Leading the Nation in Preservation:
Lancaster Farmland Trust and County Ag Preserve Board Save 1,000 Farms

Lancaster County, known for its quaint Amish population and agricultural splendor, now boasts 1,000 preserved farms totaling nearly 80,000 acres in a 600 square-mile area-- more farms and acreage than any other county in the nation -- thanks to the combined work of the Lancaster Farmland Trust and the county’s Agricultural Preserve Board. This national milestone shows how much can be accomplished when a non-profit organization, a County government, local farmers and the Amish community work together to save farms, preserve a cherished quality of life, and manage growth.

“We feel blessed to have this amazing land under our care and it’s our responsibility to make sure it’s always here,” said Rob Meck, a partner in Meck's Produce, along with his father, Robert, his mother, Rose, and his brother, Ryan. The family grows a variety of produce sold locally at their Central Market stand in downtown Lancaster. Their 52-acre farm in Strasburg Township is the 1000th preserved farm in the County.

A ceremony was held at the Meck farm to celebrate this significant national achievement. State and local dignitaries gathered to celebrate the importance of both groups’ efforts and to recognize the Mecks and the farm families who have made farm preservation so successful in Lancaster County.