1,000-PLUS ACRES ADDED TO PRESERVED FARMLAND IN BERKS

          Harrisburg, April 18, 2008 -- An additional 1,039 acres of Berks County farmland will be preserved through the purchase of conservation easements valued at more than $2.6 million that were approved Thursday by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board, according to State Senator Michael A. O’Pake, a Preservation Board Member.
          According to Senator O’Pake, the following family farms will be preserved:

Family                                                        Municipality                             # of acres preserved

Donald & Fay Daub                                      Bethel Twp.                               35.4 acres

Schuler Family Trust #1                              Richmond Twp.                        134.4 acres

Schuler Family Trust #3                              Richmond Twp.                         14.7 acres

Schuler Family Trust #2                              Richmond Twp.                         11.6 acres

Schuler Family Trust #4                              Richmond Twp.                         21.7 acres

W. Ray & Jennifer Hershey                          Bethel Twp.                              150.4 acres

Raymond & Eileen Prussman                       Oley Twp.                                  16.3 acres

Kenneth Dietrich                                         Greenwich Twp.                        147.3 acres

Shirey, Daub & Sweigart                             Upper Tulpehocken Twp.             34.9 acres

John Walicki                                               Upper Tulpehocken Twp.             14.6 acres

Harry & Elda Shaak                                    Tilden Twp.                                 82.9 acres

Mark & Diane Westenhoefer                        Upper Bern Twp.                         20.0 acres

James & Donna Tomanelli                           North Heidelberg Twp                  34.6 acres

Glenn Dietrich                                             Albany Twp.                               63.9 acres

Stanley & Karen Lempergel                         Centre Twp.                                53.4 acres

Kevin Strauss                                             Bethel Twp.                                97.2 acres

George Gary & Janet Shellington                  North Heidelberg Twp.                 60.8 acres

Leon & Paula Huey                                     Jefferson Twp.                            44.5 acres

                                                                                          Total            1,039   acres

         Senator O’Pake explained that statewide 3521 farms totaling 389,247 acres have been preserved since the program’s inception.  In Berks County 515 farms consisting of 54,726 acres have been preserved.  Berks County has preserved more acreage of farmland than any other county in the state program.
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