CLEAN AND GREEN

CLEAN AND GREEN
What is it?
The Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act, better known as the Clean and Green Act, is a state law that allows land tracts that are devoted to agricultural production or reserved for open space or forest growth to receive relief from real property taxes to encourage landowners to retain their land in agricultural, open space or forest land use.
To be eligible for Clean and Green assessment, the land must meet these minimum requirements:
Agricultural use lands, including abutting wood lots, must have been devoted to agriculture during the previous three years, and must be a minimum of 10 contiguous acres or have an anticipated annual income from agriculture production of at least $2,000.
Agricultural reserve lands are open space lands. It must also be 10 contiguous acres and be open to the public for outdoor recreation and enjoyment. The owner cannot charge for public access to the property.
Forest reserve lands are lands capable of producing timber. Parcels also must be at least 10 acres and be capable of producing at least 25 cubic feet per acre of timber per year.
Anyone in the Clean and Green program who decides to convert their land from agriculture to residential or commercial development must pay the back taxes at the nonagricultural rate for up to the last seven years the property was on the program.
For more information on Clean and Green, call the Penn State Extension office in Lawrence County, (724) 654-8370.
Source: The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau