Bill Text: NJ S4227 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits fur farming.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S4227 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4227-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits fur farming.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning fur farming and amending various sections of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1962, c.146 (C.4:2-15) is amended to read as follows:
1. [The Department of Agriculture shall supervise and control] a. No person shall engage in fur farming, including the breeding, raising, producing [and] , or marketing of fox, rabbit, mink, chinchilla, marten, fisher, muskrat, karakul [and all] or any other fur-bearing animals raised in captivity [, in like manner as is provided for other animals under Title 4 of the Revised Statutes. Such farming is hereby declared to be an agricultural pursuit, in like manner as provided for other animals under said title, and the employees of those engaged therein are hereby declared to be agricultural laborers] .
b. A person who violates the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.
c. Nothing in this [act] section shall be construed to exempt any person from the provisions of the Fish and Game Act regulating the release or escape from captivity of certain animals or the provisions of other acts forbidding the importation or the raising in captivity of certain animals.
d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a person from breeding, raising, selling, or offering for sale an animal as a pet, domestic companion animal, or service animal.
(cf: P.L.1962, c.146, s.1)
2. R.S.4:13-1 is amended to read as follows:
4:13-1. As used in this chapter:
"Agricultural products" includes horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, forestry, dairy, livestock, [fur-bearing animals,] poultry, bee and any farm products, including fresh and salt water food products.
"Association" means an association incorporated or a foreign corporation authorized to do business under this chapter.
"Member" means an actual member of an association without capital stock and a holder of common stock in an association with capital stock.
(cf: P.L.1966, c.286, s.1)
3. Section 2 of P.L.1987, c.204 (C.13:1F-18) is amended to read as follows:
2. For the purposes of [this act] P.L.1987, c.204 (C.13:1F-17 et seq.), "land actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural use" means land, not less than three acres in area, which is devoted to:
a. In the case of agricultural use, the production for sale of plants and animals useful to man, including but not limited to forages and sod crops; grains and feed crops; dairy animals and dairy products; poultry and poultry products; livestock, including beef cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, mules or goats, including the breeding or grazing of any or all of such animals; bees and apiary products; [fur animals;] trees and forest products; or when devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments or other compensation pursuant to a soil conservation program under an agreement with an agency of the federal government; and
b. In the case of horticultural use, the production for sale of fruits of all kinds, including grapes, nuts and berries; vegetables; nursery, floral, ornamental and greenhouse products; or when devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments or other compensation pursuant to a soil conservation program under an agreement with an agency of the federal government.
(cf: P.L.1987, c.204, s.2)
4. Section 3 of P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-3) is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-1 et seq.):
a. "Agricultural or horticultural purposes" or "agricultural or horticultural use" means any production of plants or animals useful to man, including but not limited to: forages or sod crops; grains and feed crops; dairy animals and dairy products; poultry and poultry products; livestock, including beef cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, mules or goats, and including the breeding and grazing of any or all of such animals; bees and apiary products; [fur animals;] aquatic organisms as part of aquaculture; trees and forest products; fruits of all kinds, including grapes, nuts and berries; vegetables; nursery, floral, ornamental and greenhouse products; or any land devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments or other compensation pursuant to a soil conservation program under an agency of the Federal Government;
b. "Application for development" means the application form and all accompanying documents required by municipal ordinance for approval of a subdivision plat, site plan, planned development, conditional use, zoning variance or other permit as provided in the "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C. 40:55D-1 et seq.), for any use, development or construction other than the improvement, expansion or reconstruction of any single-family dwelling unit or appurtenance thereto, or the improvement, expansion, construction or reconstruction of any structure used exclusively for agricultural or horticultural purposes;
c. "Commission" means the Pinelands Commission created by section 4 of [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-4);
d. "Comprehensive management plan" means the plan prepared and adopted by the commission pursuant to section 7 of [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-8);
e. "Council" means the Pinelands Municipal Council created by section 6.1 of [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-7);
f. "Federal Act" means section 502 of the "National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978" (Pub.L. 95-625);
g. "Major development" means any division or subdivision of land into five or more parcels; any construction or expansion of any housing development of five or more dwelling units; any construction or expansion of any commercial or industrial use or structure on a site of more than three acres; or any grading, clearing or disturbance of any area in excess of 5,000 square feet for other than agricultural or horticultural purposes;
h. "Pinelands area" means that area so designated by subsection a. of section 10 of [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-11);
i. "Pinelands National Reserve" means the approximately 1,000,000 acre area so designated by the Federal Act and generally depicted on the map entitled "Pinelands National Reserve Boundary Map" numbered NPS/80,011A and dated September, 1978;
j. "Preservation area" means that portion of the pinelands area so designated by subsection b. of section 10 of [this act] P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:8A-11);
k. "Protection area" means that portion of the pinelands area not included within the preservation area;
l. "Aquaculture" means the propagation, rearing, and subsequent harvesting of aquatic organisms in controlled or selected environments, and the subsequent processing, packaging and marketing and shall include but need not be limited to, activities to intervene in the rearing process to increase production such as stocking, feeding, transplanting and providing for protection from predators. "Aquaculture" shall not include the construction of facilities and appurtenant structures that might otherwise be regulated pursuant to any other State or federal law or regulation;
m. "Aquatic organism " means and includes, but need not be limited to, finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants which are the property of a person engaged in aquaculture.
