Lancasterisoneofthebestplacestoliveinourcountry. Wearecommittedtohonoringour “roots”andinvestinginavibrantfutureforthenextgenerationofLancastrians,includingvigorously protectingandstewardingfarmlandandsupportingthrivingfarms.
Sinceourfounding34yearsago,LFThaspreservedanaverageof17farmsand1,000acresperyear.LFT iscommittedtopickingupthatpace. Overthenext3years,wewillworkwithfarmfamiliesandabroad anddiversegroupofpartnerstopermanentlypreserve75farmsforatotalof5,000+acres.
Everyacreaccounts. Acrossthecountry,wearepavingouragriculturallandatarapidpace. ArecentreportsuggestsLancaster Countywillbeoneofthethree“hardesthitcounties”inthestateifwecontinuebuildingatthesamedensitywehavesince2016. BuildingoffthemomentumofourHonoringthePromiseCampaignandrecentpreservationandconservationsuccesses,we havedevelopedaboldandambitiousstrategicplanforLFTfocusedonexpandingourbaseofsupportandpartnershipsto accelerateourimpactforthebenefitofallLancastrians. Eachofushasavitalroletoplayanditwilltakeallofusto achieve lastingprogress. Wehopeyou’lljoinus.
President&CEO
Toguidethedevelopment ofabroadlyowned3-yearStrategic Plan, Lancaster Farmland Trust(LFT)assembled aStrategic Planning Committee representing Board,staff andkeyexternal constituents.
With support fromDueEastPartners andtheCommittee, LFTengaged hundreds ofpeoplewhocareaboutpreserving farmland toinformand shape ournewPlanincluding:
Interviews with currentandpotential preserved farm owners,current andpotential donors,elected officials,partners andcommunityleaders
Survey responses
Participantsinvirtual donorgatherings
Eventsreaching 200+supporters andcommunitymembers
Thank you to everyone who contributed to LFT’s new Strategic Plan and are working to fulfill our shared vision.
Clair and Mim Miller
Lancaster Farmland Trust(LFT)isthetopfarmland preservation organizationinthe stateandthenation. Since1988,LFThaspreserved 565farmsand34,692acresofrich,productive agricultural land.
Buildingupontheoverwhelming successoftherecentHonoringthe Promise Campaign,whichwillleadtothepermanent preservation of 62farms, LFTisleveragingitsmomentumtopreserve morefarms, support morefarmers, restore moremilesofstreams andconnecta broader andmorediverse groupofpeopleandpartners toitsmission.
Tosignificantlyincrease itsimpactandaccelerate thepreservation of 25,000additional acresofagriculturallyzonedfarmland by2030, LFTis leadingamovementforthriving farms, cleanwater andflourishing communitiesacrossLancaster. Togetherwith farmers, ownersof preserved land,donorsandfunders, electedandpublicofficials, nonprofitandcommunitypartners andindividuals fromacrossthe county,LFTispreserving farms forthefuture ofLancaster andthe country.
Ourfarms,soil,waterandrootsare protectedforall.
Vigorouslyacceleratethepermanent protectionandstewardshipoffarmland.
Alastingcommitmenttofarmersand sustainablefarms
Landpreservationforthriving communitiesandaresilient environment
MeaningfulengagementofLancaster's broadercommunity
Enduringrelationshipsbuiltontrust
Collaborationforcollectiveactionand impact
Innovativethinkingandcontinuous improvement
Locallyandacrossthecountrythereisagrowingdemand forfood.Recentdisruptionsintheglobalfoodsystem coupledwithwatershortagesintheMidwestandWest, meanmorerelianceonfarmsintheNortheast.Today, 5,100localfarmfamiliesprovidefreshfoodforLancaster residentsandAmericansacrosstheU.S.. Weneedto ensurethesefarmersandfarmsarethrivingtosecurefood sourcesforourcommunitiesandthoseacrossthecountry.
Well-managedfarmsplayamajorroleinrestoringlocal streamsandrivers,protectinghabitatsandimprovingsoil health.Permanentlypreservedfarmsareoneofthebest solutionstoaddressingtoday’senvironmentalchallenges. Workingwithfarmersandpartners,wecanincrease conservationpracticesthatcontributetoenvironmental sustainabilityandeconomicvitality.
Morethanever,weunderstandthementalandphysical healthbenefitsofbeingconnectedtonature. Ourfarms keepLancasteropenandgreen. Notonlydoweneedto keepfarmersontheirland,butweneedtoincreaseaccess tofarmlandtoconnectallpeopletothelandthatsustains usall.
Ourcounty’s5,000+farmsareacornerstoneofLancaster’s vibrantlocaleconomyemployingnearly60,000peopleand producingatotalannualmarketvalueof$1.5billion.
Lancaster’sfarmlandandculturearealsotheprimaryreasons that9milliontouristsspendover$2billionperyearinthe county. Sustainable,thrivingfarmsarekeytooureconomic futureandthewellbeingofourcommunities.
Nationally,from2001-2016,
Morethan
ofournation’sfarmland andranchlandhasbeen lostorcompromised eachday.
ofLancasterCounty farmlandarelostto developmenteveryyear. That's more than three acres every day.
If we do nothing, we will quickly lose our agricultural land to development.
