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 Distinguished as the most
productive non-irrigated agricultural county in the United States, Lancaster
County's 5,293 farms provide food for much of the nation. Like their
ancestors before them, Lancaster County farmers have maintained a strong
work ethic and a long-standing commitment to not just working the land,
but working with the land. Preservation and conservation are as important
as production to our agricultural community, as they work to ensure the
Lancaster County farming tradition survives in years to come.
As a result of the dedicated work of preservation societies helping
farmers continue this tradition, Lancaster County is home to more than
58,000 acres of preserved farmland. In fact, the County is recognized
nationally for its efforts in maintaining the delicate balance between
development and preservation - Lancaster County ranks first among all
U.S. counties for total preserved farms.
And, much like the rest of Lancaster County, our agriculture industry
enjoys a marked level of diversity. While dairy is our leading agriculture
sector, Lancaster County agriculture is noted as having a well-diversified
farm economy that is not solely dependent on any one sector to assure
its success. Poultry, swine, beef, crop production and vegetable production
also contribute to our farming community's economic vitality.
Many agribusinesses in Lancaster County support this successful production,
including CNH Global N.V., the world's largest manufacturer of
agricultural tractors and combines; feed mills such as Esbenshade's
Farms/Mills and Wenger Feed Mill, Inc.; and insurance and loan agencies
such as Westfield Group and MidAtlantic Farm Credit, which provide local
farmers with financial help and peace of mind.
 Farming Facts (686k) - Download the Lancaster Farming Facts brochure
 Ag Industry Profile (537) - Download the Lancaster Ag Industry Profile
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- 255,400 total civilian workforce and 51,289
jobs (1 in 5) in the agribusiness industry
- Every $1 of products leaving Lancaster's farms boosts our economy
by $5.88; a value over $4 Billion per year
- Over 99% of Lancaster farms are family owned
- Lancaster's farmland & culture is the primary reason that
7 million tourists spend $1.6 billion per year
- Ranked #2 in the U.S. with approximately 58,000 acres of preserved farmland in Lancaster, which represents 18% of Ag-zoned land.
- Between 1994 & 2001: For every 1 acre lost to development,
2 acres have been preserved
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. Farmland collects 34 Million gallons of ground water from rain
. Cows & family use 1 Million gallons of water
Nearly 33 Million gallons of ground water contributed
. The housing development collects at least 1/3 less ground water from rain
. 300 families use over 16 Million gallons of water
26 Million fewer gallons of ground water contributed
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Lancaster |
Total PA |
| Number of farms |
5,293 |
58,200 |
| Average farm size |
78 acres |
132 acres |
| Total acres of farmland |
411,848 |
7.7 Million |
| % of land in farmland |
69% |
27% |
| Value of farmland per acre |
$7,955 |
$3,100 |
| Cash receipts of crops |
$156 Million |
$1.36 Billion |
| Cash receipts of livestock |
$758 Million |
$2.68 Billion |
| Total cash receipts |
$914 Million |
$4.04 Billion |
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- EGGS to 11.9 Million people
- MILK to 10.2 Million people
- CHICKEN to 3.3 Million people
- PORK to 4.6 Million people
- BEEF to 727,000 people
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