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AGRICULTURE & LAND PRESERVATION

The Robert R. Anderson Family Fund is a substantial source of charitable support for the field of agriculture and land preservation in York County.

Dr. Isabel Anderson's love of York County and its farms grew from the time she spent during her childhood in her family home in Lower Chanceford Township. Later in her lifetime as a professor at Temple University, she returned regularly to her beloved home and watched the decline of farming and farmland in York County.

When Dr. Anderson died, she left a handwritten will empowering her second cousin to develop a plan to provide for agricultural scholarships and agricultural advancement in York County. As Dr. Anderson wished, her Fund at the Community Foundation was named to memorialize her father, Robert R. Anderson.

The charitable fund was created to:

• Provide at least 35% of the annual spendable income provides for educational opportunities for students from grade school through high school, college, and advanced graduate or technical study.
• Further the preservation of some of York County's most precious assets, the beautiful land in York County that Dr. Anderson loved so much, and the farming way of life.

In 2006, 2007 and 2008, York County Community Foundation will award seed-grants for projects that positively advance the goals of the Anderson Fund. The Community Foundation intends on awarding multiple grants totaling $6,000 each year in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Ag Seed-Grant applications are due September 15th for the fall grant cycle.

GOALS. In keeping with the Executive Summary of "The Future of Agriculture in York County" sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension and the York County Agriculture Business Council, the Agriculture & Land Preservation Grants Program will support programs and projects that: Promote the education of York County's non-farmers about agriculture Promote the education of York County's farmers about Opportunities available to them Promote farm community cohesiveness Reduce risks to the profitability of York County farmers Create markets for farm supplies and agricultural products in York County Create farm succession and planning to maintain York County farms and farmland.