Bill Text: NJ A2623 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program."

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-09-22 - Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [A2623 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-A2623-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2623

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 14, 2022

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ROY FREIMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblyman  PARKER SPACE

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Spearman

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education] Farm-to-College¹ Program."

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Agriculture and Food Security Committee on September 22, 2022, with amendments.

  

An Act establishing the "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education] Farm-to-College¹ Program," and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

      1.   a.  ¹As used in this section:

      "Authority" means the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).

      "Public institution of higher education" means the same as that term is defined in N.J.S.18A:62-1.

      b.¹  The ¹[Department of Agriculture] authority¹ shall ¹[develop] establish and implement¹ a "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education] Farm-to-College¹ Program" and, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), ¹shall¹ adopt rules and regulations for ¹[its] the program's¹ implementation, including, but not ¹[necessarily]¹ limited to, rules and regulations that:

      (1)  ¹[provide encouragement for] encourage¹ public institutions of higher education that provide meal programs to expand or improve their kitchen facilities to allow for the daily production of meals that incorporate more fresh, locally grown or produced farm produce, fruit¹,¹ or other products;

      (2)  establish a bidding matrix ¹[that provides for] pursuant to which¹ public institutions of higher education ¹[to] may¹ purchase New Jersey grown food and ¹[allows them to]¹ adopt price preferences for local agricultural and farm products;

      (3)  in conjunction with the Secretary of Higher Education, develop ways in which public institutions of higher education can increase ¹[the] their¹ procurement of locally grown or produced farm produce, fruit¹,¹ or other products for use in meals; and

      (4)  create a public directory for New Jersey farmers ¹[with], which contains the¹ contact information of purchasing agents at public institutions of higher education, and ¹[another] a separate¹ public directory for purchasers ¹[with], which contains relevant¹ information about qualified New Jersey farmers and distributors.

      ¹[b.] c.¹    (1)  The ¹[Department of Agriculture] authority¹ shall establish ¹[a] an Internet website for the¹ "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education" website that] Farm-to-College Program," which¹ shall be designed to:

      (a)  provide opportunities for the establishment of purchasing networks between and among farmers, distributors, and public institutions of higher education;

      (b)  facilitate the development and refinement of promotional events in association with "Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week"; and

      (c)  provide for the dissemination of information about, and the website-based promotion of, these and other related events.

      ¹(2)¹  The ¹[department] authority¹ shall include¹,¹ on the ¹["New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education"] program¹ website ¹established pursuant to this subsection,¹ a copy of any public contract or other written agreement for the purchase of fresh foods and the provision thereof to students, which has been ¹[entered into] executed¹ and successfully implemented by a public institution of higher education.

      ¹[(2)] (3)¹  The ¹[department] authority¹ shall post, in a prominent location on the homepage of ¹[its] the authority's¹ Internet website, a hyperlink that provides visitors with direct access to the "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education] Farm-to-College Program¹" website established pursuant to this subsection.

      ¹[c.] d.¹    The ¹[Secretary of Agriculture] authority¹ may solicit and accept contributions¹,¹ from private and public sources ¹[for the purpose of providing support to help fund], in order to finance¹ the "New Jersey ¹[Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education] Farm-to-College¹ Program¹[,]¹" ¹[which encourages] and otherwise encourage¹ public institutions of higher education to purchase produce from local farmers ¹[to incorporate in], throughout the growing season, for incorporation into¹ meals ¹[throughout the growing season]¹, and to ¹take other appropriate steps to¹ increase the amount of local¹,¹ fresh produce ¹that is¹ available for consumption by students.

     ¹[d.  As used in this section, "public institution of higher education" means Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, the State colleges or universities, and public research universities established pursuant to chapter 64 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.]¹

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.