Bill Text: NJ A5112 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates Ethnic Produce Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee [A5112 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A5112-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Creates Ethnic Produce Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating the Ethnic Produce Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is created, within the Department of Agriculture, the "Ethnic Produce Task Force."
b. The task force shall consist of nine members. Five members shall be appointed by the Governor, of whom two shall be representatives of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association, one shall be a representative of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, one shall be a representative of the State Board of Agriculture, and one shall be a person active in the food processing industry. Two members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, of whom one shall be a farmer actively engaged in agricultural or horticultural production, selected from a list of three candidates proposed by the State Board of Agriculture, and one shall be a representative of retail grocery stores; and two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, of whom one shall be a farmer actively engaged in agricultural or horticultural production, selected from a list of three candidates proposed by the State Board of Agriculture, and one shall be a representative of retail grocery stores. The Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint a chairperson of the task force from among its members and the task force shall appoint a vice-chairperson from among its members.
c. Any vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
d. The task force shall organize within three months after the appointment of a majority of its members and shall convene a minimum of three times.
e. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
f. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum, and no action of the task force shall be taken except upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the entire task force.
g. The Department of Agriculture shall provide primary staff support to the task force.
2. The Ethnic Produce Task Force shall, within one year after the appointment of a majority of its members:
a. study and analyze economic data relating to demand for ethnic produce in New Jersey;
b. determine which types of ethnic produce can be grown and harvested in New Jersey;
c. identify businesses that need locally grown ethnic produce;
d. publicize the advantages of using fresh locally grown ethnic produce to ethnic food preparers;
e. develop recommendations on strategies to increase sales and consumption of ethnic produce;
f. examine, consider, and make recommendations to New Jersey farmers to grow and harvest certain ethnic produce; and
g. submit to the Secretary of Agriculture a report with any recommendations to farmers regarding the demand to grow and harvest certain ethnic produce in New Jersey. A copy of the report shall be transmitted to the Legislature in accordance with the requirements of section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on the 30th day after submission by the task force of its report.
STATEMENT
The bill would create a nine-member "Ethnic Produce Task Force" within the Department of Agriculture.
New Jersey is one of the most ethnically diverse states in the nation. With this diversity comes the potential for farmers to grow and sell new varieties of produce to consumers if they know and understand the demand. This legislation is intended to help growers learn of the market demands of all consumers and improve the viability of farms in the State.
The membership of the task force would be as follows:
(1) Five members would be appointed by the Governor: two representing the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association; one representing the New Jersey Farm Bureau; one representing the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and one person active in the food processing industry; and
(2) The remaining four members would be appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly. The two members appointed by the President of the Senate would be required to include a farmer actively engaged in agricultural or horticultural production, selected from a list of three candidates proposed by the State Board of Agriculture, and a representative of retail grocery stores. The two members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly would be required to include a farmer actively engaged in agricultural or horticultural production, selected from a list of three candidates proposed by the State Board of Agriculture, and a representative of retail grocery stores.
The Secretary of Agriculture would appoint a chairperson of the task force from among its members and the task force would appoint a vice-chairperson from among its members. The Ethnic Produce Task Force would be required to, within one year after the appointment of a majority of its members:
(1) study and analyze economic data relating to demand for ethnic produce in New Jersey;
(2) determine which types of ethnic produce can be grown and harvested in New Jersey;
(3) identify businesses that need locally grown ethnic produce;
(4) publicize the advantages of using fresh locally grown ethnic produce to ethnic food preparers;
(5) develop recommendations on strategies to increase sales and consumption of ethnic produce;
(6) examine, consider, and make recommendations to New Jersey farmers to grow and harvest certain ethnic produce; and
(7) submit to the Secretary of Agriculture a report with any recommendations to farmers regarding the demand to grow and harvest certain ethnic produce in New Jersey.
