Sen. Lisa Boscola announced recently that five additional farms in Northampton County have been preserved as part of Pennsylvania’s nation leading Farmland Preservation Program. The total investment of funds to preserve the 193 acres throughout Northampton County was nearly $2 million, with the state investing $1,287,010 and Northampton County investing $659,826.

Five farms have been preserved:

• Thomas R. and JoLynn Engler, 49-acre crop farm, Plainfield Township

• Estate of Evelyn I. Spengler, 37-acre crop farm, East Allen Township

• Jacob R. and Amanda M. Klein #2, 16-acre crop farm, Forks Township

• James R. Poliskiewicz, Jr., 41-acre crop farm, Upper Mt. Bethel Township

• Roger C. and Trudy P. Unangst #3, 50-acre crop farm, East Allen Township

“Preserving farmland to ensure that it is available to farm for future generations by protecting it from future development is critically important,” Boscola said. “Once again, working collaboratively, the Commonwealth and Northampton County have made this investment to ensure another 193 acres will continue to benefit our region and our Commonwealth.”

Since 1988, when voters statewide overwhelmingly supported creating the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, Pennsylvania has protected 6,597 farms and 656,568 acres in 58 counties.