8 million to preserve Pennsylvania farmland by purchasing development rights for 22 farms spanning 1,775 acres across 16 counties.

The initiative protects the land from future residential and commercial development while reinforcing the state's long-term commitment to agriculture.

“The farm families we are investing in today have remained resilient and committed to the noble work of growing the food that helps feed their neighbors—and we are proud to help ensure that their family legacies are imbedded into our agriculture heritage for generations to come,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said.

“The Shapiro Administration is grateful for their dedication to Pennsylvania’s agriculture, and we will continue to honor them by doubling down on our leadership in farmland preservation and investing in innovation and infrastructure that will help grow our agriculture industry.”

Among the newly preserved properties are the Ickes family farm in Cumberland County and the Wisler family farm in Bucks County.

The Ickes property expands a protected block of farmland in Penn Township to 518 contiguous acres, while the Wisler preservation adds another permanently protected parcel to an already significant family commitment to farmland conservation.

The latest investment follows an earlier announcement in April that allocated more than $10.2 million to preserve 31 farms covering 2,645 acres.

So far in 2026, Pennsylvania has preserved 78 farms totaling 6,325 acres. During 2025, the state invested more than $50.1 million to protect 167 farms and over 14,000 acres.

Since its establishment in 1988, Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program has safeguarded 6,726 farms and 667,360 acres across 58 counties through partnerships with local governments and nonprofit organizations, making the state a national leader in farmland preservation.

Click here, for the total investment of $8,757,446 by county, detailing the specific farms protected during the latest Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board meeting.

Photo Credit: istock-alenamozhjer