Title: Why Preserve Farmland? : ConservationTools
Headings: Why Preserve Farmland?
Why Preserve Farmland?
Introduction
Farmland Preservation Anchors the Farm Economy
Protects Our National Security
Supports Our Economy
Creates Jobs
Keeps Money in Local Communities
Provides Tax Revenue; Requires Little Government Service
Supports Agritourism
Delivers Ecosystem Goods and Services
Sustains a Tradition
Farmland Preservation Tools

Content: any of these disruptive events could drastically affect food supplies and prices. [ 5] When basic sustenance and nutrition rely upon a system prone to uncertainty and instability, food security becomes a concern. The global population is projected to rise from today’s 7.5 billion to 10 billion by 2050; for every three people that need to be fed today, one more will need to be fed in the not-too-distant future. [ 6] Considering increasingly erratic weather patterns, political and economic upheavals, and evermore mouths to feed across the planet, prudent planning for the future would prioritize locally-grown food that is insulated from global trends and crises. [ 7]
If the United States retains its best farm soils—if it refrains from building over its most productive farm lands, if it keeps sufficient capacity to feed its growing population—the possibility diminishes of shortages, conflicts, and crises that could result in untold human tragedy. This logic extends to the state and local level: if regions within America can develop their own robust agricultural systems, they are less likely to be damaged by turmoil elsewhere. National security requires fertile farmland—lots of it. Farmland preservation helps ensure this is possible
Supports Our Economy
The economic impact of agriculture on Pennsylvania and the nation is enormous.