§ 4:1C-45 — Inventory of land suitable for agricultural production

Within one year of the effective date of this act, the Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Department of the Treasury and other State agencies, shall prepare an inventory of properties owned by the State of New Jersey suitable for agricultural production not currently being farmed by a State agency and available for leasing to private sector farm operators. Land shall be deemed suitable for agricultural production if: a. The acreage of the parcel of property economically would support or is adjacent or proximate to other State-owned or private sector agricultural land the combined acreage of which would, in the opinion of the applicable County Agriculture Development Board or the State Agriculture Development Committee, in counties where there is no county board, economically support an agricultural enterprise; b. The soil is of sufficient quality to support agricultural production as determined by the applicable Soil Conservation District; c. The land does not provide habitat for rare or endangered species as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to law; and d. A determination is made by the respective State agency that the land is no longer needed or being used by the State for non-agricultural purposes, and the agricultural production of that land would pose no significant environmental harm to persons working or living on or near that land. L.1989, c.79, s.2.