WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board has announced that applications are now being accepted for its two key farmland preservation initiatives, the Commonwealth/County Program and the Chester County Challenge Grant Program. These efforts, funded by the Chester County Commissioners, aim to safeguard the region’s agricultural heritage by permanently preserving farmland across the county.
To date, Chester County has successfully preserved over 590 farms, spanning more than 45,000 acres. Both programs provide financial compensation to qualifying farm owners in exchange for establishing agricultural conservation easements on their property. These easements ensure the land remains designated for agricultural use, while owners retain the right to sell or pass it down through generations.
Eligibility for the programs requires farms to have at least 10 acres of tillable land and be adjacent to already preserved land. For farms not located next to preserved areas, the minimum acreage threshold increases to 35 acres for the Commonwealth/County Program and 25 acres for the Chester County Challenge Grant Program.
The deadline for applications is set for Friday, August 1, 2025, giving farm owners an opportunity to secure support for preserving their land.
Geoff Shellington of the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board can be contacted for further details about the programs, including application procedures and eligibility guidelines, at 610-344-6504 or via email at gshellington@chesco.org.
These preservation programs underscore Chester County’s ongoing commitment to protecting its agricultural landscapes and supporting its farming communities.
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