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Permanently Preserved Warren County Farm Sold at Auction
 
For Immediate Release: November 17, 2000 Contact:

Hope Gruzlovic
(609)292-8896
hope.gruzlovic@ag.state.nj.us

     
A permanently preserved, 120-acre Warren County farm was auctioned back into private ownership today by the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC).

The property, part of the former Hengst farm in Harmony Township, was purchased by Ms. Aubrey Zaffuto of Far Hills for $350,000. The SADC originally had purchased the farm in August through its fee simple program. Under this program, the SADC buys a farm outright from a willing seller, then resells it at public auction with agricultural deed restrictions that permanently preserve the land for farming. Besides ensuring permanent preservation of the land, this program has another benefit: It also provides farmers who are just starting out or want to expand their operations with opportunities to purchase land at affordable prices that reflect only farmland value, not development potential.

Proceeds from all auction sales are returned to the state Farmland Preservation Program and used to preserve other New Jersey farms.

The SADC administers the state Farmland Preservation Program. To date, 471 farms totaling 68,523 acres have been permanently preserved under the program.