County Agricultural Development Board

The Division serves as staff to the County Agricultural Development Board (CADB).  The County CADB consists of seven voting members – four farmer and three public members. There are also three non-voting, ex-officio members, who represent the County Planning Board, the County Soil Conservation District, and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, respectively. 

The CADB oversees the effort to preserve Bergen County’s remaining farmland by administering the Farmland Preservation Program in partnership with the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC).  The Farmland Preservation Program funds the purchase of development easements on eligible farmland from the landowners.  To date, the program has preserved farmland totaling 335 acres.  The CABD annually monitors the County’s preserved farmland to ensure landowners are compliant with the terms of preservation.  The CADB is also required to periodically update the County Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan. 

The CABD also administers, partnership with the SADC, the Right to Farm Program which provides qualified commercial farm owners or operators with certain protections from restrictive municipal ordinances and public and private nuisance actions. Farm owners and operators and other interested parties can reach the Division for information concerning the Farmland Preservation Plan and the Preservation and Right to Farm Programs at: