Pennsylvania Farmers Clash with Conservationists Over Land Use
Pennsylvania’s farming community is raising concerns over a state program supporting open space acquisition, claiming it is negatively impacting agriculture. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau argues that the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), operated by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is driving up land rents and reducing available farmland.
Farm Bureau President Chris Hoffman stated that farmers are now competing against government-funded programs that offer attractive financial incentives for landowners to convert agricultural land into open space. This pressure is particularly acute in the densely populated southeastern regions of the state.
Howard Reyburn, head of the Chester/Delaware County Farm Bureau, echoed these sentiments, highlighting recent conservation efforts that have led to the permanent loss of farming opportunities on significant parcels such as Crebilly Farm and Bryn Coed Preserve. He expressed concern that the preservation of these lands signifies a broader trend that may inhibit future agricultural use.
However, the regional land trust Natural Lands, involved in preserving both properties, suggests these cases are anomalies. According to Todd Sampsell, the group’s vice president for conservation, their focus is on protecting natural spaces rather than farmland, which typically does not attract C2P2 funding. Sampsell clarified that both properties were preserved in response to failed housing developments and do not underscore a trend that threatens agricultural land.
While the DCNR has no comment on claims of rising land prices due to C2P2, Sampsell emphasizes that factors like industrial development, not conservation initiatives, are the main culprits driving land costs. C2P2 is crucial for funding diverse projects aimed at enhancing public parks and providing community benefits, allocating nearly $5 million to 10 projects in Chester County last fall alone.
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