Farmland Preservation

Quick contact: Ellie Hyde, 570-281-9495, hyde@lccd.net

Mission

The purpose of the Lackawanna County Agricultural Land Preservation Program is to protect and promote crop and livestock production of viable agricultural lands in Lackawanna County by acquiring Agricultural Conservation Easements on these lands.

About the Program

Over 780 acres were added to the list of preserved farmland in Lackawanna County in the 2006 selection year. This included 7 new properties, bringing the total of agricultural land protected to 3158 acres.

Since it’s inception in 1994, the Lackawanna County Agricultural Land Preservation Program has purchased the development rights for 29 parcels of farmland, ensuring that these lands will remain undeveloped and continue to be used for agriculture. According to the American Farmland Trust, the United States is losing two acres of farmland every minute to new development.

Farmland preservation has many benefits, including providing fresh food at a reasonable cost, keeping property taxes down, protecting local scenery, and supporting farm and farm-related jobs. Preserved farm properties are managed by private landowners using soil and water conservation practices that protect soil from erosion and also protect local surface waters from contamination.  Farm and forest lands are important for the recharge of ground water in our communities.  Farms also provide critical habitat for local wildlife populations. 

The minimum criteria for application into the Farmland Preservation Program includes being in an Agricultural  Security Area , containing at least 50% quality soils available for agriculture, and being at least 50 acres in size, or at least 10 acres and contiguous to a property which has a perpetual conservation easement. The State and the County contribute funding to the program.

Applications are accepted for the Lackawanna County program until March 1 of each year. The farms are then evaluated and ranked based on various site factors and the viability of the farming operation.  After acceptance into the program, an appraisal is done and an offer is made to the landowner.