TRENTON — Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher announced that the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) has published a Right to Farm guidebook to help farmers, their neighbors and municipalities understand the role of the Right to Farm Act in resolving disputes involving commercial farms.
“New Jersey’s farmers depend on the Right to Farm Act to protect them from complaints and sometimes overly restrictive local regulations that can be a financial drain on farming operations and drive them out of business,” said Fisher. “Therefore, it is important that all farmers, as well as their neighbors and municipalities, understand the process that must be followed to resolve conflicts and the standards that must be met in order to qualify for the protections of the Act.”
The guidebook explains the basics of the Right to Farm Act, including eligibility criteria, protected activities, the formal complaint process and procedures, and commonly asked questions. The publication also discusses agricultural mediation as an alternative to the formal Right to Farm dispute resolution process.
To obtain a printed copy of the Right to Farm guidebook or the SADC’s previously published agricultural mediation handbook, contact the SADC at (609) 984-2504 or sadc@ag.state.nj.us. The publications also are available on the SADC’s website at www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/publications/.
The SADC administers New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation, Right to Farm and Agricultural Mediation programs and promotes innovative approaches to maintaining the viability of agriculture.
