Agriculture: 11.2 Million Acres Of Farm & Forest Land Enrolled In Clean & Green Preservation Program

On November 4, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced that since January of 2015, Pennsylvania has enrolled 2.1 million acres in the state’s Clean & Green Program, bringing the total to 11.2 million acres. 

Clean & Green helps keep property taxes affordable by assessing farm and forest land by use value rather than fair market value.

“Pennsylvania feeds the nation and the world,” said Secretary Redding. “Productive farmland is the number one requirement for that role. Ensuring that taxes are not a barrier to farmers and forest landowners is a key element of our efforts to protect our water, land and forests and preserve our farms and food, for future generations.”

To apply for preferential tax treatment under Clean & Green, a property must be 10 acres in size and in agricultural use, agricultural reserve or forest reserve. 

Agricultural use properties may be fewer than 10 acres if the property can generate at least $2,000 in farm income annually.

To ensure the availability and accessibility of food to fuel us all, the Department of Agriculture dedicates an average of $40 million annually to preserving productive farmland. 

Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation program leads the nation, and since taking office in 2015, Gov. Tom Wolf increased funding for the program by more than 132 percent. 

The administration’s $253 million investment has preserved more than 100,000 acres since 2015.

Clean & Green also makes taxes more affordable for the hardwoods and forest products industry, an agriculture sector that contributes more than $39.1 billion to the state’s economy annually. 

Pennsylvania leads the nation in production and export of hardwood lumber. With 16.6 million acres of forestland, Pennsylvania has the most abundant hardwood forest in the United States. 

Since taking office in 2015, Governor Wolf has invested more than $1 million in grants, loans and tax credits to help hardwood businesses expand their operations, upgrade equipment, support workforce training and implement sustainable environmental practices.

Visit Agriculture’s Clean & Green Program webpage for more information on this program.

Related Articles:

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-- Sproat Family, Natural Lands Partner To Preserve 42 Acre Farm In Chester County 

-- Allegheny Land Trust Partners With Regen Network To Sell Carbon Credits To Support Local Land Conservation; Largest Sale Of Urban Forest Credits In U.S.

-- TribLive: 624-Acre Hays Woods Purchase Gets Final OK, To Be Pittsburgh’s 2nd Largest Park

-- Inquirer - Rebuilding Philly: Let’s Reimagine Urban Green Space As A Way To Promote Social Justice

[Posted: November 4, 2021]  PA Environment Digest