Investments

Bank Of America Investment The Burlington County freeholders heard an interim report on the progress of the Route 206 Farm Belt Study this week that shows the county is a leader in the state's agricultural industry.

Kocsis own the farm in Kingwood Township. They agreed to sell a preservation easement for $210, 800. The Moreira Family LLC owns the Raritan Township farm and agreed to sell a preservation easement for $1.7 million. Susan Barbara Henssler and the Hazel M. Harrison Living Trust own the farms in East Amwell Township. Henssler agreed to a $864, 500 deal, and the trust agreed to a $707, 000 deal.

Investment Opportunity "This is an interim status report on the Route 206 planning effort as we look at the viability of the county's farmland and growth," said Robert Kull, the county's regional planning coordinator.

Morris County Farmland Preservation Director Frank Pinto said he understands the importance of keeping farming viable but worries about public perceptions. "I am concerned about a loss of public trust for the preservation program statewide, " he said. "There could be a public perception that preservation dollars are being wasted and farmers are being allowed to circumvent the law." Lance, space preservation, said he believes the bill would entice more farmers to join the program, because they wouldn't feel as if it ties their hands.

Banc Of America Investment "It's important that plans and policies be put in place that are helpful to keep the agricultural businesses viable."

A state agency voted Tuesday to pay for preserving the popular Johnson family farm in Medford, where thousands of children take hayrides, pick apples and hunt for Easter eggs each year. But several controversial properties were also part of a massive list approved Tuesday by the Garden State Preservation Trust. With little discussion, the Trust voted to save 164 farms, totaling 12, 426 acres. The $73.2 million to be spent includes $14 million for farms to be purchased later at auctions.

Banking Investment Farming in the county is important as a land use, lifestyle and as an industry, said Brian Schilling, consultant with the Heinrich-Schilling Joint Venture, the company performing the study.

based businesses like that. "What is a farm is an evolving concept, " said David Frank, an attorney for Washington Township. "The one thing we do know is that once you build a lot of houses it's no longer a farm." DiDonato, who says he never disguised his goal of building a house on his farm acres in Lawrence, said he was encouraged by the county to enter the preservation program.

Investment Solution Strategic "The farmers are feeling a lot of growth pressures," Schilling told the freeholders. "Farming has been a part of Burlington County for 300 to 400 years."

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Investment Banking Services There are 857 farms in the county. A significant portion of them are concentrated in the Route 206 Farm Belt.

Bank Investment To keep farming successful, officials must ensure an adequate farmland base, opportunities for farming as an industry to remain viable, have farmers willing to farm and encourage municipal officials to keep farming in the region, Schilling said.

Alternative Investment "One of the problems is a lot of the farmers are getting older and there are not a lot of young ones coming into the industry," Schilling said.

Online Investment Services About 60 percent of the prime agricultural soils are concentrated in the Farm Belt and it's important to protect those lands.

Accompany Essential Investment Agriculture is linked to other industries in the county, Schilling said.

Investment Company Agricultural production contributes $135.2 million to the county's economy. Of that, $87.5 million comes from actual farm commodity sales, $26.2 million from support industries such as seed, grain and equipment sales and $21.5 million from increased household spending, Schilling said.

Investment Management Solution Top commodities in the county, based on 1997 figures, the latest available, are $28.8 million in fruit, nut and berry production, $26.9 million from the sale of nursery and greenhouse products, $9.4 million from the sale of grains, $9.1 million from the sale of vegetables and $3.1 million from the sale of dairy products, Schilling said.

Investment Management Services Using the same information data base, 57 percent of the farms in Burlington County show net gains while only 45 percent of the state's farms shows net profits, the interim report said.

Guide Investment Stock "Some farmers say they can't support themselves entirely with their farm income and have to work jobs off the farm," Schilling said.

Investment Manual Solution Municipalities must be encouraged to develop a master plan to sustain agriculture and preserve farmland and write codes to support farming.

Investment Stock "Nobody (in municipal government) seems to have the vision that there should be 15,000 to 17,000 acres of farmland preserved forever," said Helen Heinrich, company consultant.

Essential Investment Solution Kull said the county should look to having an agricultural development coordinator who would seek economic development opportunities for farming and to help farmers with land use and other issues.

Citicorp Investment Services "It may be important to offer municipalities incentives to encourage farmland preservation," Kull said.

Fool Guide Investment Motley "You should also look for ways to develop and encourage future farmers by providing scholarships to students and encourage them to look towards a career in farming. That is the status of where we are in this process. There will be more as the study continues through the summer," she said.

Fidelity Investment Services By Artemis Coughlan
Trenton Times - 5/7/2004

Topic: Agriculture

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