Bill Text: NJ A4796 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Cheese Promotion Council in Department of Agriculture.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee [A4796 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4796-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Cheese Promotion Council in Department of Agriculture.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a Cheese Promotion Council in the Department of Agriculture 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. There is established in the Department of Agriculture the Cheese Promotion Council.
b. The purpose of the council shall be to identify the needs and priorities relating to the cheese and dairy industries in the State, promote a well-integrated local dairy farming economy, and support the efforts of local dairy farmers.
c. The council shall be comprised of five members. One member shall be the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall serve ex officio, or the Secretary's designee. Four members shall be private citizens, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, and shall include:
(1) one member of the dairy farming industry;
(2) two cheese makers or distributors; and
(3) one artisanal cheese maker.
d. The public members of the council shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the council for its purposes.
e. Members of the task force shall serve for terms of one year. Each public member shall hold office for the term of the appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancies in the task force membership shall be filled in the same manner as provided for the original appointment, and public members shall be eligible for reappointment to the task force following the conclusion of their terms.
f. The council shall organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 60 days following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the council.
g. The council may meet at the call of its chair and hold hearings at the times and in the places it deems appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge, but no less than twice per year. The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
h. The council may seek the advice of experts, such as persons specializing in the field of agriculture, education, law, human services, economic development, workforce development, or other related fields, as deemed appropriate by the membership of the council.
i. The Department of Agriculture shall provide staff services to the council as necessary.
j. The council shall:
(1) actively engage with farmers in the State to determine what types of assistance might facilitate the economic viability of dairy farming and cheese making operations, connect dairy farmers to cheese distributors in the State, and inform labor chain participants of the laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives that are designed to assist farmers in enhancing the interconnection of operations between producers and distributors;
(2) apply for, and accept, any grant of money from the federal government, private foundations, or other sources, which may be available for programs related to cheese making;
(3) when feasible and within the limits of available funding, provide grants to farms and small businesses to establish, expand, or improve dairy and cheese production;
(4) review the programs, policies, and initiatives of the Departments of Agriculture, Human Services, Labor and Workforce Development, and any other department or agency of State government or any local organization, as appropriate, that concern the cheese industry, and make recommendations to the departments, agencies, and organizations that will enable them to better coordinate and improve the effectiveness of cheese marketing and distribution; and
(5) develop a written report that identifies the needs, economic concerns, and practical problems affecting the cheese industry in the State to be annually submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature. The report shall include the following information;
(a) the number, location, and total acreage of farms cultivating and distributing dairy used for cheese in the State;
(b) the number, location, and economic output of cheese shops in the State;
(c) any current economic data and significant market trends related to cheeses in the State, including changes in expenses, revenues or consumer behaviors;
(d) the existing laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and any other department or agency of State government or any local organization, as appropriate, that concern the cheese industry, in order to make recommendations to the departments, agencies, and organizations that will enhance the coordination and effectiveness of dairy marketing and distribution;
(e) the annual activities of the council; and
(f) any recommendations for the adoption, revision, repeal of laws, rules, regulations, policies, standards, procedures, plans, programs, or guidelines which might promote and enhance the viability of cheeses in the State.
k. The council shall convene an annual, public forum to advertise and discuss issues relating to the cheese industry, and to develop strategies to promote the types of cheese available throughout the State. The convention may feature local dairy producers and cheese manufacturers in the State, in an effort to increase public awareness of local cheese producers.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a five member Cheese Promotion Council in the Department of Agriculture. The council's purpose is to advertise locally produced cheeses and develop recommendations to develop, promote, and support collaboration throughout the dairy and cheese production chains.
The bill assigns several responsibilities to the council, including: (1) serving as an information and advisory resource for data and information on local cheeses; (2) reviewing State laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives that may affect dairy farmers and cheese producers; (3) coordinating the receipt and distribution of grants to small businesses to encourage local cheese production; (4) drafting a report on economic conditions of the cheese and dairy industry; and (5) organizing a State convention to promote cheese.
Finally, the bill requires the council to report annually to the Governor and Legislature on the activities of the Council and its findings and recommendations regarding the coordination and effectiveness of the State cheese industry.
The dairy industry in New Jersey contributes $22 million to the economy annually, producing 120 million pounds of milk. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Census, 69 farms across New Jersey distributed, stored, or sold milk or cheese products in 2017. New Jersey's farms are the fourth-smallest in the United States, averaging 76 acres. These farms may produce cheese made from a variety of livestock - including goats, sheep, buffalo, yak, and cows. A labor-intensive process, cheese making requires 10 pounds of milk in order to yield only one pound of cheese.
