TRENTON – In an effort to strengthen New Jersey’s agricultural future and protect open spaces, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner and Michael Testa that would appropriate $34 million in constitutionally dedicated funds for farmland preservation across the state.

The bill, S-4524, would appropriate the funds to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) to provide planning incentive grants to counties covering up to 80 percent of the cost of acquiring development easements on farmland, effectively keeping land in active agricultural use.

“Preserving farmland is essential to protecting a core part of New Jersey’s heritage and the heart of many of our communities,” said Senator Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon). “Over the years, we’ve seen too much of it paved over for warehouses, housing, and commercial development. Protecting our farmland is key to preserving the character of the Garden State and ensuring a strong agricultural future for generations to come.”

The bill would also appropriate funds from the General Fund already constitutionally dedicated to the Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund enabling the SADC to carry out the farmland preservation grants outlined in the legislation. These grants would help counties leverage local resources and accelerate preservation efforts on prime agricultural land.

Under the bill, five counties—Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Monmouth, and Somerset—would each receive a base grant ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. These counties, along with 10 others, would also be eligible to compete for additional funds through a statewide competitive grant program, with awards of up to $7.5 million per county.