at schools do not have enough money build bigger schools. Small businesses are then in competition with the new big corporate businesses and most do not last. The impacts that just one or two farms selling to developers can have on a community can be devastating to the locals.There are some programs in effect to help slow this process down in rural areas. The program discussed next is in effect in Pennsylvania and few other states. See appendix A. Pennsylvania has a program by the name of PDR. PDR stands for purchase of development rights program. This program is set up to preserve farmland and agricultural land. This program was started in1987 and is funded through the state cigarette tax. This money is used then by the state to purchase development rights to farmland. Pennsylvania ignited this program to ensure food production and the preserve open spaces and clean air. This program has helped farmland because it is taking money from the state to buy and help farms ( Kline, 1994).Another factor hurting farmland is reserves. In some states they have been taking farmland and turning into a wildlife reservations (Beck, 1999). This source does not take away much farmland. Though in some states by taking farms and making them wildlife reservation has hurt that area economically. When looking at the environmental issue, the economic impact also has to be accounted for. In most cases wildlife reservations will not have a positive economic impact. This is because there is no way to achieve monetary value for the land and animals that are being saved. In the case of farms though the economic impact could be felt for several years. Not only are you taking away a source of income for that family and area but also now they have to buy food from an outside source. There are those who believe that preserving farmland is hurting the over economy (Kline, 1994). Some economists believe that farmland is being preserved and it should...
