Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding announced on October 15, 2025 at the Talview Dairy Farm that Pennsylvania now has 6,600 farms and 650,000 acres of farmland preserved for agricultural purposes. (John Cole/Capital-Star)
Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Lebanon County on Wednesday to tout a farmland conservation milestone.
Shapiro announced at Talview Dairy Farm that Pennsylvania now has 6,600 farms and 650,000 acres of farmland preserved for agricultural purposes, making Pennsylvania the state with the most preserved farms in the country.
“I’m proud of the fact that we’re the best state in the nation for protecting farmland,” Shapiro said. “And this work is crucial. More and more of our family farms can remain farms forever.”
“Listen, protection is extremely important,” he added. “The future of agriculture is absolutely critical.”
This is the result Agricultural land protection programwhich was established in 1988 as a partnership between all levels of government and non-profit organizations, with the intention of saving agricultural land.
Since then, Pennsylvania has invested more than $1.78 billion in partnership with county and local governments to protect these farmlands from expansion and development. Since taking office, the Shapiro administration has invested more than $140 million in this program.
Owned by Brent Copenhaver and his wife Stacey Talview Dairy Farmdairy in Lebanon County and selling most of its milk regionally in Pennsylvania. They currently milk about 400 cows and farm about 400 acres that they purchased from Stacey’s parents.
In 1994, their farm was preserved as part of this program.
“Protecting farmland ensures that agriculture remains a part of Pennsylvania’s economy,” said Brent Copenhaver. “When it comes to local food, local jobs and just community in general.”
“By protecting the farm, you not only save open space, but you also protect the values, work ethic and opportunities that farms pass down from generation to generation,” he added.
Since the program was created, Lebanon County has preserved approximately 22,000 acres of agricultural land, with another 2,000 acres under conservation.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and Shapiro praised the Democratic and Republican administrations forging ahead with the program, evidence that efforts to protect farmland are a bipartisan issue.
According to the Shapiro administration, agriculture contributes $132 billion annually to the Commonwealth’s economy and supports nearly 600,000 jobs in the state.
However, Shapiro said the Trump administration’s trade policies put the Commonwealth’s agricultural sector at risk.
Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, Shapiro has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
When talking to farmers about their concerns, Shapiro said he often hears that they want more capital and are concerned about labor. He also said they expressed concern about tariffs.
“I think we see that tariffs are really hurting our farmers here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “We’ve seen, for example, those who work in, you know, the forestry industry, they’ve lost 35% of their market in just six months of these tariffs being implemented.”
“We have seen that many of our dairy farmers are increasingly concerned about losing market share, particularly in Mexico,” he added. “I think these tariffs are just hurting our farmers, perhaps more than any other sector.”
Shapiro said farmers bear the brunt of the effects of tariffs.
Republican officials supporting Trump’s tariff policies we believe this will have a positive impact and protect American agriculture and jobs.
According to AxlesNational Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said “smart and generous” aid for farmers could come as soon as the government shutdown ends in response to the impact of tariffs. Were reports that financial aid could amount to at least $10 billion.
During Trump’s first term, approx $25 billion from Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) was used to provide direct payments to farmers affected by trade disputes with China.
CCC funds are used to implement specific programs established by Congress, as well as to conduct activities under the broadly understood CCC Charter Act, in accordance with Art. USDA.
While visit to Talview Dairy in AprilUS Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins said the administration is ready to provide aid to farmers “if (trade) negotiations have harmful consequences.”
Shapiro said he didn’t see what the Trump administration planned to do with the potential relief aid, but he used it as an opportunity to double down on his criticism of the tariff policy.
“I’m not sure why you would impose tariffs, close markets, increase costs, and then tell farmers you have some money not to farm,” Shapiro told the Capital-Star. “I think farmers want to farm. They want to produce more crops. They want to do more.”
“They don’t want to be held back,” he added. “And I think these tariffs have actually inhibited our farmers and increased costs for consumers.”
Copenhaver told the Capital-Star that his farm has not been personally affected by the tariffs.
What do farmers want?
Copenhaver said that today, like many farmers, the most crucial issue or concern for farmers is the price and profitability of farming and ranching.
“I think obviously everyone wants to make a profit,” he told Capital-Star.
He said the industry sometimes faces economic problems as well as weather dilemmas, noting that agriculture “is always a big challenge.”
However, Copenhaver said he would describe the current state of agriculture in Pennsylvania as “very good.”
“We can cover anything from poultry to beef to dairy. I’m very fortunate to be able to farm in Pennsylvania,” he said.
What can the state and federal government do to positively impact agriculture?
“The best thing the state government could do would be to pass a budget,” Copenhaver said. “I think it would be very important in terms of agricultural funding. I also think it has implications for local school districts.”
The budget impasse in Pennsylvania has lasted more than 100 days.
He also called on the federal government to pass the budget as a measure to support farmers.
