Food insecurity and hunger plagues older population – Advocacy group calls for greater effort to preserve local farmland

It is often hard to imagine that hunger exists in a state with so many abundant resources. The truth is that disparities remain and many people face the absence of basic needs.

The pandemic has impacted seniors in particular, with many experiencing food insecurity.

The Wolf administration is organizing state agencies and area non-profits to offer food assistance to this vulnerable population.

Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf joins Smart Talk Tuesday, along with Caryn Long-Earl, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Assistance and Jennifer Brillhart, President & CEO, York County Food Bank, to share details of the initiative.

Advocacy group urges greater effort to preserve local farmland

Suburban encroachment and a lack of local funding is causing one central Pennsylvania county’s farmland preservation efforts to stall.

The Lancaster Farmland Trust published a report in June calling for increased funding by local governments to preserve farmland. The LFT recommends a goal that would put more than half of all agricultural land in Lancaster County into preservation status by 2040.

A farm in Stevens, Lancaster County. Photo Marie Cusick, for StateImpact Pennsylvania

Appearing on Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss the recommendations in the report are Jeff Swinehart, Chief Operating Officer and Karen Martynick, Executive Director, both with the Lancaster Farmland Trust.