New Jersey Farms: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
New Jersey farms work some of the most expensive, most crowded farmland in the country, yet the state is known for blueberries, cranberries, peaches, tomatoes and nursery and greenhouse crops. The USDA Census of Agriculture counts fewer than 10,000 farms in the state, most of them small, so success here depends on high-value crops, direct sales and protecting land from development.
| Farms and land in farms | Fewer than 10,000 farms on well under a million acres; average farm size under 100 acres (USDA Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Nursery and greenhouse crops, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, tomatoes and other vegetables, horses, dairy |
| Market value of ag products sold | See the NASS Census of Agriculture state profile for the latest figure |
| State agriculture department | New Jersey Department of Agriculture |
| Land-grant extension | Rutgers Cooperative Extension, part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station |
| Farm Bureau | New Jersey Farm Bureau |
Agriculture in New Jersey: A Short History
New Jersey earned the Garden State name by feeding the cities of New York and Philadelphia. Farms in the south grew vegetables and fruit for those markets, the Pine Barrens supported cranberries and blueberries, and northern counties such as Sussex and Hunterdon kept dairies, orchards and hay. Some families, such as the Melicks of Oldwick, trace roots in the state to the early 1700s.
Today development pressure shapes the story. Farmland preservation, which pays landowners to keep land in agriculture permanently, is a defining state program, and many producers such as Viereck Farms in Gloucester County operate largely on preserved ground. The New Jersey Agricultural Society, which has honored century-old farms, and the State Board of Agriculture's annual convention, which reached its 100th year recently, keep the farm community connected.
How Farms in New Jersey Make Money
Commodity sales
Nursery, greenhouse and horticulture crops are among the state's largest sales categories, followed by fruit and vegetables. Blueberries and cranberries are signature crops, supported by Rutgers research at the Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension. Greenhouse growers like Barlow's Flower Farm show how retail annuals can be a large business on small acreage.
Value-added and direct sales
Close to millions of consumers, New Jersey farms sell directly at farm markets, pick-your-own, CSAs and farmers' markets. The state's Jersey Fresh marketing program promotes local produce. Melick's Town Farm uses markets, pick-your-own, a CSA and hard cider to capture more of the retail dollar.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Farm tours, events and fairs add income and public goodwill. Dairies such as By-Acre Holsteins in Wantage combine milk sales with greenhouse sales, tours and community events. Rented acreage also lets operators expand without buying land at New Jersey prices.
Agriculture Strategy for New Jersey Farms
Soils, water and climate
Southern New Jersey has sandy coastal plain soils that suit blueberries, cranberries and vegetables but require careful irrigation and nutrient management. Northern counties have heavier, rockier soils suited to hay, pasture and orchards. Rutgers extension and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service can help growers with soil testing, irrigation scheduling and conservation planning.
Production and risk
With high land costs, producers should favor high-value crops and protected culture. Viereck Farms grows tomatoes in high tunnels to extend the season and improve quality. Crop insurance through the USDA Risk Management Agency and conservation cost-share through NRCS help manage weather and price risk.
Technology and inputs
Integrated pest management, drip irrigation and precise nutrient applications reduce input costs on small acreage. Rutgers publishes pest management guidance and holds grower meetings for fruit and vegetable producers.
Farm Business Strategy in New Jersey
Margins and markets
Wholesale buyers in the region provide volume, while farm markets and farmers' markets provide margin. Many successful New Jersey farms split sales across both channels so no single buyer controls their income.
Land, credit and succession
Farmland preservation, leasing and the USDA Farm Service Agency's loan programs help farms access land and capital. Farm Credit East serves New Jersey producers. Families such as the Byma dairy family formed a partnership in 2007 to bring the next generation in, which shows how formal succession planning supports continuity.
Marketing and diversification
Awards and community presence help farms market themselves. County fairs, school tours and events build customer loyalty, while a ripening calendar or social media keeps customers informed. Diversifying by season, as orchards do with apples, peaches, strawberries and pumpkins, smooths cash flow.
Farm Insight: New Jersey Trends to Watch
Watch preservation funding, labor costs and the continuing shift toward direct marketing and agritourism. Century Farm recognitions show that farms last when they adapt, and the profiled operations show a pattern of protected land, value-added products and family succession.
Growers should also track Rutgers research on blueberry and cranberry varieties and disease, since new cultivars can change which acres stay profitable.
New Jersey farmers spend their lives explaining that yes, the state has farms, and yes, the tomatoes are better. Readers who enjoy farm.FM know that farm satire from the Garden State practically writes itself, since farm humor is at its best near a turnpike exit. Our ranch humor desk admits there are few ranches in Jersey, but the farm jokes about stopping traffic for a tractor are plentiful.
The outlet behind those laughs, farm.FM, is the nation's first satirical farm site, complete with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers. A farm.FM humorist's archive shows what a week of it looks like.
Elite Farms and Ranches in New Jersey
These 4 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in New Jersey
- Barlow's Flower FarmElite operation. Wall Township, New Jersey. Barlow's Flower Farm, Wall Township NJ: founded 1983, 28 growing greenhouses, one of New Jersey's largest retail annual growers. History, income, lessons.
- By-Acre HolsteinsElite operation. Wantage, New Jersey. By-Acre Holsteins, Wantage NJ: four-generation Sussex County dairy named 2025 New Jersey Farmers of the Year. History, herd, revenue streams and lessons.
- Melick's Town FarmElite operation. Oldwick, New Jersey. Melick's Town Farm, Oldwick NJ: tenth-generation, 650-acre fruit farm and self-described largest NJ apple grower. History, revenue streams, lessons, contact.
- Viereck FarmsElite operation. Woolwich Township, New Jersey. Viereck Farms, Gloucester County NJ: 800-acre, fourth-generation produce farm and 2025 Century Farm Award winner. History, revenue streams and lessons.
Who to Contact in New Jersey: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- NASS New Jersey Field Office - State agriculture statistics from the NJ Department of Agriculture
- Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research - Rutgers research and extension on NJ berry crops
- Rutgers beginning farmer resources - University guidance for new New Jersey growers
- New Jersey Farm Bureau (NJDA listing) - State Board of Agriculture listing for the NJ Farm Bureau
- USDA FSA New Jersey - Farm Service Agency programs and loans for New Jersey
- New Jersey Agricultural Society - Century Farm Award and other farm recognition
- USDA Census of Agriculture - Official state and county farm data
New Jersey Farming FAQ
How many farms are in New Jersey?
The Census of Agriculture counts fewer than 10,000, with an average size under 100 acres. See the NASS Census for the current number.
What are New Jersey's signature crops?
Blueberries, cranberries, peaches, tomatoes and other vegetables, plus nursery and greenhouse crops.
How do New Jersey farms stay profitable?
Through high-value crops, direct sales, agritourism, protected culture and preserved land.
Which elite New Jersey farms are profiled here?
Melick's Town Farm, By-Acre Holsteins, Viereck Farms and Barlow's Flower Farm.
New Jersey farms show that small acreage can be built into strong businesses with good markets, land security and family planning. See the profiled operations below, including Melick's Town Farm and By-Acre Holsteins.