UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- There may be a link between natural gas development and a drop in dairy production in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale region, but the exact reasons for the decline are unclear.

According to researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, anecdotal evidence has suggested that natural gas development is benefiting many Pennsylvania farmers, with money from gas leases and royalties allowing producers to pay off debt, invest in new equipment and remain active in a business often characterized by razor-thin profit margins.

Still other reports have indicated that some farmers are using gas-related income to make major changes to their operations or to leave agriculture altogether.

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