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York County grants 99 year lease to Horn Farm Center

YORK COUNTY, Pa. – The York County Board of Commissioners in a show of its strong support for family farms and local food production on Wednesday granted...
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 YORK COUNTY, Pa. – The York County Board of Commissioners in a show of its strong support for family farms and local food production on Wednesday granted a 99-year lease to the Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education, as well as voted to place a conservation easement on the property with Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County (FNLT).

The County in 2007 began leasing the Horn Farm along Route 30 in Hellam Township to the then-new 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To protect taxpayers, the initial 30-year agreement allowed the County with two years’ notice to reassume control over much of the farm for any reason.

The Commissioners on Wednesday recognized the Horn Farm Center’s success and importance of its mission to the community by amending the original lease with a new, 99-year term extending through 2115. Under the revised, more traditional terms, the County only would be able to reassume control over the farm for specific reasons, such as if the Center ceased operations.

In addition, the County Commissioners voted to place the entire 186-acre Horn Farm tract under perpetual conservation easement with FNLT, limiting future development and preserving the open space nature of the property.

Sean Kenny, Executive Director of FNLT states, “the Horn Farm sits in close proximity to one of our first and largest conservation easements, thus its preservation weaves together a mass of some of the finest agricultural soils in the country.  As these landscapes are situated along Route 30, the combined preservation will forever be a showcase of York County’s rich agricultural heritage.”

The York County Economic Alliance has worked closely with the Horn Farm Center in this effort as these approvals directly support and further the goals and action steps of the York County Economic Development Plan. Both the conservation easement approval and 99 year lease will help to strengthen and grow the Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education well into the future.

The York County Economic Alliance is the place to start for companies seeking a competitive edge. As York County’s official chamber and economic development organization, it is the resource center that connects businesses to specialized funding, business services, advocacy programs and events that will help their business thrive.

The mission of the York County Economic Alliance is to lead economic growth, connect local businesses to resources and each other and advocate for business and the community to create a prosperous York County.

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