Bill Text: NJ A4997 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Makes FY2025 supplemental appropriation of $2 million from General Fund to Department of Agriculture in support of Northeast Organic Farming Association for certain programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-10-24 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee [A4997 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4997-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Makes FY2025 supplemental appropriation of $2 million from General Fund to Department of Agriculture in support of Northeast Organic Farming Association for certain programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, P.L.2024, c.22.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2024, c.22, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purposes specified:
10 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
40 Community Development and Environmental Management
49 Agricultural Resources, Planning, and Regulation
GRANTS-IN-AID
05-3350 Food and Nutrition Services .............................. $2,000,000
Total Grants-in-Aid Appropriation,
Agricultural Resources, Planning, and Regulation $2,000,000
Grants-in-Aid:
05 Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey ......($2,000,000)
Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or regulation to the contrary, the amount hereinabove appropriated for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey shall be directly distributed as follows: $750,000 for grants for critical on-farm infrastructure and farm viability projects; $350,000 for an on-farm processing and equipment lending program; $300,000 for value-added processing education and technical assistance programs; $300,000 for a Statewide bulk supplies purchasing program; $150,000 for technical support to organic, regenerative, beginning and underserved farmers; $100,000 for grant writing education and technical assistance; and $50,000 to provide support for Hispanic farming communities.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill supplements the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Act to make an additional appropriation of $2 million from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture, to be distributed to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA NJ).
NOFA NJ is a Statewide organization serving organic, regenerative, beginning, and underserved farmers in New Jersey, with programming and services that meet the community's needs. NOFA NJ's work supports all farmers and participants in the food system, increasing opportunities for collaboration and engagement between a wide variety of stakeholders and producers.
The $2 million supplemental appropriation is required to be used for the following programs in the designated amounts:
· $750,000 for mini-grants for critical on-farm infrastructure and farm viability projects to continue a mini-grant program established in February 2024;
· $350,000 for an on-farm processing and equipment lending program;
· $300,000 for value-added processing education and technical assistance programs to provide comprehensive education and services such as product development, marketing, labeling, profitability studies, food handling hazard analysis, and miscellaneous technical support services;
· $300,000 for a Statewide bulk supplies purchasing program;
· $150,000 to provide technical support to organic, regenerative, beginning and underserved farmers;
· $100,000 for grant writing education and technical assistance; and
· $50,000 to support Hispanic farming communities in the State.
