New Jersey-2022-A4763-Introduced

An Act concerning the effects of climate change on crop growth, supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

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

1. a. There is established in the Department of Agriculture the "Climate-Resilient Crop Grant Program," to provide grants to owners of vertical farms in the State to study the viability of growing climate-resilient crop species in the State. The department shall award grants of between $50,000 and $100,000, for up to 100 percent of total project costs. The department shall award grants to eligible persons only for projects that simulate the climactic and soil conditions that are likely to result from climate change in the State, and provide data on the viability of one or more climate-resilient crops, which can be used to establish best practices for the growth of climate-resilient crops outdoors in the State.

b. Eligible costs to be funded by a grant under the program shall include the purchase of the seeds or seedlings of climate-resilient crops, any equipment or supplies necessary to plant, maintain, and harvest those crops, and any other costs established as eligible costs pursuant to rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection e. of this section.

c. An owner of a vertical farm shall be eligible for a grant, and may apply in the form and manner prescribed by the department, if:

(1) the vertical farm is located wholly within the State; and

(2) the vertical farm has a minimum of $10,000 in gross sales in the preceding calendar year from agricultural or horticultural products grown or derived from the applicant's farm operation as reflected in either personal or business federal tax return forms.

d. The Department of Agriculture shall request annually as part of its annual budget proposal a minimum of $200,000 to fund the grants authorized pursuant to this section. The department shall also pursue and develop, with the Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Department of Agriculture, and any other applicable State or federal agency, any available federal, State, local, and private funding for the grants authorized pursuant to this section.

e. The Department of Agriculture shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement this act, including, but not limited to, establishing other costs as eligible costs in addition to those established in section b. of this section.

f. As used in this section:

"Climate-resilient crop" means an agricultural or horticultural product that is adapted to produce yields under extreme weather events, temperature changes, or other effects likely to be caused by climate change, as compared with the crops commonly grown in the State.

"Vertical farm" means an indoor commercial facility that produces food in vertically stacked layers, and that utilizes controlled-environment agriculture technology such that all environmental factors can be controlled by the operator of the vertical farm.

2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture a sum of $200,000 for costs associated with the grant program established pursuant to section 1 of this act.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would establish the "Climate-Resilient Crop Grant Program" in the Department of Agriculture. The program would provide grants to owners of vertical farms in the State to study the viability of growing climate-resilient crop species in the State.

As used in the bill: "climate-resilient crop" means an agricultural or horticultural product that is adapted to produce yields under extreme weather events, temperature changes, or other effects likely to be caused by climate change, as compared with the crops commonly grown in the State; and "vertical farm" means an indoor commercial facility that produces food in vertically stacked layers, and that utilizes controlled-environment agriculture technology such that all environmental factors can be controlled by the operator of the vertical farm.

The Department of Agriculture would provide grants of between $50,000 and $100,000, for up to 100 percent of total project costs to persons that apply successfully for a grant. The bill would establish certain eligibility criteria for the grant program, including that the project simulate the climactic and soil conditions that are likely to result from climate change in the State, and provide data on the viability of one or more climate-resilient crops, which can be used to establish best practices for the growth of climate-resilient crops outdoors in the State. The bill would also direct the Department of Agriculture to request annually, as part of its annual budget proposal, a minimum of $200,000 to fund the grants. The bill would appropriate $200,000 to fund the first round of grants. Finally, the bill would require the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules and regulations to implement the program.