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Franklin County Commissioners, Ag Community Celebrate 20,000 Acres Of Preserved Farmland

Planning

September 25, 2025

Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst discusses the county’s efforts to preserve farmland during a celebration Sept. 25 at Creekside Dairy in Hamilton Township, Franklin County. Also pictured (from left): Quentin Clapper, director, Franklin County Planning Department; Jeff Grove, chairman, Franklin County Agricultural Land Preservation Board; Rob Kauffman, state Representative; Chad Reichard, state representative; and Heidi Secord, deputy secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The Franklin County Commissioners, along with the Franklin County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, Franklin County Farm Bureau and state and local leaders today celebrated the preservation of 20,000 acres of farmland, a significant milestone in the county’s efforts to protect prime farmland from future non-agricultural development. 

“The milestone we celebrate today is thanks to the foresight and dedication of many boards of commissioners along with the advocacy of our leaders at the state and federal levels, the support of our municipalities, and, of course, our ag community,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst. “We are grateful to the farmers who put their trust in us and for being important partners in this process. More importantly, we thank them for making a commitment to preserving Franklin County’s valuable farmland and ag heritage.” 

Franklin County’s 20,000th acre was preserved earlier this year with the purchase of a 114-acre agricultural easement in Peters Township. The farm, owned by Daniel and Amy Hershberger, was the 164th farm to be protected since Franklin County joined Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program in 1990. As of today, Franklin County has preserved 170 farms and more than 20,600 acres of farmland. 

“In a time when more and more farmland is being turned into warehouses or covered in solar panels, reaching this 20,000-acre milestone is a powerful reminder that our county has chosen a path that also protects agriculture, supports family farms, and ensures future generations have the chance to farm this land too,” said Jeff Grove, chairman of the Franklin County Agricultural Land Preservation Board. 

Today’s celebration was held at Creekside Dairy in Hamilton Township, site of the Franklin County Farm Bureau’s annual Franklin Fall Farm Fun Fest on Sept. 27. The hands-on learning event serves to educate the public on agriculture and its importance to area communities, particularly in Franklin County where agribusiness contributes significantly to both the local and state economy. Franklin County is fifth in the state for total annual agricultural cash receipts, estimated to be over $655 million. The county leads the state in the production of vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes. It ranks second in total cropland as well as in the production of milk from cows, and third for grain, fruits and berries, and cattle and calves. 

“Agriculture is the backbone of Franklin County’s heritage and a strong component of our local economy,” said Horst. “Programs like the Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program are critical because they allow counties like ours to leverage taxpayer dollars to the maximum extent to protect the farmland that makes Franklin County what it is.” 

Franklin County is one of 58 counties that participate in the statewide easement purchase program. Through the program, the state, county and local governments can purchase conservation easements from farmers to slow the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. Landowners apply to their county to participate in the Easement Purchase Program. Applications are ranked based on specific factors such as quality of soil, potential for agricultural productivity and historic value. Once a farm is approved by the county’s ag board, it is then forwarded on to the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board for approval. 

Participating counties receive state funds to help make these purchases, and most counties contribute matching dollars to amplify their buying power. Since 1990, Franklin County, the commonwealth and local municipalities have combined to invest more than $45 million in farmland preservation efforts. Franklin County ranks 10th out of 67 counties in total acres preserved. 

Overall, Pennsylvania leads the U.S. in the number of farms and acres permanently preserved for agricultural production. Since 1988, Pennsylvania has invested more than $1.775 billion in state, county and local funds in farmland preservation; to date, over 6,500 farms and more than 656,000 acres of Pennsylvania farmland have been protected.  

For more information on Franklin County’s agricultural land preservation efforts, visit www.franklincountypa.gov/programs or contact the Franklin County Planning Department at 717-261-3855 or planning@franklincountypa.gov.