| You have the power to help save our farms and farmland. You can directly support Pennsylvania farmers and farmers markets by taking these simple actions. |
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For a farmer, like any business owner or operator, the business of agricultureholds many risks. Addressing how this risk matches up to the adoption of on-farm conservation practices was the topic of a recent feasibility study we completed in collaboration with AgFlex, Inc. and Kieser and Associates. The study explored the conservation practice adoption process of farmers in Pennsylvania and will help our work in addressing farm conservation issues across the country.
 The rich agricultural diversity of the Mid-Atlantic offers an annual opportunity to celebrate the remarkable gifts of the land. Even in a year full of challenges that threatened its bounty—including inclement weather and state budgets concerns—work to protect farmland and safeguard clean water sources has stretched from the steps of the capitol in Annapolis to farm fields from Pennsylvania to Virginia.
We are proud of the work of American Farmland Trust and our partners in the Mid-Atlantic. Read more about our work across the region.
 We
recently honored Robert E. (Bob) Ambrose of Ridgeview Acres Farm with the
Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Local Heroes Award. The award recognizes his
outstanding efforts to further the mission of the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Association by protecting the farms, natural resources and waters of the commonwealth. “Bob has shown the power of what
one individual can do by sticking to a cause and steadily working on its
issues,” says our Mid-Atlantic Director, Jim Baird. “He has served as the
appointed chairman of the Westmoreland County Agricultural Land Preservation
Board since 2001, which has preserved over 10,960 acres of productive
farmland.” Bob and his wife run a 130-acre farm and are dedicated to protecting
farmland from development.
 Rainy weather got you down? A spring that is wetter than normal can have an impact on our food beyond cancelling weekend picnic plans. In Pennsylvania, rain-soaked fields are delaying the planting process for corn this year which will ultimately impact the quality of milk reaching our tables. With farmers having a difficult time even getting on their fields, the wet weather also presents an obstacle for farmers interested in improving conservation practices through programs like our BMP Challenge.
Bay region farmers have done a lot in the last 20 years to protect our water by making changes in how they farm and manage land. For instance, they have reduced soil loss by 64 percent. However, adopting healthy farming practices is expensive and some high-cost investments don’t help their bottom-line. Therefore, these barriers, in addition to inflexible regulation, cause some farmers to risk going out of business. So, if we are asking farmers to protect their land and steward our water, we have to provide them with low-cost, flexible ways to do so. Read more about how we are helping farmers protect our water and stay on the land.
 American Farmland Trust Honored Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding with the bi-annual Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Local Heroes Award for his profound dedication to Pennsylvania’s farms and agricultural industry for more than 20 years. Secretary Redding played a crucial role in founding the Adams County Preservation board, which has successfully protected 139 farms and 18,260 acres in its 20-year history. Along with the PA Farmland Preservation Association, we salute Redding for his outstanding efforts in furthering the mission of PFPA and his lifelong dedication to protecting the farms, natural resources and waters of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
What if three farmers could neutralize the water pollution caused by 418 suburban homes? That's exactly what the Lancaster County farmers enrolled in our BMP Challenge did last year when they prevented more than 5,800 pounds of fertilizer from flowing off their farms into the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation estimates that the average household in the watershed releases 14 pounds of nitrogen into the Chesapeake every year—so each farmer was able to offset the nitrogen pollution footprint of several cul-de-sacs! Plus, thanks to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection's Nutrient Trading Program, the farmers’ efforts generated "certified nutrient trading credits" worth over $4,700, which our Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, Jim Baird, donated to the Lancaster Farmland Trust.
In May 2009, President Barack Obama issued an executive order for a fresh look at the federal government’s role in Chesapeake Bay cleanup. The EPA and four cabinet-level departments recently released draft reports that estimate meeting water quality goals will require a 44 percent reduction of nitrogen entering the bay. Agriculture is one of the contributors to pollution in the bay, and reducing run-off while ensuring farms stay in business is no easy task. Fortunately there are some tools that that help farmers improve water quality, while allowing them to keep the farm business alive.
Focus on Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, one man’s treasure is another’s cow manure. Mike Brubaker recently completed his first year's experiment with an anaerobic digester and discovered that his cow pies could make even more energy than he expected. Now Mike is selling the power and buying back what he needs for the dairy because the Brubakers get paid a premium price for their renewable power. “It is a remarkably efficient system,” says our Mid-Atlantic expert Jim Baird. “Cows produce manure, the manure produces electricity and the electricity becomes additional income. After the manure is processed for electricity, dried material becomes bedding for his cows and nutrient-rich water fertilizes the soil, which in turn helps grow premium dairy feed.”
Federal Farm Policy and The farm bill
What is in the farm bill and why is it important? Find out what’s next for the farm bill and how we can make sure the legislation's promises are turned into programs on the ground.
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Support your local farmers by buying direct at farmers markets, farm stands, and CSAs.
