What is an Agricultural Development Area?

Agricultural Development Areas (ADA) are land areas identified by the County Agriculture Development Board where agricultural operations are likely to continue in the future and therefore be eligible for the farmland preservation program. The delineation of ADAs is a State requirement to receive funding for the farmland preservation program. In Hunterdon County, the ADA criteria and map were based on a study of agriculture in the County prepared by the Middlesex-Somerset-Mercer Regional Study Council. Key components of the study were the mapping of productive agricultural operations and the location of prime and statewide important soils. Based upon the study, the CADB adopted criteria for the designation of ADAs and mapped them along physical boundaries or property lines. A copy of the ADA map is available from the CADB office.

Show All Answers

1. What is an Agricultural Development Area?
2. What is an agricultural district?
3. What is a development easement?
4. How does a person apply to this program?
5. Is this a County or State program?
6. How are the applications evaluated?
7. How long does the application process take?
8. How is a farm restricted after the development easement has been sold?
9. Is the land still privately owned after the development easement is sold?
10. How much money is offered for the easement?
11. It is a competitive process?
12. How are the applications funded?