The Susquehanna County Agricultural Land Preservation Easement Purchase Program is now administered by Susquehanna County.
For more information, please call the Susquehanna County Courthouse at (570) 278-4600 
or the
Pennsylvania Department of Agricultural Land Preservation at (717) 705-7796.

As of 2023, Pennsylvania continues to lead the nation in farmland preservation with a significant number of preserved acres. The state’s Farmland Preservation Program, launched in 1988, has protected a total of 6,266 farms, equating to about 628,967 acres across 58 counties. This initiative aims to prevent the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses by purchasing development rights. Over the program's lifetime, Pennsylvania has invested nearly $1.68 billion into these conservation efforts, funded jointly by state, county, and sometimes local governments and nonprofits. These investments support local food security, economic stability, and green spaces, affirming Pennsylvania’s commitment to its agricultural future. 
 
The State Agricultural Land Preservation Board has established minimum requirements which farms must meet to be eligible for the easement purchase program. The farmland tract must:

1. be located in an Agricultural Security Area
2. be contiguous acreage of at least 50 acres
3. contain at least 50% soils of a capability class I-IV as defined by USDA-NRCS
4. have at least 50% of the property’s total acreage in current use as harvested cropland (excluding timber harvest), pasture, or grazing land.
5. must be part of a normal farming operation generating farm income.

The application period runs from November 15th through January 15th each year. Applications are ranked according to soil quality, development potential, and farmland potential and clustering potential. The highest-ranking farm is considered for purchase first. The farm is then appraised to determine the easement value, which is the difference between actual value and agricultural value.


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