(cf: P.L.1997, c.236, s.35)
5. Section 9 of P.L.1986, c.198 (C.23:3-1c) is amended to read as follows:
9. The division is authorized to charge a $2.00 nonrefundable application fee, in addition to any other permit or license fees authorized by law, for each permit or license, as follows: duplicate hunting and fishing; falconry; beaver; otter; turkey; coyote; special season Canada goose; special season deer; rifle; semi-wild hunting preserve; commercial fishing preserve; commercial shooting preserve; senior citizen fishing; senior citizen clamming; field trial; horseback riding on wildlife management area; daily use permit for wildlife management area; clubhouse rental; fire on wildlife management area; fish stocking by clubs; lake lowering; alewife (for bait); carp and suckers; fish basket for eels, catfish, carp, and suckers; game animals and game birds - individual hobby, scientific holding, zoological, propagation and sale, animal exhibitor, and animal theatrical agency [, and fur farming] ; salvage - recover carcass; special purpose; scientific collecting - fish; crab pot (recreational); crab pot (commercial); menhaden netting; food fish netting; and commercial fish netting.
The amounts remitted to the State Treasury for these application fees shall be deposited to the credit of the "hunters' and anglers' license fund."
(cf: P.L.1999, c.282, s.4)
6. Section 1 of P.L.2011, c.201 (C.34:1B-241.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. As used in P.L.2011, c.201 (C.34:1B-241.1 et seq.):
"Authority" means the New Jersey Economic Development Authority established by section 4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).
"Department" means the Department of Agriculture established pursuant to R.S.4:1-1.
"Eligible farming operation" means two or more business entities that are engaged in farming operations in the State, that are applying together for participation in the small business loan program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2019, c.240 (C.34:1B-241.2), and that, at the time of the application, are independently owned and operated, participate in an agricultural commodity or product marketing and development program operated by the Department of Agriculture, and satisfy other criteria that may be established by the authority pursuant to P.L.2019, c.240.
"Eligible small business" means a business entity that, at the time of application for participation in the small business loan program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2011, c.201 (C.34:1B-241.2), is independently owned and operated, operates primarily within this State, and which satisfies other criteria that may be established by the authority. "Eligible small business" shall include qualified dairy farmers and eligible farming operations.
"Farm equipment" means equipment used directly for farming operations.
"Farming operations" mean any activities connected to the commercial growing, harvesting, processing, producing, or raising of agricultural products in the State, including crops, dairy animals, livestock, [fur-bearing animals,] poultry, bees, crops used in fermented alcoholic beverages and wine, and any products therefrom, including organic agricultural products; aquacultural products; horticultural products; and silviculture products.
"Qualified dairy farmer" means a person or business entity that produces valued-added dairy products and that, at the time of application for participation in the small business loan program and receipt of a loan under the program, is independently owned and operated, operates primarily within this State, and satisfies other criteria that may be established by the authority.
"Value-added dairy product" means a dairy product created by a qualified dairy farmer by means of a change in the physical state of a dairy commodity, and shall include, but not be limited to, cheese, cultured sour cream, yogurt, kefir, butter, ice cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and concentrated milk.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.240, s.1)
7. Section 1 of P.L.1940, c.153 (C.34:2-21.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. (a) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2022, c.63.)
