Increases allowable amount of farmland preservation grants to nonprofit organizations.

A5139

ASSEMBLY, No. 5139

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

Assemblywoman� ANDREA KATZ

District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Increases allowable amount of farmland preservation
grants to nonprofit organizations.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning certain grants for farmland
preservation projects and amending P.L.1999, c.152.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 37 of P.L.1999,
c.152 (C.13:8C-37) is amended to read as follows:

���� 37.� a.� Moneys appropriated
from the Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to the State Agriculture
Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes shall be used by the
committee to:

���� (1)� Provide grants to local
government units to pay up to 80 percent of the cost of acquisition of
development easements on farmland, and to qualifying tax exempt nonprofit
organizations to pay up to
[
50
]

80

percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland as
provided in section 39 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-39), or to provide grants to
local government units or qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations to pay
up to 80 percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on
woodlands, as provided in section 1 of P.L.2025, c.287, provided that any funds
received for the transfer of a development easement shall be dedicated to the
future purchase of development easements on farmland and the State's pro rata
share of any such funds shall be deposited in the Garden State Farmland
Preservation Trust Fund to be used for the purposes of that fund and provided
that the terms of any such development easement to be acquired by a qualifying
tax exempt nonprofit organization shall be approved by the committee;

���� (2)� Provide grants to local
government units to pay up to 80 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee
simple titles to farmland from willing sellers only, and to qualifying tax
exempt nonprofit organizations to pay up to
[
50
]

80

percent of the cost of acquisition of fee simple titles to farmland from
willing sellers only as provided in section 39 of this act, which shall be
offered for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions, as determined
by the committee, and any proceeds received from a resale shall be dedicated
for farmland preservation purposes and the State's pro rata share of any such
proceeds shall be deposited in the Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust
Fund to be used for the purposes of that fund;

���� (3)� Pay the cost of
acquisition by the State of development easements on farmland, or on woodlands,
as provided in section 1 of P.L.2025, c.287, provided that any funds received
for the transfer of a development easement shall be deposited in the Garden
State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to be used for the purposes of that
fund; and

���� (4)� Pay the cost of
acquisition by the State of fee simple titles to farmland from willing sellers
only, which shall be offered for resale or lease with agricultural deed
restrictions, as determined by the committee, and any proceeds received from a
resale or lease shall be deposited in the Garden State Farmland Preservation
Trust Fund to be used for the purposes of that fund.

���� b.��� Moneys appropriated from
the fund may be used to match grants, contributions, donations, or
reimbursements from federal aid programs or from other public or private
sources established for the same or similar purposes as the fund.

(cf:� P.L.2025, c.287, s.3)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill increases the amount
of a cost share grant paid by the State Agriculture Development Committee
(SADC) to a nonprofit organization for the acquisition of a development
easement on farmland or fee simple title on farmland, from 50 percent to 80 percent.
�Under current law, the SADC pays up to 80 percent of the cost of development
easement acquisition or fee simple title, on farmland, by local government
units, but only pays 50 percent of these acquisitions to non-profits. �This
bill would establish the same rate of 80 percent for all cost-share grants. �Farmland
acquired pursuant to a fee simple title would be resold or leased with an
agricultural deed restriction, as determined by the SADC.