Agricultural Security Areas (ASA) is a administered by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Farmland Preservation. ASA’s are established for each rural Township for strengthening and protecting our quality farmland from the urbanization of rural areas. Pocopson Township’s ASA Committee meets once each year.
Participation in the Township ASA is voluntary for farmers and landowners. Petitions for inclusion to the ASA are submitted to Township supervisors.
Pocopson’s Agricultural Security Committee includes members: Ricki Stumpo, Becky Baily, Brittany Venit, George P. Wickersham, Jr., Jennifer Van Anda, Judy Cousins,
- Pocopson’s ASA is reviewed every seven years however; new parcels of farmland may be added to an established ASA at any time.
- A minimum of 250 acres from among all the participating farmers is required.
- An ASA may include non-adjacent farmland parcels of at least ten acres or be able to produce $2000 annually from the sale of agricultural products.
- Participants receive special consideration regarding:
Local ordinances affecting farming activities.
Nuisance complaints. - Review of farmland condemnation by state and local government agencies. An ASA qualifies land for consideration under the Easement Purchase Program at the landowner’s request, if the ASA has at least 500 acres enrolled.
The benefits of enrollment are:
- Prerequisite for applying to the county farmland preservation program
- Protection against local nuisance ordinances related to farming activity
- Oversight in certain cases of eminent domain