Earlier this month, Pennsylvania protected more than 22 hundred acres on 32 farms in 18 counties from future development.

That brings the total number of farms protected under the farmland preservation programs to almost 6,100 farms protected that make up nearly 614,000 acres in 58 counties.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of farms preserved.

What does it mean that a farm is preserved? Why is it important to preserve farmland? How much does it cost? What do the farmers get out it?

All questions we ask on Monday’s Smart Talk.

Our guests are Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Farmland Preservation Director Doug Wolfgang and Ben Wenk and his father Dave own Ploughman’s Cider in Adams County.

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