NJTA STUDIES IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL TOURISM BILL

 

Earlier this year, it was brought to the NJTA's attention that Assembly bill A-323 and its twin in the Senate, promoting agricultural-tourism activities on preserved farmland, would lead to construction of non-agricultural facilities in support of certain activities named in the legislation, which would contravene the purpose of taxpayer-funded farmland preservation, and the NJTA board was asked for its position on this matter.

 

The NJTA board has studied the issue at length and found that, since this legislation as presently worded does not preclude such construction, this legislation would be interpreted as permitting development of non-agricultural facilities on preserved farmland.

 

Therefore, it is the NJTA's position that, while it supports agricultural-tourism as a viable economic mechanism for farm enterprise, it cannot support the construction on preserved farmland of non-agricultural entities such as banquet halls and catering facilities, because such construction would violate the trust placed in the purchase of the farm's development rights by taxpayers' funds, and that trust must be upheld.