The Farmland Preservation Program includes several post-preservation activities and opportunities. Preserved farms are eligible for SADC stewardship grants, such as Soil and Water Conservation grants and Deer Fencing grants, and farm owners may request a "Preserved Farmland: Private Land, Public Legacy" sign for their farm. The SADC also administers all post-closing requests, such as for divisions of premises, residential construction or replacement, construction of agricultural labor units, exercising of residual dwelling site opportunities (RDSOs), and special permits for rural microenterprises and personal wireless service facilities, as well administers easement violation resolution. Once a farm is preserved, annual monitoring also is required to ensure compliance with the farmland preservation deed of easement. The SADC conducts annual monitoring of farms preserved through the state acquisition program and coordinates county monitoring efforts and submission of reports.
- Soil & Water Grants
- Wildlife Fencing Grants
- Order a Sign for Your Preserved Farm
- Division of the Premises
- Exercise of an RDSO
- Rural Microenterprise on Preserved Farmland
- Deed of Easement Interpretation
- Energy Generation on Preserved Farms
- Special Occasion Events on Preserved Farmland
- Annual Monitoring of Preserved Farms
Soil & Water Grants
The SADC provides grants to help fund up to 50 percent of the costs of approved soil and water conservation projects on farms enrolled in permanent or term farmland preservation programs.
Landowners apply to their local Soil Conservation Districts, which assists in developing a farm conservation plan and ensure projects are necessary and feasible. Applications are forwarded to the N.J. State Soil Conservation Committee, which recommends projects to the SADC for funding approval.
Soil and Water Conservation Grants - Fact Sheet
Program Policy P-48
Wildlife Fencing Grants
The SADC provides cost-sharing grants for the installation of wildlife fencing (high-tensile woven wire deer fencing, electric bear fencing, or other wildlife fencing) on permanently preserved farms to protect against crop losses. Applicants can receive a grant for up to 50 percent of the costs of materials and installation, not to exceed a total of $50,000. Eligible applicants may apply at any time, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Wildlife Fencing Grants
- NJDA/SADC Announcement Regarding Program Enhancements - Scope, Grant Amounts, and Eligibility Expanded - February 6, 2024
- Fact Sheet - Overview
- Program Policy P-53 (Effective 1/25/24)
- SADC Deer Fencing Installation Training (YouTube video - Installation demonstration starts at 1:02:20)
- Fact Sheet - Regarding new program updates based on P.L.2023, c.233
- P.L.2023, c.233 - Law enacted January 8, 2024 that updated the fencing grant program
- Application form (Effective 11/27/24)
- Landowner approval form - Note: If the applicant is not the owner of the land to be fenced, the applicant must submit (with their application) written approval from the owner to install the fencing. Applicants may use this form for that purpose.
Order a Sign for Your Preserved Farm
Sign request form
Division of the Premises
A landowner who wishes to subdivide a permanently preserved farm may apply to the county agriculture development board for a division of the premises. The division must meet criteria in the SADC's policy, including that the resulting parcels are agriculturally viable. The request must be approved by both the county agriculture development board and the SADC.
Division of Premises -- Policy
Division of Premises -- Fact Sheet
Division of Premises -- Application (PDF or Word)
Exercise of an RDSO
Some farms are preserved with a Residual Dwelling Site Opportunity (RDSO) to provide for the limited future construction of a residential unit(s) for agricultural purposes. An owner of a preserved farm that provides for an RDSO in the deed of easement must apply to the county agriculture development board to exercise that RDSO (i.e., construct the residential unit). Exercise of an RDSO requires both county agriculture development board and SADC approval.
Exercise a Residual Dwelling Site Opportunity (RDSO) -- Policy
Exercise a Residual Dwelling Site Opportunity (RDSO) -- Application (PDF or Word )
Rural Microenterprise on Preserved Farmland
The SADC adopted new and amended rules to implement legislation (P.L. 2015, c. 275) that allows a farmer who owns a qualifying preserved farm to apply for a special permit to conduct a rural microenterprise on a preserved farm within certain parameters. The law also promotes and incentivizes the preservation of historic and culturally significant agricultural structures.
Press Release (6/4/18)
Memo to Agricultural Community (9/26/18)
Rural Microenterprise Act
Fact Sheet
Application for a Special Permit for a Rural Microenterprise Activity on Preserved Farmland
Rules: The full text of the Rural Microenterprise rules is available via LexisNexis:
Visit http://www.lexisnexis.com/populartopics/njcode;
Click "I Agree";
Click the plus sign next to Title 2.Agriculture; (if Titles are not displayed, first click "NJ Administrative Code" under Links box at upper right).
Click the plus sign next to Chapter 76.State Agriculture Development Committee;
Click the plus signs next to Subchapter 22 and 22A for the Rural Microenterprise rules.
Deed of Easement Interpretation
The SADC in December 2008 appointed a subcommittee to examine various provisions of the farmland preservation Deed of Easement to determine where clarification may be needed to ensure consistent interpretation and related decision-making by the SADC and its preservation partners. Click here for more information on Deed of Easement interpretation.
Energy Generation on Preserved Farms
P.L. 2009, c. 213, which affects the ability of farmers and other landowners to install solar, wind or biomass energy generation systems on farms, was signed into law in January 2010. The law identifies allowable limits and criteria for these activities on preserved farms, and for qualifying for farmland assessment and right-to-farm protection on both preserved and non-preserved farms.
Application for Solar Energy Generation Facilities on Preserved Farmland (for both rooftop and ground-mounted systems)
Unofficial copy of rules for Solar Energy Generation on Preserved Farms
Special Occasion Events on Preserved Farmland
P.L. 2023, c.9 became law on February 3, 2023. The law recognizes the positive effects that holding special occasion events (SOEs) on preserved farms can have, under certain conditions.
See the documents below for more information on SOEs, including what an SOE is, who may apply to hold SOEs, how many SOEs may be held, where they can be held, and the roles of easement holders (counties, nonprofits, and the SADC) and municipalities. Also see a below for a copy of the initial report submitted to the Governor and Legislature in July 2024.
- Guidance Document - Overview
- Guidance Document - Q&A
- Outreach Presentation (PDF)
- Outreach Presentation (Previously Recorded Video - 4/10/23) (see also below)
- SOE law - P.L. 2023, c.9
- Sample Application Form
- Production Value Estimator Spreadsheet Tool
- Special Occasion Events on Preserved Farmland: Initial Report Submitted to the Legislature - July 25, 2024
SOE Outreach Presentation (Previously Recorded Video - 4/10/23)
Annual Monitoring of Preserved Farms
Monitoring Report E-form
- Notes:
- The Monitoring E-form works best when you save it on your computer and then open it with Adobe Reader.
- To save a blank copy of the E-Form to your computer, do the following:
- Right-click the Monitoring Report E-form link.
- Select "Save link as..."
- Save the PDF file to your computer.
- To open the E-form with Adobe Reader, do the following:
- Right-click the file.
- Select "Open with Adobe Acrobat".
- After you open the E-form, if you get a pop-up when you click the Pre-Fill button, try the following:
- Select Options/"Trust this document one time only".
- Click "No" (when asked "Do you want to save the changes").
- Enter the ID# and PIN, and then click the Pre-Fill button.
- To save a blank copy of the E-Form to your computer, do the following:
- You also can open the Monitoring Report E-Form directly in Edge (in an Edge internet browser window) if you first update the settings to allow Edge to open sites (such as the E-Form) in Internet Explorer mode. Note: Here are instructions for how to update the settings in Edge.
- The Monitoring E-form works best when you save it on your computer and then open it with Adobe Reader.