New Jersey Statutes Title 4. Agriculture and Domestic Animals 4 § 1-46

The Legislature finds that agriculture continues to be one of the leading industries of the State with annual gross sales of nearly $300,000,000.00 and employing more than 40,000 people, either seasonally or year-round;  that it is in the interest of the nonfarm people of the State that our farmers continue to own and operate their farms so that New Jersey can remain the Garden State;  that the loss of farms in this State continues to be a serious threat to the preservation of green acres and open space;  and that the farmers and the agri-business industry need help to encourage the retention of agriculture, to find ways of making it economically viable, and to expand its scope in the State.