Washington County farm among the latest protected from non-agricultural uses

A Washington County farm is among 31 across Pennsylvania that were recently secured by the state solely for agricultural use, the state Department of Agriculture said.

Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board voted at its April meeting to safeguard 3,134 acres on 31 farms in 17 counties through the state’s farmland preservation program.

Among the preserved farms was the Robert D. Lash farm, a 68.65-acre crop and livestock operation in Washington County. It was the only one in southwestern Pennsylvania included in the latest round of preserved farms.

Since the program began in 1988, federal, state, county and local governments have purchased permanent easements on 5,494 farms totaling 566,305 acres in 59 counties for agricultural production.

The program is dedicated to slowing the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. Funding allows state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements from owners of quality farmland.

“Our farmland preservation program seeks not only to preserve farmland, but our economy, our food supply and a way of life,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The commitment of a cadre of volunteers and staff makes each of these covenants — in which farmers entrust to us the security of their farmland in perpetuity — possible.”