(b) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2022, c.63.)
(c) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2022, c.63.)
(d) "School district" means any geographical area having authority over the public schools within that area.
(e) "Agriculture" includes farming in all its branches and among other things includes the cultivation and tillage of the soil, dairying, the production, cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural commodities (including commodities defined as agricultural commodities in subsection (g) of section 15 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 46 Stat. 11 (12 U.S.C. s. 141 et seq.), as amended), the planting, transplanting and care of trees and shrubs and plants, the raising of livestock, bees, [fur-bearing animals] or poultry, and any practices (including any forestry or lumbering operations) performed by a farmer or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations, including preparation for market, delivery to storage or to market or to carriers for transportation to market, provided that such practices shall be performed in connection with the handling of agricultural or horticultural commodities the major portion of which have been produced upon the premises of an owning or leasing employer.
(f) "Newspaper carrier" means any minor between 12 and 18 years of age who engages in the occupation of delivering, soliciting, selling and collecting for, newspapers outside of school hours on residential routes.
(g) "Restaurant" means any establishment or business primarily engaged in the preparation and serving of meals or refreshments, both food and drink, and shall include but not be limited to the following: dining establishments, catering establishments, industrial caterers, and drive-in restaurants.
(h) "Theatrical production" means and includes stage, motion picture and television performances and rehearsals therefor.
(i) "Seasonal amusement" means any exclusively recreational or amusement establishment or business which does not operate more than seven months in any calendar year or which has received during any consecutive six months of the preceding calendar year average receipts equal to or less than 33 1/3 [%] percent of its average receipts for the other six months of that year. "Seasonal amusement" includes but is not limited to amusement rides and amusement device ticket sales, and operations of games. However, "seasonal amusement" does not include retail, eating or drinking concessions, camps, beach and swimming facilities, movie theatres, theatrical productions, athletic events, professional entertainment, pool and billiard parlors, circuses and outdoor shows, sport activities or centers, country club athletic facilities, bowling alleys, race tracks and like facilities which are not part of a diversified amusement enterprise.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
"Department" means the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
"Caregiver" means a person over 18 years of age who is the biological parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, resource family parent, step-parent, parent-in-law or legal guardian, having a "parent-child relationship" with a child as defined by law, or having sole or joint legal or physical custody, care, guardianship, or visitation with a child, or who became the parent of the child pursuant to a valid written agreement between the parent and a gestational carrier.
"Family member" means a person related by blood or marriage, including civil unions and domestic partnerships, or whose close relationship with each other is considered equivalent to a family relationship by the individuals. "Online platform" means any public-facing website, web application, or digital application, including a mobile application. "Online platform" includes a social network, advertising network, mobile operating system, search engine, email service, or Internet access service.
"Name" means the actual or assumed name, or nickname, of a living individual that is intended to identify that individual.
"Recreational purposes" means an activity performed not for profit and for enjoyment or leisure, outside of work or business.
"Vlog" means video content shared on an online platform in exchange for compensation.
"Vlogger" means a person who creates video content for a business or other non-recreational purpose with the intent to generate income that employs a minor in exchange for compensation, that is performed in the State, and includes any proprietorship, partnership, company, or other corporate entity assuming the name or identity of a particular caregiver or family member for the purposes of that content creation. "Vlogger" does not include any person under the age of 18 who produces that person's own vlogs for solely recreational purposes.
(cf: P.L.2025, c.355, s.1)
8. R.S.39:3-25 is amended to read as follows:
39:3-25. In addition to the motor vehicle licenses authorized to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the chief administrator shall issue, upon application therefor, a license plate for trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, or similar vehicles marked "farmer," which shall be issued upon evidence satisfactory to the chief administrator that the applicant is a farmer and is actually engaged in the growing, raising, and producing of farm products as an occupation. License plates issued under authority of this section shall be placed upon motor trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, or similar vehicles engaged in the carrying or transportation of farm products, and farm supplies, and not engaged in hauling for hire, except for a truck, van, sport utility vehicle, or similar vehicle being operated under contract with a municipality to remove snow.
