Gloucester County is the first county in the state to be awarded a maximum $5 million for farmland preservation this year.

The county hopes to block development by preserving nine farms with that state money.

Burlington and Camden counties have eached received $2 million for farmland preservation so far. The two counties are in the running for an available $9.2 million in additional funding under this first-year preservation program administered by the State AGriculture Development Committee.

The SADC hopes to implement the program again for each of the next three years, but funding is uncertain.

A bill in the state Legislature calls for a Garden State Preservation Trust bond issue of $600 million that, in part, would fund the SADC program. Lawmakers are expected to vote on the bond issue by July 1.

CourierPostOnline.com will post additional information as it becomes available.