Committee Meetings

DRAFT Soil Protection Standards:

• October 28, 2021 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• April 19, 2021 (Draft Soil Protection Standards - Informal Request for Comments)
• February 25, 2021 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• January 28, 2021 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• October 22, 2020 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• February 27, 2020 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• January 23, 2020 (PowerPoint Presentation)
• June, July, and September 2019 (PowerPoint Presentation)

Right to Farm Act Amendment  P.L.2020, c.154. - housing of equine-related farm employees in facilities with horses under certain conditions as "Right to Farm" permissible activity (PDF)

The SADC is offering cost-sharing grants for farmers to assist with installing deer fencing on permanently preserved farms to protect against crop losses. See the SADC Deer Fencing Grants page for more information, including how to apply.

The SADC has 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 to the SADC for a special permit to conduct a rural microenterprise (RME) on a preserved farm within certain parameters. The law also promotes and incentivizes the preservation of historic and culturally significant agricultural structures. An RME is a small-scale business or activity that is fully compatible with agricultural use and production on the preserved premises, does not detract from, diminish, or interfere with the agricultural use of the premises, and is incidental to the agricultural use of the premises. One of the qualifying criteria is that the farm must have been been preserved prior to January 12, 2006, without an exception area.

• 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/hottopics/njoal;
  • 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.
• Commercial Nonag Use Law and Rules vs. Rural Microenterprise Act (A2839) as Enacted

Recently, there has been significant interest among certain private utility companies, predominantly those related to developing natural gas pipelines and electrical transmission systems, to cross over preserved farmland for the purposes of upgrading or expanding utility system capacity. The SADC has developed the following publications to help preserved farmland owners understand the SADC's procedures for condemnation of preserved farmland and to address frequently asked questions regarding natural gas pipeline projects on preserved farms. 

Landowner Guide to SADC Procedures for the Condemnation of Preserved Farmland (July 2015)

Natural Gas Pipeline Projects on NJ Preserved Farmland: Frequently Asked Questions (December 2015)

"Evaluating Farmland Preservation in New Jersey," an overview of recent New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) research, was presented to the SADC at its June 25, 2015 meeting.

Powerpoint presentation

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 to install energy generation facilities, structures or equipment on a preserved farm. (This application is only for projects that meet the following criteria: They will be installed on existing buildings or other existing structures, are designed to meet the energy needs of the farm and will not exceed 2 megawatts of power.)

Right to Farm Protection: The SADC has adopted an agricultural management practice (AMP) that sets forth the standards commercial farms must meet to be eligible for right-to-farm protection for solar energy generation facilities.  

Governor Christie in August 2013 signed into law P.L. 2013, C. 106, which amends the Municipal Land Use Law to provide municipalities with enhanced provisions for the use of contiguous and non-contiguous clustering and lot-size averaging for open space, farmland and historic preservation. (See also New Jersey Future Summary of Key Provisions.) The SADC in September 2016 adopted a model agricultural deed restriction template for municipalities seeking to preserve farmland through contiguous and noncontiguous clustering.

On-Farm Solar Energy Generation (7.93MB), 11/05/10, American Planning Association-NJ

Philadelphia Inquirer Article on 250,000 Acres Milestone and Farmland Preservation Program