Right to Farm in New Jersey (2026)

10 rules on the books across New Jersey, 7 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Farm Nuisance Protection

Whether established farms are shielded from nuisance lawsuits and from local ordinances that would restrict their operations.

The New Jersey Right to Farm Act (N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1 et seq.) shields eligible commercial farms from nuisance suits and…

Mercer County has no standalone right-to-farm ordinance of its own; instead the County Agricultural Development Board…

Freehold Township recognizes farming as a natural right and a permitted use townshipwide under Township Code § 265-1…

Hamilton's right-to-farm ordinance protects recognized farming activities, including normal noise, dust and odor from…

Toms River Township Code § 348-5.25.1 shields active farming from nuisance complaints townshipwide, declaring farming a…

State rules that limit how cities and counties may zone or restrict agricultural land uses, including livestock and crop operations.

Cherry Hill Township maintains a dedicated Residential Agriculture (RA) zoning district under § 40-402, intended for…

Lakewood Township, Ocean County, sets aside a dedicated Agricultural (A-1) zoning district under UDO § 18-902A that…

Newark permits Urban Farm as a principal use by right in every residential zone, R-1 through R-6, under Table 4-1 of…

Toms River Township permits crop farms in any zoning district, but farm buildings must sit back at least 100 feet from…

Hamilton Township's right-to-farm ordinance, § 550-136, protects established farming practices in the RRC and R-15…