This bill empowers counties and specific boards to acquire unpreserved lands within agricultural development areas to bolster agricultural businesses. It permits these entities to sell or lease county-owned lands at reduced prices to agricultural support businesses, which are defined as both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations providing essential services or supplies to the agricultural sector. The bill emphasizes that land acquisitions should occur through purchase, gift, or other means rather than eminent domain, and it establishes agricultural support working groups to provide guidance on these acquisitions.

Additionally, the bill amends existing legal language to clarify definitions and processes related to agricultural development areas and agricultural support businesses. It introduces new definitions for terms such as "agricultural support business," "preserved farmland," and "unpreserved land," and requires boards to create agricultural retention and development programs. Key provisions include the ability for counties to sell or lease unpreserved land to agricultural support businesses at potentially below fair market value, with specific use restrictions to ensure the land is utilized solely for agricultural support purposes. The bill also mandates annual reporting from nonprofit corporations leasing land for public purposes to ensure compliance with tax-exempt status. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance agricultural operations by facilitating the establishment of agricultural support businesses in alignment with the state's agricultural development goals.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4:1C-13, 4:1C-15, 40A:12-14