An Analysis of the Economic Impact of Pennsylvania's Farmland Preservation Program

As the Pennsylvania farmland preservation program enters its 30th year, this is the first formal analysis of its economic impact. The value of such an analysis is to 6 estimate the benefits to the agricultural industry, the state’s economy, and the counties where the preserved farms are located. To assess the contribution of the state/county farmland preservation program to the Pennsylvania state economy, the study estimates a multiplier effect and also estimates the annual contribution of preserved farms to the agricultural economy and the general economy of the state.