New Jersey Farmland Preservation Seeking New Applications for State Acquisition Program

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher recently announced that the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Program is accepting new applications for farm owners wishing to permanently preserve their land. The State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), the agency that administers the program, is accepting new applications through its State Acquisition Program in which landowners coordinate directly with the SADC office to preserve their farms.

If you are interested in exploring preservation, the SADC acquisition regional coordinators are ready to help.

  • Stefanie Miller (covers Hunterdon county) stefanie.miller@ag.nj.gov
  • Amy Mandelbaum (covers Atlantic, Cape May, Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Camden, Gloucester counties) amy.mandelbaum@ag.nj.gov
  • Katie Mazzella (covers Salem, Cumberland counties) katie.mazzella@ag.nj.gov
  • Rachel DeFlumeri (covers Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Warren counties) rachel.deflumeri@ag.nj.gov.

You may also call the SADC’s main number at 609-984-2504 or visit the SADC’s website at www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/farmpreserve/.

 

Click to access 2021.6.21SADCAnnouncesSeekingDirectEasementApplicationsFINAL.pdf

 

Agrivoltaics – Combining Solar Power & Farming in NJ — CORRECTED LINK

THE REGISTRATION LINK IN THIS POST HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

Farming under solar panels = “Agrivoltaics”.

On Wednesday, March 24th 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Rutgers NJAES will host a webinar on “Agrivoltaics” to explore farming the ground under solar panels (photovoltaics), what’s possible and what’s not in NJ.

Please register in advance for this meeting (no cost) at:

https://rutgers.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUucuurrzkpHNGZTA7os7FizQOsd8Pv23Pu

Agrivoltaics (also called dual use solar on farmland) offers the potential to both create renewable energy and sustain the productivity and profitability of precious farmland. Properly designed agrivoltaic systems have the potential to be built in such a way that the photovoltaic panels allow for farm equipment operation and minimal impact on crop productivity.

This webinar will explore examples of Agrivoltaic systems from other parts of the world and detail the work that has been done by the UMass Clean Energy Extension Program.  Participants will be able to interact with the NJAES Photovoltaic Committee and the Director of UMass Clean Energy Extension Program.