Whitman announces $12.2 million plan to protect farmland
Copyright 2000, The Star-Ledger, Newark, New Jersey
December 22, 2000
By Jeff Diamant, The Star-Ledger, Newark, New Jersey
Gov. Christie Whitman, soon to become the Environmental Protection Agency's next administrator, appeared Thursday at a farm in Bloomsbury, where she announced plans to spend $12.2 million for farmland preservation and the state's agriculture industry.
About $11.1 million of the money would be used to preserve farms in Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland and Salem counties.
John Parisi, 52, who will receive $500,000 for the development rights to his 57-acre farm in Hunterdon County, said he plans to use the money to get out of debt.
"Last year was a bad year," said Parisi, who has owned the farm since 1977. He added that some of the money will go toward his retirement.
Whitman also used the news conference to discuss her proposed state budget for next year. She said the budget will include $500,000 for a new "farmland stewardship program" designed to boost the agricultural industry, awarding grants to farmers for projects that help them make money.
"Just preserving the farms isn't enough if we're not there to help the farmers make a living off that land," she said.
Farmers could use the grant money to market crops, conduct studies, hire experts or buy office equipment.
Whitman also said the budget will include $345,000 to hire five employees for the State Agriculture Development Committee.
Those workers would focus on backlogged deals that are part of the farmland preservation program, which aims to preserve 500,000 acres of farms over 10 years by buying development rights from farmers. In a November 1998 referendum, New Jersey voters approved spending $98 million for 10 years to buy development rights on farmland and open space.
Whitman also said her budget includes $250,000 for county agricultural boards to hire employees who can solicit farmers for the farmland preservation program.