Appropriates $64,787,327 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and other farmland preservation funds to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes.

S4425 1R

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4425

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 4, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Senator� PARKER SPACE

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Wimberly, Testa, Steinhardt, Henry and Tiver

SYNOPSIS

���� Appropriates $64,787,327 from constitutionally
dedicated CBT revenues and other farmland preservation funds to State
Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy
Committee on June 8, 2026, with amendments.

��

An Act
appropriating $64,787,327 from various farmland
preservation funds to the State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland
preservation purposes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� There is
appropriated to the State Agriculture Development Committee the sum of
$
56,631,727
in the following subtotal amounts, listed in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this
subsection, to pay the cost of acquisition by the committee of development
easements on, or fee simple titles to, farmland, to provide grants to counties
and municipalities for up to 80 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee
simple titles to farmland, to provide grants to qualifying tax-exempt
non-profit organizations for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee
simple titles to farmland, for farmland preservation purposes for projects
approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to the �Agricultural Retention
and Development Act,� P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-11 et seq.), the �Green Acres,
Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995,� P.L.1995,
c.204, the �Garden State Preservation Trust Act,� P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et
seq.), the �Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond
Act of 2007,� P.L.2007, c.119, the �Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain
Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009,� P.L.2009,
c.117, and the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.):

���� (1) $46,717,185

from
dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section
II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution from the �Preserve New Jersey
Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 8 of the �Preserve
New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50), $1,961,817 of this amount made
available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated monies;

���� (2) $9,240,552 from the �2009
Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 18 of the �Green
Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic
Preservation Bond Act of 2009,� P.L.2009, c.117, made available due to the
reallocation of previously appropriated monies; and

���� (3) $673,990 from the �Garden
State Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 20 of
P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-20), made available due to the reallocation of
previously appropriated monies.

���� b.� Any farmland acquired in
fee simple with monies appropriated pursuant to this section shall be offered
for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the
committee.

���� 2.��� There is appropriated
from the �Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant
to section 8 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50),
from the �2009 Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 18
of the �Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and
Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009,� P.L.2009, c.117, from the �2007
Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 18 of the �Green
Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007,�
P.L.2007, c.119, from the �Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund,�
established pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-20), from the
�1999 Open Space Fund,� established pursuant to the �Open Space � Local Match
Program of the Fiscal Year 1999 annual appropriations act,� P.L.1998, c.45,
from the �1995 Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 25
of the �Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act
of 1995,� P.L.1995, c.204, from the �1992 Farmland Preservation Fund,�
established pursuant to section 24 of the �Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland
and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992,� P.L.1992, c.88, from the �1989
Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 22 of the �Open
Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989,� P.L.1989, c.183, and from the �Farmland
Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to section 5 of the �Farmland
Preservation Bond Act of 1981,� P.L.1981, c.276, to the State Agriculture
Development Committee, such sums from any additional proceeds which may become
available by the effective date of this act due to the lease or conveyance of
land or development easements acquired or funded by the committee, for the
purpose of providing for the cost of acquisition, by the committee, of
development easements and fee simple titles to farmland for farmland
preservation purposes pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of this act.�

���� Any farmland acquired in fee
simple with monies appropriated pursuant to this section shall be offered for
resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the committee.

���� 3.��� There is appropriated to
the State Agriculture Development Committee the sum of $2,655,600 from the
�Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to
section 8 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50),

for
the purpose of providing grants for stewardship activities as defined pursuant
to section 3 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-45), including but not limited to, soil
and water conservation project activities approved pursuant to section 17 of
P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-24) and deer-fencing activities approved pursuant to
section 5 of P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-5).

���� 4.��� There is appropriated to
the State Agriculture Development Committee the sum of $5,500,000 from the
�Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,� established pursuant to
section 8 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50), as
follows:

���� a.� $2,000,000 for the purpose
of providing funding for costs associated with the acquisition of development
easements on farmland by the committee, including, but not limited to,
appraisal, survey, and title costs;

���� b.� $500,000 for the purpose
of providing funding for costs associated with legal advice and representation
in connection with the committee�s enforcement of development easements
acquired for farmland preservation purposes pursuant to P.L.2016, c.12
(C.13:8C-43 et seq.); and

���� c.� $3,000,000 for the purpose
of reimbursing local government units and nonprofit organizations for
1
the
cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland and
1
administrative
expenses, as defined by section 37 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-37), associated
with the acquisition of development easements and fee simple titles on
farmland.

���� 5.��� There is appropriated
from the General Fund to the �Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund,�
established pursuant to section 8 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016,
c.12 (C.13:8C-50), the sum of $54,872,785 to implement the provisions of this
act.

���� 6.��� The expenditure of the
sums approved by this act is subject to the provisions and conditions of
P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119,
P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), P.L.1998, c.45, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992,
c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-11 et seq.), and P.L.1981, c.276,
as appropriate.

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