Over 100 people gathered on Sunday, January 9, in support of Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines. The supporters, including the township supervisors of three separate townships, hope the weekend rally will encourage the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board to include Ryerss in their agricultural land easement program, which preserves rapidly disappearing agricultural land by allotting money to counties each year to buy development rights. Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines is a non-profit organization, which for over 100 years has provided a place of peaceful retirement for aged and abused equines. At present, the farm is located on 371 acres of lush farmland in southeastern Pennsylvania, about 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

“We have been operating for the past six or seven years or longer at a deficit,” Joseph Donahue, President of Ryerss Farm told those attending the rally. “Because of the severe drought we experienced in the summer of 1999, we were unable to grow enough hay for the horses and have had to purchase it elsewhere. We were also unable to generate much income from the sale of our corn and wheat, which were also damaged by the drought,” he added.

For the last six years, Ryerss has tried to ease its financial difficulties by applying for acceptance into the easement program. If the farm is included this year, the program will purchase the future development rights to the property-a sale that could mean over $1 million in revenue for Ryerss.

Ryerss would still retain ownership of the property, but would agree not to develop it