New Jersey A 4367: Revises certain requirements concerning grants to fund soil and water conservation projects on preserved farms.

Bill Text

A4367 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4367 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Revises certain requirements concerning grants to 
fund soil and water conservation projects on preserved farms. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning certain soil and water conservation projects 
and amending P.L.1983, c.32.

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

���� 1.��� Section 17 of P.L.1983, 
c.32 (C.4:1C-24) is amended to read as follows:

���� 17.� a. (1) Landowners within 
a municipally approved program or other farmland preservation program shall 
enter into an agreement with the board, and the municipal governing body, if 
appropriate, to retain the land in agricultural production for a minimum period 
of eight years.� 

���� (2) Any landowner whose land 
is within a municipally approved program or other farmland preservation program 
or any landowner whose land qualifies for differential property tax assessment 
pursuant to the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964," P.L.1964, c.48 
(C.54:4-23.1 et seq.), and which is included in an agricultural development 
area, may enter into an agreement to convey a development easement on the land 
to the board. The development easement may be permanent or for a term of 20 
years.� 

���� (3) Any agreement entered into 
pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall constitute a restrictive 
covenant and shall be filed with the municipal tax assessor and recorded with 
the county clerk in the same manner as a deed.� Any development easement 
conveyed pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be filed with the 
municipal tax assessor and recorded with the county clerk in the same manner as 
a deed.� The recording of any such agreement or development easement of limited 
term shall include notification that the committee may exercise the first right 
and option to purchase a fee simple absolute interest in the land pursuant to 
P.L.1989, c.28 (C.4:1C-38 et al.).� 

���� b.� A landowner, or a farm 
operator as an agent for the landowner, whose land is within a municipally 
approved program or other farmland preservation program, or is subject to a 
development easement conveyed pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall 
be eligible to, and may, apply to the local soil conservation district [and the board] for a grant 
for a soil and water conservation project approved by the State Soil 
Conservation Committee, subject to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-11 
et al.). 

���� c.� (Deleted by amendment, 
P.L.1989, c.310.)

���� d.� Approval by the local soil 
conservation district [and 
the board] 
for grants for soil and water conservation projects shall be contingent upon a 
written agreement by the person who would receive funds that the project shall 
be maintained for a specified period of not less than three years, and shall be 
a component of a farmland conservation plan approved by the local soil 
conservation district.� If an applicant fails to maintain the project for 
the agreed upon term, they may be required to repay, on a pro rata basis as 
determined by the entities providing the grant funds, to the board or the 
committee, or both, as the case may be, any remaining funds from grants for 
soil and water conservation projects provided pursuant to this section, except 
in the case of bankruptcy, death, or incapacitating illness of the owner, or as 
the result of a documented extreme weather event, in which case no repayment of 
grant funds shall be required.� 

���� e.� If [the landowner 
applying for funds] 
an applicant for a soil and water conservation project pursuant to this 
section [provides 
50% of those] 
will receive funds [without 
assistance] 
from [the] a 
county, the local soil conservation district shall review, approve, 
conditionally approve, or disapprove the application and forward the 
application to the applicable county agriculture development board for 
concurrence.� If an applicant will not receive funds from a county, the local 
soil conservation district shall review, approve, conditionally approve, or 
disapprove the application.� In either case, the local soil conservation 
district shall forward the application to the State Soil Conservation Committee.� 
The committee shall certify that the land on which the soil and water 
conservation project is to be conducted has had a development easement conveyed 
from it pursuant to subsection a. of this section or is part of a municipally 
approved program or other farmland preservation program and shall review, 
approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the application. 

(cf: P.L.1989, c.310, s.1)

���� 2. This act shall take effect 
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would revise certain 
requirements concerning grants to fund soil and water conservatio