Approp.

P.L. 2024, CHAPTER 30, approved July 10, 2024

Senate, No. 2793

An Act appropriating $1.723 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues and the "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" to the State Agriculture Development Committee for grants to qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes.

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1. a. There is appropriated to the State Agriculture Development Committee the sum of $1,723,000 for the purpose of providing grants to qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations, as listed in subsection b. of this section, for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland or for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee simple titles to farmland for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the committee, as follows:

     (1)   $896,678.23 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund," established pursuant to section 8 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50), made available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated monies; and

     (2)   $826,321.77 from the "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund," established pursuant to section 18 of the "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," P.L.2009, c.117, made available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated monies. 

     b.    The following projects are eligible for funding with the monies appropriated pursuant to subsection a. of this section:

Applicant             Farm                               County           Municipality    Amount of Grant

  (Project)                                                                                                               Not to Exceed

The Land              Luksza Living Trust      Hunterdon       Delaware Twp                  $400,850

  Conservancy      

  of New Jersey

                              Joanne L. Hofstetter       Hunterdon       Union Twp                        $190,850

                                Rev. Trust &

                                David A. Hofstetter

                                Rev. Trust

                              Vosper,                           Sussex             Stillwater Twp                  $534,200

                                Michelle Marie

                              Hubbard, Adam              Sussex             Wantage Twp                   $210,600

                              526 Delaware                  Warren            Blairstown Twp                $386,500

                                Rd., LLC

     2.    The expenditure of the sums appropriated by this act is subject to the provisions and conditions of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), and P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-11 et seq.), as appropriate.

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill would appropriate $1.723 million to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for farmland preservation purposes.  Specifically, the bill would appropriate funds for grants to one qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization for projects for five farms.  The grants provided by the bill are for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland for farmland preservation purposes, or up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee simple titles to farmland for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the SADC.

     Of the total appropriated, $896,678.23 is from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues, pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, approved by the voters of the State in November 2014.  The "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), implements the constitutional dedication of CBT revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation.  The "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" was established pursuant to section 8 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act."

     In addition, of the total appropriated, $826,321.77 is from the "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund," established pursuant to section 18 of the "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," P.L.2009, c.117.  All the funds in the bill are made available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated monies. 

     The allocations and projects listed in this bill have been approved by the SADC and the Garden State Preservation Trust.

     Appropriates $1.723 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" to State Agriculture Development Committee for grants to certain nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes.