The Lehigh County Department of Agricultural Land Preservation is currently accepting farmland preservation applications for the 2022 calendar year.

The application process is year-round and farmlands of all types and sizes are eligible to apply. The deadline for all 2022 applications is July 1, 2021.

The total farmland preservation budget for 2021 is $4.8 million. This total comes from both state, county and municipal funding. Lehigh County has allocated $2 million per year for the purchase of development rights for 2021 and hopes to allocate $1 million each year from 2022 through 2024.

The state has allocated more than $2.7 million for Lehigh County in 2021.

Lehigh County is currently one of the leading counties in Pennsylvania to achieve a high acreage in farmland preservation efforts.

In order for farm to qualify for preservation, a farm is required to be active and forgo any development rights while maintaining the property for farming. As of May 2021, over 365 Lehigh County farms have been preserved at a total of 26,002 acres.

Agriculture remains one of the leading industries in Pennsylvania and in Lehigh County.

The Lehigh County Livable Landscape Plan, created by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, is a study commissioned by Lehigh County to analyze the living expectations of county residents and their quality of life.

In the most recent survey, open space preservation and farmland maintenance remain a top priority for local residents. It is through this feedback and effort that Lehigh County prioritizes the needs of county farmers and their farms.

For more information regarding farmland preservation in Lehigh County, visit https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/Agricultural-Land-Preservation.