Local preservation efforts at stake with potential closing
Local officials are taking action to fight Gov. Jon Corzine's proposed elimination of the Department of Agriculture.

Millstone and Upper Freehold townships and The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders have adopted resolutions strongly opposing the elimination of the state's Department of Agriculture. Officials believe that the department's closing would adversely affect many of the state's agricultural efforts, including the preservation of farmland in Monmouth County.

Millstone Mayor Nancy Grbelja noted how important the agricultural industry is to her community, which has 278 farms. She said 30 percent of the township is made up of working farmland with 1,000 acres devoted to the equine industry, 1,400 acres devoted to nursery production, and 2,000 acres planted with field crops. She also said Millstone ranks No. 1 in the state for Asian vegetable production.

"We need that cabinet position," Grbelja said. "It is part of New Jersey history. We want to make sure we continue with the marketing program of Jersey Fresh and buying local."

The Township Committee passed its resolutionMarch 5. The resolution notes the department's aid in land preservation, which is important to Millstone since the town has preserved 712 acres of farmland at a cost of about $9.4million and is looking to preserve an additional 430 acres within the next six months.

The resolution also notes some of the other services the department provides, including livestock and poultry disease monitoring, plant pest control such as gypsy moth and Asian longhorn beetle infestations, pet food and livestock feed testing, emergency food distribution and seed and fertilizer testing.

Upper Freehold's resolution quotes the New Jersey Farm Bureau, a nonprofit organization of 15,000 farmers, and states that the proposal to eliminate the department would be the last straw for the state's struggling industry at a time when consumers are clamoring for locally grown products.

Upper Freehold Township Committeeman and farmer Bob Faber said, "A cut like this will be hard felt by every farmer, and that includes our farmers in Upper Freehold."

Faber added that without the department, a lot of inspections would go undone, which could cause other problems.

Upper Freehold's J. David Holmes, whose family has been farming in the township since the 1700s, said the proposed closing of the department "sure sends a strong message to agriculture in the Garden State." He described agriculture as the most productive and most efficient private business segment in New Jersey.

"This is another nail in the coffin for farmers in New Jersey, which would be further aggravated by any portion of the Department ofAgriculture that is transferred into the Department of Environmental Protection," he said.

The Upper Freehold resolution, which passed on March 6, states that the township has 385 farms, which constitute more than 40 percent of the 892 farms in Monmouth County. The document also notes that Upper Freehold is home to the Horse Park of New Jersey and major breeding farms and that approximately 75 percent of its soils are rated as "prime farmland."

Upper Freehold taxpayers have contributed over $3.2 million toward the preservation of township farms, which total over 7,400 acres. The township ranks second in the state for total assessed farmland and No. 1 for total preserved acreage. The township has 70 permanently preserved farms and others awaiting closing or in various stages of the application process.

In adopting their resolution, the freeholders affirmed their intention to move forward with their aggressive farmland preservation program. The resolution notes that the county needs help from the state Department of Agriculture.

Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said, "Monmouth County's farmland preservation program reached an important milestone by permanently preserving its 10,000th acre of farmland in 2007 and by the year's end, there were over 11,000 acres preserved. We shouldn't stop now!"

The county has been the lead agency in securing the 143 farms that are part of Monmouth County's effort to permanently preserve farms. The county coordinates the funding and paperwork between farmers, the state, municipalities and nonprofit partners.

"No one agency can do it alone," Deputy Director Robert D. Clifton said. "Many agencies and organizations are involved in the race to preserve farmland. Together, we are responsibly securing our farmlands - if the state removes itself from the process, it will abandon the farmers and the farming industry."

Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow said farmland protection furthers the county's efforts to protect watersheds and manage growth.

Freeholder John D'Amico Jr. said, "Government agencies, nonprofits, local towns and individuals are all partners in this race to preserve the farming industry. The economic future of farming rests in this decision."

Freeholder William C. Barham said Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown will be history if the state's Department ofAgriculture is eliminated.

"The department supports our fields and orchards and our important fishing industry. We need to keep these industries alive and prosperous."