25,000 more acres of farmland preserved and protected for our future
• Mapandprioritize farmsforpreservation
• Growlandprotection andstewardship capacity
• Engageandeducate morefarmers, includingthePlain community,onthevalueofpermanently preserving their land
• Consistentlymonitorallconservationeasements and resolveviolationsquickly
• Craftflexibleeasements thatcanaccommodate the changingnature ofagriculture
• Enhancerelationships withmunicipalities toincrease their support ofpreservation plansandprograms
• Maintainandpromote thefinancialappeal ofour conservationeasement program
• Playaleadingroleincountywide planningefforts to ensureabalanceofgrowthandfarmlandpreservation
• Continuedirectoutreach tofarmers to promote bestmanagement practices includingregenerative agriculture
• Partner with ownersofpreserved farms to develop, fundandimplement conservationplans
• Champion landpreservation asa solutiontolocalandregional environmental challenges
• Growmarketing andcommunicationcapacity
• Raise awareness ofprograms andimpact through expanded outreach, engagementand communication
• Deepen andbuildpartnerships toexpand our reachtoexistingandnewconstituents
• Purchase afarmtoincreasepublicaccessand demonstrate sustainable practices
• Launchanadvocacycampaign togenerate publicsupport forpoliciesandprograms that preserve farmlandandcontrolgrowth
• Leverage thesuccessfulcapital campaigntosteward existingdonors andcontinuetoexpand donorbase
• Expand theskills,expertise and backgroundsrepresented onthe Board
• Advocatetodoubleannualpublic fundingforlandpreservation
• Identify newsourcesoffundingforland preservation
• Maximizetheuseoffederal programs forfarmland preservation
Joinourmovementand helpusgeneratethepublic andprivatefundingrequired topermanentlypreserve localfarmsandensurea healthy,vibrantfuturefor Lancastertodayandfor generationstocome. There aremanywaysforyoutoget involvedasachampion, advocate,partnerand donor.
PRIORITIES&STRATEGIESTOADVANCELFT’sMISSIONOVERTHENEXT3YEARS
VISION
Ourfarms,soil,water androotsareprotected forall.
MISSION
Vigorouslyacceleratethe permanentprotectionand stewardshipoffarmland.
VALUES
▪ Alastingcommitment tofarmersand sustainablefarms
▪ Landpreservationfor thrivingcommunities andaresilient environment
▪ Meaningful engagementof Lancaster'sbroader community
▪ Enduringrelationships builtontrust
▪ Collaborationfor collectiveactionand impact
▪ Innovativethinking andcontinuous improvement
Protect morefarmlandandsupport thriving farms
• Mapandprioritize farmsforpreservation
• Growlandprotectionandstewardship capacity
• Engageandeducatemorefarmers,including thePlaincommunity,onthevalueof permanently preserving their land
• Consistently monitorallconservation easements andresolveviolationsquickly
• Craftflexible easements thatcanaccommodate thechanging nature ofagriculture
• Enhance relationships withmunicipalities to increase their supportofpreservation plansand programs
• Maintain andpromotethefinancial appealof ourconservationeasement program
• Playaleadingroleincountywideplanning effortstoensure abalanceofgrowthand farmlandpreservation
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Leadtherestorationof waterandsoilonfarmland
• Continue directoutreach tofarmers topromotebestmanagement practicesincluding regenerative agriculture
• Partnerwithownersofpreserved farmstodevelop,fundandimplement conservation plans
• Championlandpreservation asa solution tolocalandregional environmental challenges
Increase visibilityand partnershipstoengage morepeople in ourmission
• Growmarketing andcommunication capacity
• Raise awareness ofprogramsand impactthrough expanded outreach, engagement andcommunication
• Deepen andbuildpartnerships to expandourreachtoexisting andnew constituents
• Purchase afarmtoincrease public accessanddemonstrate sustainable practices
• Launch anadvocacycampaignto generate publicsupportforpoliciesand programsthatpreservefarmlandand controlgrowth
PERFORMANCEMEASURESTOTRACKLFT’sPROGRESS
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• 30,000 lbs.ofNitrogen reduction
• 1,500 farmersactivelyengaged
• Recognition offarmlandpreservation asanapprovedBestManagement Practice(BMP)
• Staffleadership servesand/or participatesin majorcountywide planning initiatives
• Farmpurchasedandoperational
• 10% growthin community awareness offarmlandpreservation andLFT
• 6,000 peoplerepresenting the diversity ofourcommunities actively engaged
RESULTSTOACHIEVEWITHPARTNERS
Expandfunding andorganizational capacityforaccelerated impact
• Leveragethe successful Capital Campaigntostewardexisting donors andcontinue togrowanddiversify thedonorbase
• Expandtheskills, expertise and backgroundsrepresented onthe Board
• Advocatetodoubleannualpublic funding forlandpreservation
• Identifynewsourcesoffunding for landpreservation
• Maximize theuse offederalprograms forfarmlandpreservation
• Attract600 newdonors
• Retain 70%ofdonorsyearover year
• Doublenumberofplannedgift commitments
• Avg.of$10 millionintotalannual funding forfarmlandpreservation
• $2millionin publicfunding to supportourrolein farmland preservation
