(TRENTON) – New Jersey Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Joe Atchison III announced today the Department is now accepting applications for cost-share grants for the installation of wildlife fencing on preserved and unpreserved farms. The wildlife fencing program is an updated version of the deer fencing program that was announced in the spring of 2023.

Preserved and unpreserved farm owners, operators, or tenants in New Jersey may receive up to 50 percent matching funds ($50,000 maximum) if their application is approved. Grants for the unpreserved farms will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are expended.

“The expanded version of this program makes more funds available to those who may need fencing to protect valuable crops that are susceptible to damage from deer, bears, and other wildlife,” Assistant Secretary Atchison said. “We encourage farmers to take advantage of this opportunity by applying for this grant.”

This program is possible because of legislation (P.L. 2023, c. 233) signed into law on January 8, 2024.
This law enhances the separate NJDA and State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) wildlife fencing programs.

Applicants for unpreserved property who lease or operate but do not own the farmland described in their application must receive authorization from the landowner. Applicants must review a copy of the Standard Agreement before applying. Applicants will also need a NJSTART vendor ID. The applications forms and information are available at https://bit.ly/3SZvaJJ.

Farms enrolled in a ‘permanent farmland preservation program’, as defined in the SADC policy P-53, are eligible for the SADC program. The law clarifies that all other farms may apply to the NJDA program.

More information for farms enrolled in the SADC farmland preservation program is available at https://bit.ly/453c4Xa.

More information about other NJDA grants is available at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/grants/.

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