Farmland Preservation Program
The Farmland Preservation Program coordinates agricultural land preservation efforts in the County and supports agricultural economic development initiatives. Staff amends and updates the Monmouth County Farmland Preservation Plan (2022) and related County Planning Incentive Grant application, and provides assistance to municipalities in drafting the Farmland Preservation elements of their Master Plans and preparing Municipal Planning Incentive Grant applications. These efforts proceed from the initial planning stages through the purchase of agricultural easements to the monitoring and stewardship of the preserved farms. The program also handles Right to Farm matters.
The Monmouth County Agriculture Development Board (MCADB) is the appointed arm of the Farmland Preservation Program, governing agricultural preservation activities in the county, issuing decisions in right to farm cases, and making determinations about deed of easement compliance.
The Farmland Preservation Program and MCADB help maintain the viability of agriculture in the region by buying agricultural easements from interested landowners. The process retires the development rights to farms and ensures that the land remains devoted to agricultural use. The County works in partnership with the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), local municipalities, nonprofits, and other government agencies.
Another important role of the Farmland Preservation Program is to support a farmer’s right to farm, resolving conflicts between commercial farmers and neighbors, or granting relief from certain municipal land use regulations.
Click the following links for a
map and
listing of all preserved farms to date.
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For more information about land preservation, easement stewardship, and right to farm call 732-431-7460.
Page Last Updated: 8/4/2023 1:57:00 PM