ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2461

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 3, 1997

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2461.

      Assembly Bill No.2461 appropriates $750,000 from the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," P.L.1992, c.88, to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for grants to qualifying farmland owners for up to 50% of the cost of soil and water conservation projects. The bill also appropriates $5 million from the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, to the SADC for the acquisition of fee simple titles to farmland, which shall be offered for resale with agricultural deed restrictions. The SADC would decide which projects to fund with the appropriated monies.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The bill appropriates $750,000 from the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," to the SADC for grants to qualifying farmland owners for up to 50% of the cost of soil and water conservation projects and $5 million from the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," to the SADC for the purchase of titles to farmland for resale with agricultural deed restrictions.