CLEARFIELD – On Tuesday the Clearfield County Commissioners appointed five people to the county’s newly-created Farmland Preservation Board.
In early February, the county, in conjunction with its Farm Bureau and Conservation District, announced plans to begin developing a farmland preservation program.
“By developing a farmland preservation program for Clearfield County, it’s going to allow landowners to ensure that their real estate is used in perpetuity only for agricultural purposes,” said Commissioner John A. Sobel, chair, during a prior commissioners’ meeting.
According to him, Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation program is a cooperative effort between its farm community and local, county and state officials. He said it arose out of Pennsylvania’s farmers’ concern over the gradual statewide decline in the number of family-owned farms due to urban growth.
“Land coming into the program must be from specific areas designated by local municipal officials. The program is going to be administered by a board of directors appointed by Clearfield County,” Sobel said.
In February, the commissioners began looking for people with a background in farming, commercial or industrial contracting or agriculture in general for appointment to the board. It was also noted that one board member must be an elected official.
On Tuesday Sobel said that the commissioners received a lot of letters of interest and especially from members of the county’s farming community. He said there were restrictions on the number of farming members who could be appointed to the board, and those who weren’t appointed will be kept in mind if a vacancy arises down the road.
The commissioners appointed the following five people: Charles Muth and Carlene Pearce, farming board members; Eric Fox, general board member; Michael Holibaugh, elected official board member; and Henry Daugherty, contractor board member.
The commissioners also announced there are vacancies on the Curwensville Lake Authority and the Clearield County Recreation & Tourism Authority boards. Any interestted persons are asked to please submit their letters of interest to the commissioners.