Choosing the Future of our Land & Farms
CCFT Annual Meeting, Nov. 19, 2026, 5-7 p.m.
Harvest Fields, 150 Harvest Fields Drive, Boalsburg
Is your township — and its open land, woodland and farmland — vulnerable to a data center or suburban sprawl?
Even before data centers loomed as a possibility, the American Farmland Trust projected Centre County could lose more than 20,000 acres of farmland by 2040 due to land use policies that allow development that becomes “runaway sprawl.”
But efficient land use can cut that loss by half, to 9,300 acres, predicts American Farmland Trust. In 2020, the organization released a report “Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future” and geospatial modeling to call attention to land use policies threatening farmland in America.
AFT warns that unless America changes course, we’ll continue to lose our most productive farmland to poorly planned development, threatening food security, the environment and rural communities.
What about Centre County? Are we on the path to “Choosing an Abundant Future”? Or — are we on our way to runaway sprawl, warehouses and data centers that will pave over our farmland?
Speakers from land conservation and local planning organizations will dig into these questions at the Centre County Farmland Trust Annual Meeting, Nov. 19, 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvest Fields, 150 Harvest Fields Drive, Boalsburg.
Members of the Centre County Farmland Trust receive first-priority seating. Members: Please register for this event by Oct. 2. Seating will be opened to the public on Oct. 3.
Andrew Szwak, the Mid-Atlantic Senior Program Manager for the Land Trust Alliance, will present an overview of “Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future,” the American Farmland Trust report.
Szwak is also familiar with the conservation efforts in Centre County and will lead a panel about how the land use policies among municipalities are balancing growth with land conservation, the strengths and weaknesses in land use policy among our townships — and what citizens who wish to protect land and rural heritage and character can do.
This program follows a brief annual business meeting, scheduled for fewer than 10 minutes, at which members of the Centre County Farmland Trust will vote on election of officers.
Confirmed panelists:
Land Trust Alliance
Andrew Szwak, Mid-Atlantic Program Manager, Land Trust Alliance
Andrew Szwak manages Mid-Atlantic programming at the Land Trust Alliance. His 25 years in conservation spans the eastern U.S. He has supported land trusts as a funder (Georgia), planning consultant (New Jersey) and government relations lead (Illinois). Andrew is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame as well as a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.
Jenna Wargo, Principal Land Use Planner, Centre Region Council of Governments
Trained both as a graphic designer and urban planner, Jenna brings an artistic sensibility to the physical, social, and environmental aspects of my projects. Her passion for economic development and redevelopment—moving jobs closer, enabling vibrant, mixed use communities, and restoring the historic fabric of places — drives her. Jenna wants to build healthy economies in order to have healthy communities.
Elizabeth Crisfield, Executive Director, ClearWater Conservancy
Elizabeth joined ClearWater in the spring of 2024 as the Executive Director. As leader of ClearWater Conservancy, Elizabeth works with the staff, the board, and the community to protect and conserve natural resources and habitats.
Elizabeth holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from James Madison University, a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Georgia, and a doctorate in biogeography from the Pennsylvania State University.
Elizabeth’s work experience includes hydrologic modeling, water rights negotiation, public high school education, and wildlife conservation planning for state fish and wildlife agencies.
Kimberly Smith, Planning & Zoning Director,
Ferguson Township
Kimberly Smith, AICP is the Director of Planning and Zoning for the Township of Ferguson, Pennsylvania. She came to the Township to fill this role near the end of 2024, bringing with her 30 years of experience in the Planning profession. In this role, she oversees and guides planning, zoning and code enforcement activities, including land development plans, farmland preservation, small area plan implementation, and newly serves on the Centre County Housing Land Trust Board. The department also focuses on regional collaborations including the comprehensive plan update, code administration, transportation and environmental concerns.
Her previous work included various planning roles for three company and university communities in central Illinois, serving as a Senior Urban Planner, Assistant Director and Director, managing development approvals, current and long-range plans; and overseeing planning and zoning, economic development, code enforcement, and building safety divisions. These communities entailed strong growth management policies that encouraged denser core and infill development, with concurrent respect for surrounding farmland. Her favorite projects include revitalization of a 400-acre 19th Century Warehouse District and implementation of a form-based code that recognized various transects of the community.
She holds a Bachelors and Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning, and a Master of Business Administration. Her certifications include the American Institute of Certified Planners, and Historic Real Estate Development Finance Professional.