Bill Text: NJ A2623 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
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-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education 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. The Department of Agriculture shall develop a "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program" and, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations for its implementation, including, but not necessarily limited to, rules and regulations that:
(1) provide encouragement for 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, fruit or other products;
(2) establish a bidding matrix that provides for public institutions of higher education to purchase New Jersey grown food and allows them to 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 the procurement of locally grown or produced farm produce, fruit or other products for use in meals; and
(4) create a public directory for New Jersey farmers with contact information of purchasing agents at public institutions of higher education, and another public directory for purchasers with information about qualified New Jersey farmers and distributors.
b. (1) The Department of Agriculture shall establish a "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education" website that 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.
The department shall include on the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education" website 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 entered into and successfully implemented by a public institution of higher education.
(2) The department shall post, in a prominent location on the homepage of its Internet website, a hyperlink that provides visitors with direct access to the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education" website established pursuant to this subsection.
c. The Secretary of Agriculture may solicit and accept contributions from private and public sources for the purpose of providing support to help fund the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program," which encourages public institutions of higher education to purchase produce from local farmers to incorporate in meals throughout the growing season, and to increase the amount of local fresh produce available for consumption by students.
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.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program" in the Department of Agriculture. The bill requires the department to adopt regulations that: (1) provide encouragement for 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, fruit or other products; (2) establish a bidding matrix that provides for public institutions of higher education to purchase New Jersey grown food and allows them to 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 the procurement of locally grown or produced farm produce, fruit or other products for use in meals; and (4) create a public directory for New Jersey farmers with contact information of purchasing agents at public institutions of higher education, and another public directory for purchasers with information about qualified New Jersey farmers and distributors.
The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program" website that provides information on the program, and includes 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 entered into and successfully implemented by a public institution of higher education.
Finally, the bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to solicit and accept contributions from private and public sources for the purpose of providing support to help fund the "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program," which encourages public institutions of higher education to purchase produce from local farmers to incorporate in meals throughout the growing season, and to increase the amount of local fresh produce available for consumption by students.
