Why this land? That’s a good question presented by the author of The Morning Call Your View “What are we saving? Rethinking Lehigh Valley progress” (Sept. 6, 2025). I’ve studied farmland preservation policy since 1981 when I served on the Lehigh County Task Force to inventory the remaining farmland in the county. In 2020 I preserved my farm. Hopefully I can answer the question, why this land?

First, a brief review of Act 149 of 1988 which allowed the commonwealth to purchase agriculture easements. When I’ve discussed this policy with many people over the years, there always seemed to be a lack of understanding about how it works.

The Lehigh County Farmland Preservation office oversees the program in Lehigh County. More details can be found on their website. Their 2025 budget is $3.7 million. Sounds like a lot of money, but with the value of local real estate that amount doesn’t preserve many farms.

When a farm owner applies for preservation, their farm receives a ranking based on several factors. For example, a farm with class 1 soils receives the highest score in that category. The farms with the highest overall scores become the top priorities for preservation. If a farm owner accepts the preservation offer, they continue to be the sole owner of the farm. They agree not to develop the farm, they must continue to farm the land, and they continue to pay property taxes that support the local municipality. Preserved farms are inspected every two years to make sure the owner stays in compliance.

The state Municipalities Planning Code was designed to have organized, responsible growth, but it has flaws, and does not always serve its purpose well. The initial planers often did not have the foresight to realize the value of farmland. Non-farm uses were deemed better for more tax revenue to support growth and that’s flawed thinking. Development places a bigger burden on municipal services. Are property taxes dropping because of development? Only in recent years has farmland become more valued in comprehensive planning, unfortunately most of the best farmland in the county is developed. Farmland preservation is a reaction to poor planning in the past.

Residents often object to new development after their home was built, but development must be allowed if it complies with by right zoning. I have a concern when developers request numerous variances to the zoning, which effectively voids the zoning code. Saying a farm was “saved from development” is really a correction to an inappropriate comprehensive plan.

Farming as a business is increasingly challenging and difficult to sustain. The climate has changed, development has attracted more wildlife, and markets have disappeared. What non-farm people don’t understand is Lehigh County is no longer an agriculture community. Businesses that once supported area farms have mostly left town.

If farming is such a difficult business, why should we preserve the land? Times change. 100 years ago, major crops in the area were wheat and potatoes. Today it’s corn and soybeans. Markets will change. Consumers are realizing the value of locally grown food. What will the next generation farm? Will it be hemp, pumpkins or will there once again be a need for wheat and potatoes? People will need to eat. There is no hope for future farms without preservation.

Why is continued growth so important? We have many businesses, people earn enough to support nice communities and good schools. Most of the land has been developed, our infrastructure is reaching full capacity, and we are grossly exploiting our water resources. At some point we need to say, “sorry no vacancies.”

I agree people need to know why a parcel of land was preserved. Every preserved farm has a story, about its legacy, the farm enterprises and markets it serves, the farm owner’s vision for the future. How the farm was selected based on research by the preservation board and not just a random choice. The public needs to be reminded that a preserved farm will mean a few less cars on the roads, less burden on the schools, conservation of our water resources, and land to grow food in the future.

This is why Lehigh County preserves farms.

This is a contributed opinion column. Mark Lichtenwalner is a farmer in Lower Macungie Township. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.

https://www.mcall.com/2025/09/20/opinion-why-we-preserve-the-lehigh-valleys-farmland/