HARRISBURG, Aug. 23, 2012 — An additional 243 acres of Berks County farmland will be preserved through the purchase of conservation easements valued at $607,000 dollars that were approved today by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board, according to state Sen. Judy Schwank, a Preservation Board member.

According to the senator, the following farms will be preserved:

Family                                              Municipality                    Acres Preserved

Helen Kosmerl                                 Maidencreek Twp.              177.10

Kervin & Mary Jane Weaver      Richmond Twp.                   66.00

Total     243.1

“Berks County has a proud tradition of family farming, and that’s why it’s so important that we preserve the land that sustains local families and our economy,” Schwank said. “Farmland conservation easements ensure that agriculture — our county’s number one industry — thrives.”

Statewide, 4,320 farms totaling 465,953 acres have been preserved since the program’s inception.  In Berks County 642 farms consisting of 64,857 acres have been preserved.  Berks County has preserved more acreage of farmland than any other county in the state program.

The Agricultural Land Preservation Board is intended to permanently preserve large clusters of viable agricultural lands by acquiring agricultural conservation easements (ACE). An ACE prevents the development of the land for any purpose besides productive agriculture.

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