Innovative planning techniques such as transferable development rights (TDRs), effective agricultural zoning, and ordinances protecting the right to farm, are well tested and have yielded positive results in many Lancaster County municipalities.  As municipalities plan for future growth, it will be imperative to manage development with strategies to protect natural resources including valuable agricultural lands.

As a staunch supporter of Smart Growth, Lancaster Farmland Trust has developed the organizational capacity to assist Lancaster municipalities with a variety of their planning decisions.  Specifically, the Trust will work with municipal officials and the local community to identify funding mechanisms and policies to preserve farmland in perpetuity.

Considering the significant increase in the number of farmers interested in preservation, building partnerships to leverage ideas and funding will help to maintain the high pace of farmland preservation in Lancaster County.  The Trust has successfully developed cooperative relationships with several townships and has had the opportunity to assist in establishing TDR programs and prioritizing areas for preservation.

The Trust has also participated in creating The Lancaster County TDR Practitioner’s Handbook. With a solid understanding of the nuts and bolts behind TDR programs, Trust staff will introduce the TDR handbook to municipal employees and officials and will support development of this preservation and growth management tool.

The Trust will also offer support to integrate the following strategies to protect Lancaster’s precious agricultural lands.

• Agricultural Security Areas
• Act  4
• Effective agricultural zoning ordinances
• Creative funding mechanisms
• Identifying high priority farms for preservation
• Education and outreach of Smart Growth strategies

For examples of township partnerships, click here.

Smart Farms Program
Working intimately with the landscape, farmers have always been stewards of the land.  Lancaster Farmland Trust aims to work one-on-one with each landowner to assist them in deciding how to best care for their land and its valuable natural resources.
The Trust’s Smart Farms program is an agriculturally and environmentally conscious program that assists local producers in managing sustainable operations.  With a host of soil and water conservation practices available to farmers, Trust staff will help tailor a selection of practices that will provide long term benefits for the producer and the environment.
Smart Farms offers:

• Free on-farm consultation with experts in agricultural operations and environmental protection for eligible farmers.
• Expert input on operational improvements such as phosphorous based nutrient management plans to manure storage layout and barnyard BMP design.
• Information on how to prepare for important changes in regulations that could impact farm income.
• Funding alternatives to implement best on farm management programs like no-till planting, watershed protection.

Farmers who have preserved their land are planning for a future in farming for future generations. To ensure that the rich soils remain productive and water quality remains pure, Trust staff will help Lancaster producers learn all they can about soil and water use.
Call us today to take advantage of the additional benefits from the Trust’s Smart Farms program, an agriculturally and environmentally conscious program exclusively provided by the Trust for owners of preserved farms.