The next meeting of the Agriculture Development Board will be held on Monday, December 16th. Please check this website for time and location as the date gets closer.

History and Purpose

The County Agriculture Development Board (CADB) is an entity authorized by the state Agriculture Retention and Development Act (1983), which established New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation Program. The Farmland Preservation Program aims to strengthen the agricultural industry and preserve important farmlands, thereby enhancing New Jersey’s economy and quality of life. Within the state system, County Agriculture Development Boards are tasked to establish agriculture retention and development programs at the local level through such responsibilities as adopting agricultural development areas, creating minimum standards and granting approval for the inclusion of land in farmland preservation programs, and determining any request for financial assistance of the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC).

The CADB manages the Right to Farm Protection Program which, under the Right to Farm Act of 1983, provides qualified commercial farm owners in Passaic County with significant protections from nuisance lawsuits and agriculturally restrictive local regulations. To learn more about the Right to Farm Program and process, click here.

The CADB also coordinates and recommends to the Board of County Commissioners the purchase of development easements within Passaic County municipalities, provides a share of the value of the development easement, and generally holds the title to the development easement for any property receiving funds from the SADC.

The Passaic County Agricultural Development Board is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and comprises representatives of the county’s farming residents and the general public, the County Planning Board, the Soil Conservation District Member and the County Agricultural Extension Agent.

Voting Members

• Eugene "Rocky" Hazelman, Chairman
• Dr. Timothy Feeney, Vice Chairman
• Rudy Ploch, Jr.
• Harry “Skip” Bartlett
• Michael Eelman
• Henry Anderson
• Kenneth Simpson (Passaic County Planning Board Liaison)