Farmland Preservation Program

The Farmland Preservation program is administered by the county using state, county, and in some instances township funds designated for farmland preservation. This program is also called Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

What is Farmland Preservation?
Farmland Preservation places an agricultural conservation easement on your property (minimum of ten farmable acres) which is a permanent legal restriction that limits future uses to agricultural purposes. There are many benefits to preserving your land! The landowner is financially compensated for preserving land and it permanently protects a family's farmland from being lost to future non- agricultural development. Families who join the Farmland Preservation program still own and operate their land, can pass the property onto family members when the time comes, or can sell the property, while preventing future development. One additional home is permitted to be built for a family member(s) or farm employee(s) once the land is preserved.

What is an Agricultural Security Area (ASA)?
ASA’s are intended to promote more permanent and viable farming operations in a community. It provides protection from nuisance ordinances, limits the ability to ever have your land condemned for new schools, roads, parks, or other governmental project, and is the first step in preserving your land, if you choose to do so. Having land enrolled in an ASA does not put any restrictions on the property and does not affect the landowner's ability sell the property or to use his or her property for non-agricultural development purposes.

What is the process to preserve your property as a Agricultural Conservation Easement?
The first step towards preserving your farmland is to complete and return an Agricultural Security Area (ASA) application. After receiving your application, you are entered into a 180-day waiting period before the land can be officially added into the townships ASA property list. At that point, you can apply for Farmland Preservation if you would like to preserve your land. Please see the process below:

Applications & Documents

• What is an Agricultural Security Area (ASA)
• ASA Application
• ASA Application Instructions
• AG Conservation Easement Frequently Asked Questions
• AG Conservation Easement Application (Lehigh County)
• Bicentennial & Century Farm Application - Recognition for long standing family farms

Please reach out to Michael Siegel, Lowhill Township Manager at 610-398-2641 or by email at msiegel@lowhilltwp.org if you have any questions or would like more information.