In a move designed to reform New Jersey’s farmland assessment program, the state Division of Taxation is preparing to launch a new online application portal in 2026 with the goal of improving eligibility enforcement and reducing cases of improper benefits.
The farmland assessment program allows farmland and woodland acres actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural use to be assessed at their productivity value, instead of the land’s market value, thereby lowering property taxes for farmers. Local tax assessors determine which properties qualify as farmland, then farmers apply for the program by paper application.
Recognizing a need for modernization, the Division of Taxation – working in close partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Department of Agriculture – is creating an online filing system currently in the testing phase. The portal is set to launch in 2026 for the assessment in Tax Year 2027.
By centralizing applications in a digital system, staff will be able to more effectively audit applications approved by tax assessors, reduce the time required for application reviews, and allow greater focus on physical inspections of applicants’ properties.
This streamlined approach to the application process is designed to protect the integrity of the farmland assessment program, which since 1964 has provided an incentive for farmers to safeguard their property for agricultural use, instead of selling it to developers.
To apply for the program, landowners must have at least five contiguous acres that produce $1,000 in annual agricultural income. Critics have argued the program is easily abused by wealthy non-farmers to secure massive property tax reductions under the guise of farming, thereby shifting the local property tax burden to others in the community.
In a Dec. 11 statement announcing the upcoming launch of the new online portal, the State Department of Treasury said that farmers, landowners, tax assessors, and taxpayers stand to benefit from a simplified, reformed system that discourages improper applications and ensures qualified candidates are granted benefits.
“With the launch of this online portal, the Farmland Assessment program will become more efficient at all stages of the process,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “This much-needed modernization will support the success of this program and farmers throughout the Garden State for years to come.”
“Modernizing the farmland assessment application process is a critical step in enhancing this decades-old program, enabling more inspections and strengthening the program’s accessibility and integrity,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.
“By reducing paperwork and moving to a streamlined, digital system, staff can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time where it matters most, on the ground stewarding New Jersey’s forest resources,” LaTourette said.
“This is a big step forward in reducing the paperwork many New Jersey farmers face in their operations,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn. “The program will link each farm with all parcels recorded to the owner, reducing the number of forms a producer must file and cutting down on time and paperwork.”
