New Jersey Senate Republicans

06/22/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Henry Bill Preserving New Jersey's Agricultural Future Passes Senate

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Henry Bill Preserving New Jersey's Agricultural Future Passes Senate

Owen Henry Posted on June 22, 2026

Legislation sponsored by Senator Owen Henry (R-Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean) to appropriate $10 million for municipal farmland preservation efforts was approved by the New Jersey Senate.

The bill, S-4426, would appropriate $10 million from constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax revenues to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for municipal planning incentive grants that support farmland preservation projects. 43 municipalities across nine counties, including Manalapan, Millstone, and Upper Freehold in the 12th Legislative District, would be eligible to apply for the funding.

"Preserving farmland is critical to protecting New Jersey's agricultural heritage, supporting local food production, and maintaining the character of our communities," said Senator Henry. "With Senate approval of this legislation, we are one step closer to providing municipalities with the resources they need to safeguard working farms from development pressures and ensure agriculture remains a strong part of New Jersey's economy for generations to come."

Under the bill, eligible municipalities may receive grants of up to $2 million to preserve farmland within approved agricultural development areas. The grants help local governments protect clusters of active farms, strengthen agricultural viability, and prevent the loss of valuable farmland to development.

The funding is provided through the voter-approved Preserve New Jersey Act, which dedicates a portion of Corporate Business Tax revenues to open space, farmland, and historic preservation projects.

As of April 2026, New Jersey's farmland preservation program has preserved approximately 254,968 acres across 2,925 farms statewide.

Read the full text of the bill online.

New Jersey Senate Republicans published this content on June 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 21, 2026 at 15:49 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]