2013 Highlights - Lancaster Farmland Trust

2013 Highlights
Lancaster Farmland Trust topped off 2013 with the
preservation of 24 farms and 1,433 acres. Your support
and commitment to Lancaster County’s agricultural industry was
demonstrated by your generous financial support throughout the year.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF PRESERVATION and 100,000 ACRES
OneCommunity. OneVision.
2013 was an extraordinary year for
Lancaster Farmland Trust, marked by
the organization’s 25th anniversary, and
together with the Lancaster County Agricultural
Preserve Board, the achievement of 100,000 acres
of farmland preserved in the county — a first in the
nation! This milestone will chart the course for
the next 25 years of farmland protection.
Agricultural
Preserve Board
—AND—
Lancaster Farmland
Trust
Lancaster
County
100,000
Acres
Lancaster County residents continue to
support farmland preservation and appreciate
its benefits to the community. The Lancaster
County commissioners provided the Trust with a generous
matching grant again in 2013. This support allowed the Trust to
maximize the impact of each dollar raised.
Three years ago, we set out to make Lancaster County the first
county in the nation to preserve 100,000 acres of farmland and to
reach that goal in 2013 — the Trust’s 25th anniversary. We are
tremendously proud that we achieved this milestone and grateful
to the many people who made it possible. Our donors provided
generous support and we were able to leverage that support with
matching gifts from the County and private foundations. This made
it possible for us to multiply the impact of every dollar we raised,
increase the acres we preserved, and reach our goal of achieving
100,000 acres of farmland preserved in our anniversary year.
We appreciate the strong support we
receive from the business community
including New Holland North
America, title sponsor for Pedal to Preserve;
and the major sponsors of the One Community,
One Vision, 100,000 Acres Celebration:
Turkey Hill Dairy; Lancaster Farming and Lancaster
Newspapers, Inc.; and Wenger’s Feed Mill.
Grants from private foundations and
government agencies help us preserve farmland
and enable us to work with farmers to reduce the
environmental impact of their operations. In 2013,
the Trust received grants from:
•County of Lancaster
•Pew Charitable Trusts
•William Penn Foundation
•The Steinman
Foundations
•Ressler Mill Foundation
•PA Department of
Environmental Protection
•Lancaster County
Community Foundation
•1675 Foundation
•Seraph Foundation
•Farm Aid
•League of Women Voters
of Pennsylvania Water
Resources Education
Network
•Foundation for
Pennsylvania Watersheds
LOOKING AHEAD-SAVING THE LAND WE LOVE
As we begin 2014, the farmland preservation movement is in an excellent position to
make a difference in land use decisions for our community. Since its beginning in 1988, the
Trust has preserved a total of 433 farms and 26,725 acres. The achievement of 100,000 acres
preserved in the county forms a solid foundation for the future; however, our work is far
from finished! Continued preservation of the highest quality agricultural soils in the country
is critical to the future economic prosperity of our region.
With more than 1400 miles of streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Lancaster
County occupies a critical geographic location in securing the safety of our natural
resources. County population projections show that the area is expected to grow by more
than 100,000 people over the next 20 years. Our mission is dual ended — to preserve and
steward the beautiful, productive farmland of Lancaster County. Stewardship of our land
will become increasingly important to maintain a livable and prosperous community.
Lancaster Farmland Trust • 125 Lancaster Avenue • Strasburg, PA 17579-9606 • 717-687-8484 • www.lancasterfarmlandtrust.org
Lancaster Farmland Trust
PROTECTING OUR NATURAL
RESOURCES
For the past 25 years, Lancaster Farmland Trust has worked
diligently to build strong relationships with Lancaster County’s
farmers. This effort has put the Trust in a unique position to work
with Lancaster County’s farmers to become good caretakers of
our natural resources. By working with farmers one on one and
partnering with public and private entities, the Trust can help
local communities improve their environment.
The Trust’s Smart Farms program provides the framework for
helping farmers learn about and implement good conservation
practices on their land. Staff works with farmers on a personal
basis and offers practical assistance that not only benefits the
environment, but also makes a positive impact on productivity.
2013 Smart Farms Achievements
• Hosted two Smart Farms workshops
on best management practices for 60
farmers.
• Created 11 agricultural erosion and
sediment plans for local farmers.
• Assisted farmers with stream bank
fencing projects, installing almost 6,000
feet of fencing to keep livestock out of
local streams.
• Developed a partnership with West
Lampeter Township to help the township identify cost-effective ways to
improve local water quality and meet
environmental regulations.
• Implemented an assessment of best
management practices on all 93 farms
in West Lampeter Township.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
On October 22, the Trust and the Lancaster County
Agricultural Preserve Board celebrated the achievement of
becoming the first county in the nation to preserve 100,000 acres
of farmland. The One Community, One Vision, 100,000 Acres
Celebration honored the farmers, donors, elected officials, and
volunteers who started and supported the program over the past
25 years. The dinner raised more than $240,000 and kicked off
the next chapter of the farmland preservation program.
Our annual cycling fundraiser, Pedal to Preserve, and Great
Farmland Preservation Train Ride and Picnic both continue to
attract full-to-capacity crowds. These special events help promote
farmland preservation to the local and regional community in a
fun, family-friendly environment.
In 2013 the Trust’s Municipal Outreach program worked with
local municipalities to encourage policies and programs to protect
the region’s agricultural lands and water and soil resources. The
Municipal Outreach program:
•Hosted a regional water quality workshop to help
municipalities meet current water quality standards.
Over 90 municipal staff, planners, engineers, and private
and non-profit water quality partners participated.
•Sponsored a water protection workshop for over
400 farmers as part of the Eastern Lancaster County
(ELANCO) Source Water Protection Initiative Grant
from the Environmental Protection Agency.
•Partnered with Penn Township and the Lancaster County
Agricultural Preserve Board to preserve the farm that put
Lancaster County over the 100,000 acres preserved mark
and helped the township direct development into an area
designated for growth.
•Partnered with Caernarvon Township to preserve a farm
through their regional transfer of development rights
program.
Thank you for believing in the economic value of
agriculture as a way of life, easy access to local food, and
our treasured heritage! Your dedication to preserving and
stewarding the best of Lancaster County is the reason we
have been so successful.
125 Lancaster Avenue • Strasburg, PA 17579-9606 • 717-687-8484 • www.lancasterfarmlandtrust.org
Photo credit: all photos Patty O’Brien