Lehigh County Commissioner Ron W. Beitler, Chairman of the Sterling Raber Agricultural Land Preservation Board, shared additional details on three farms recently approved for preservation.

Ferreira Farm | Heidelberg Township | 56 acres

Raises grass fed beef cattle for sale to individuals and restaurants. Heidelberg Township contributed nearly $2,000 to complete the purchase.

Muth-Whitby Farm | Upper Macungie Township | 25 acres

Located along Dorney Road near the Berks County line. An emergency preservation purchase by the Lehigh County Farmland Preservation Board supported by a $195,500 contribution from Upper Macungie Township, covering two-thirds of the appraised value.

Schantzenbach Farm | Upper Saucon and Lower Milford Townships | 42 acres

Located along Blue Church Road in Limeport. One of several properties the owner is seeking to preserve. A second farm was preserved last month.

“We’re one of the most successful farmland preservation programs in Pennsylvania considering our size. This is a result of cooperation between the state, Lehigh County and local municipalities, along with landowners willing to preserve farms. It’s a team effort we should all be proud of,” Beitler said.

“Preservation is voluntary. I want to thank these landowners for choosing to protect their farms and our municipal partners for helping make it possible,” Beitler added.