Bill Text: NJ S2991 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers, with some restrictions.*
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-09 - Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading [S2991 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2991-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning apiary activities and the right to farm, and amending P.L.1983, c.31.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.1983, c.31 (C.4:1C-3) is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in this act:
"Board" or "county board" means a county agriculture development board established pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1983, c.32 (C.4:1C-14).
"Commercial farm" means (1) a farm management unit of no less than five acres producing agricultural or horticultural products worth $2,500 or more annually, and satisfying the eligibility criteria for differential property taxation pursuant to the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964," P.L.1964, c.48 (C.54:4-23.1 et seq.), [or] (2) a farm management unit less than five acres, producing agricultural or horticultural products worth $50,000 or more annually and otherwise satisfying the eligibility criteria for differential property taxation pursuant to the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964," P.L.1964, c.48 (C.54:4-23.1 et seq.), or (3) a farm management unit that is a beekeeping operation producing honey or other agricultural or horticultural apiary-related products, or providing crop pollination services, worth $2,500 or more annually.
"Committee" means the State Agriculture Development Committee established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1983, c.31 (C.4:1C-4).
"Farm management unit" means a parcel or parcels of land, whether contiguous or noncontiguous, together with agricultural or horticultural buildings, structures and facilities, producing agricultural or horticultural products, and operated as a single enterprise.
"Farm market" means a facility used for the wholesale or retail marketing of the agricultural output of a commercial farm, and products that contribute to farm income, except that if a farm market is used for retail marketing at least 51% of the annual gross sales of the retail farm market shall be generated from sales of agricultural output of the commercial farm, or at least 51% of the sales area shall be devoted to the sale of agricultural output of the commercial farm, and except that if a retail farm market is located on land less than five acres in area, the land on which the farm market is located shall produce annually agricultural or horticultural products worth at least $2,500.
(cf: P.L.1998, c.48, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers by including in the definition of "commercial farm" under the Right to Farm Act, a farm management unit that is a beekeeping operation producing honey or other agricultural or horticultural apiary-related products, or providing crop pollination services, worth $2,500 or more annually.
