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TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) appointed Charles “Chuck” Roohr as its new Executive Director during a special SADC meeting on Wednesday, February 12.
Chuck has been with the SADC since 2000 and has worked extensively in all aspects of the Farmland Preservation Program (FPP), including the Right to Farm program, acquiring easements and purchasing and reselling farms in fee simple, and stewardship of preserved farmland. Chuck has also led the effort to develop the SADC’s new “Statewide Formula Value,” an alternative method to value farmland other than traditional appraisals by taking into account other attributes such as soil quality, size, proximity to preserved land, natural resources, and the rate of inflation.
Since 2019, Chuck has been the SADC’s Chief of Agriculture Resources, responsible for managing all post-preservation aspects of preserved farmland, including applications for solar installations, agricultural labor housing, house replacement, and division of preserved farms. He has also led the development and implementation of programs to support New Jersey’s agricultural businesses, including deer fencing, soil and water cost-share grants, and the SADC’s one-time “business development” grant program. In 2022, he was also named the SADC Deputy Executive Director, and since June 2024, he has covered the SADC’s Executive Director responsibilities after long-time executive director Susan Payne retired.
Chuck was born and raised on his family’s Central Jersey farm, which specializes in vegetables, fruit, grain, and pheasants. His first-hand knowledge of the challenges of operating a farm in New Jersey, coupled with his over two decades of work within the SADC, uniquely positions him to lead the agency’s future. He has continued to farm nights and weekends actively throughout his professional career.
“Chuck’s program experience, excellent customer service skills, farming background, and ability to communicate effectively with the agricultural community and government agencies alike make him an ideal candidate for the position of Executive Director,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture and Chairman of the State Agriculture Development Committee, Ed Wengryn. “As we look to the future of the preservation program and emphasize farm viability, Chuck has working knowledge on how best to not only sustainably manage the land, but find opportunities to build and sustain the business of agriculture here in the Garden State.”
The New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) administers New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation Program, Right to Farm, Agricultural Mediation, and Agricultural Development grants to preserved farm owners and operators.
To date, 2,890 farms covering 252,979 acres have been preserved under the New Jersey State Farmland Preservation Program. To learn more about preservation and the SADC,
visit: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/farmpreserve/