Sussex County Farmland Preservation and Open Space

Update December 5, 2007

Press Release

The Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the most recent farmland preservation easement acquisition, the George and Mary Harper farm in Sandyston Township. This 205 parcel is located on Layton Hainesville Road and is used for cropland and beef cattle. This is the fifth farm within a project area in Sandyston to close. Two additional contiguous farms have final approvals and the county is evaluating several new Sandyston applications.

The Harper farm is the 83rd farm preserved through the County Easement Purchase program. Additionally, four other farms have been preserved through various State Agriculture Development Committee programs. This brings our total to 87 farms preserved for a total of 11,007 acres. Funding for the farmland preservation program is made possible through the County dedicated open space tax and state funding sources. The County Agriculture Development Board continues to accept inquiries from interested farmland owners.

The County Open Space program also continues to grow. Our Freeholder Board recently approved funding requests from Andover, Byram, Fredon and Green Townships, Hopatcong Borough and the NJ Nature Conservancy for parcels totaling 288 acres. Funding for these projects totals $1,775,679.00 and is through both of the County Open Space taxes and the County Planning Incentive Grants.