This bill establishes a program within the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) aimed at acquiring development easements on privately-owned woodlands to promote the preservation of lands for agricultural, silvicultural, and horticultural use while protecting the state's forested areas. To qualify, woodlands must be at least 20 acres, dedicated to agricultural production or the sale of tree products, and managed according to an approved forest stewardship plan. The bill outlines the appraisal process for these easements and allows the SADC to utilize dedicated tax revenues and other funds for their acquisition.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing legislation to clarify definitions and funding mechanisms related to the acquisition of development easements. It specifies that funds from the Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund can be used to provide grants to local government units and qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit organizations for acquiring development easements on both farmland and woodlands. The bill mandates coordination with federal and state agencies to secure additional funding and requires the SADC to adopt rules and regulations for the program's implementation within one year of the bill's effective date. Additionally, it allows for grants covering up to 80 percent of the costs associated with acquiring development easements and includes provisions for acquiring fee simple titles to farmland, ensuring that funds generated from these transactions support the Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13:8C-3, 13:8C-37