BERKS CONTINUES LEADERSHIP IN PRESERVING FARMLAND

          Harrisburg, April 23, 2007 -- An additional 1,390 acres of Berks County farmland will be preserved through the purchase of conservation easements valued at more than $3.4 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

Viola Anspach                                            Upper Bern Twp.                      61.5 acres

Michael & Lisa Bickel                                   Perry Twp.                              39.3 acres

Trevor & Susanne Cammauf                        Centre Twp.                            95.5 acres

Ronald Christman                                       Upper Bern Twp.                      90.7 acres

Carl Davis #1                                             Windsor Twp.                          16.6 acres

Carl Davis #3                                             Windsor Twp.                           59.6 acres

Gloria Gerhard                                            Perry & Maidencreek Twps.      112.7 acres

Donald & Kathleen Hartman                         Upper Bern Twp.                       36.7 acres

Harry, Paul & Melvin Hartranft                      Marion Twp.                           118.9 acres

Ernest & Shirley Hoffman                             Windsor Twp.                          86.0 acres

Ricky & Vicki Kline                                       Maidencreek Twp.                    65.1 acres

Harry & Elizabeth Lorenz                             Jefferson Twp.                          83.1 acres

David & Lisa Manbeck                                  Heidelberg Twp.                       25.6 acres

Charles Mohn                                             Perry Twp.                               53.7 acres

Roy & Clara Moyer Trust                             Upper Tulpehocken Twp.          138.1 acres

Guy Petery & Dianne Seaman                      Upper Bern Twp.                       43.9 acres

Gerald & Pauline Seiler                               Bechtel Twp.                           108.2 acres

Douglas Whitehead                                    Upper Tulpehocken Twp.            24.2 acres

Ronald & Sandra Whitmoyer                       Tulpehocken Twp.                     14.3 acres

Charles & Linda Zimmerman                        Centre Twp.                           116.4 acres

                                                                           Total                          1390.1 acres 

          Senator O’Pake explained that statewide 3,166 farms totaling 354,741 acres have been preserved since the program’s inception.  In Berks County 447 farms consisting of 48,966 acres have been preserved.  Berks County has preserved more acreage of farmland than any other county in the state.

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