Applicants for license plates herein authorized shall pay a registration fee of $25 plus $4.25 for each 1,000 pounds or portion thereof in excess of 5,000 pounds. If the registration cycle established by the chief administrator is for more or less than 11 months, applicants shall pay amounts proportionately less or greater than the fees established by law.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, every registration for a farm truck, van, sport utility vehicle, or similar vehicle shall expire and the certificate thereof shall become void on the last day of the 11th calendar month following the month in which the certificate was issued; except that the chief administrator may require registrations which shall expire, and issue certificates thereof which shall become void, on a date fixed by the chief administrator, which shall not be sooner than three months or later than 26 months after the date of issuance of such certificates, and the fees for registrations, including any other fees or charges collected in connection with the registration fee, shall be fixed by the chief administrator in amounts proportionately less or greater than the fees established by law. The chief administrator may fix the expiration date for registration certificates at a date other than 11 months if the chief administrator determines that a change is necessary, appropriate or convenient in order to aid in implementing the vehicle inspection requirements of chapter 8 of Title 39 or for other good cause.
The term "farmer" as used in this section means any person engaged in the commercial raising, growing, and producing of farm products on a farm not less than five acres in area; the term "farm products" means any crop [,] or livestock [, or fur products] ; and the term "farm supplies" means any farm-related supply or repair item.
As used in this section, the term "sport utility vehicle" means any vehicle that is designed to be used both on and off roadways and is equipped with available all wheel drive and raised ground clearance.
(cf: P.L.2015, c.292, s.2)
9. Section 29 of P.L.1985, c.375 (C.39:3C-30.1) is amended to read as follows:
29. a. The provisions of this 1985 amendatory and supplementary act and this 1991 amendatory act insofar as they pertain to all-terrain vehicles shall not be applicable to their operation and use on golf courses in this State, except that, subsection b. of section 16 of P.L.1973, c.307 (C.39:3C-16) and subsection b. of section 26 of P.L.1973, c.307 (C.39:3C-26) shall be applicable to the operation and use of all-terrain vehicles on the golf courses of this State.
b. The requirements of subsection b. of section 9 of P.L.1973, c.307 (C.39:3C-9) and subsection c. of section 16 of P.L.1973, c.307 (C.39:3C-16) shall not apply to a person less than 18 years of age when the person operates an all-terrain vehicle on public lands or waters or across a public highway as an incident to or in the actual performance of the operations of a farm adjacent to the public land or water or the public highway upon which the vehicle is being operated. As used in this section, "farm" means land used for commercial raising, growing and producing of any crop [,] or livestock [, or fur products] on land not less than five acres in area and which is not used in the business of buying farm products for resale.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.322, s.9)
10. Section 28 of P.L.1980, c.105 (C.54:32B-8.16) is amended to read as follows:
28. a. Receipts from sales of tangible personal property and production and conservation services to a farmer for use and consumption directly and primarily in the production, handling and preservation for sale of agricultural or horticultural commodities at the farming enterprise of that farmer are exempt from the tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act."
b. The exemptions provided by subsection a. of this section shall not apply to sales of:
(1) automobiles;
(2) energy; or
(3) materials used to construct a building or structure, other than a silo, greenhouse, grain bin, or manure handling equipment.
c. For the purposes of this section:
"Agricultural or horticultural commodities" means tangible personal property produced through the raising of plants or animals useful to people, including but not limited to: forages and sod crops; livestock; grains and feed crops; dairy animals and products; poultry and poultry products; game animals [and fur-bearing animals] ; honey and other apiary products; the products of aquaculture; trees and forest products; fruits, nuts and berries; vegetables; and nursery, floral, ornamental and greenhouse products; and
"Farming enterprise" means a facility used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities for sale, including but not limited to truck farms, ranches, orchards, nurseries, greenhouses or other similar facilities.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.314, s.2)
11. The Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Development Committee, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of the Treasury, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act.
12. This act shall take effect one year after the date of enactment, except that any State agency may take any anticipatory administrative actions in advance as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill would prohibit fur farming, i.e. the breeding, raising, producing, and marketing of fox, rabbit, mink, chinchilla, marten, fisher, muskrat, karakul, and other fur-bearing animals raised in captivity, in the State. Under current law, fur farming is allowable as an agricultural pursuit, under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture. Under this bill, fur farming would be considered a disorderly persons offense.
The bill would also amend various other statutes that include fur farming within the definition of "farming," "agricultural product," etc. The bill would take effect one year after enactment.
