Bill Text: NJ AJR89 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizes 100th anniversary of NJ Dept. of Agriculture.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-3)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-11-03 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [AJR89 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AJR89-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BOB ANDRZEJCZAK
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman R. BRUCE LAND
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman ADAM J. TALIAFERRO
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Recognizes 100th anniversary of NJ Dept. of Agriculture.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Whereas, Agriculture has been a key part of New Jersey's economy since the earliest Native American settlements, laying the foundation for what would become the United States; and
Whereas, The importance of agriculture to the State is reflected in its nickname the "Garden State," and the State's agriculture and food industry is valued in the billions of dollars; and
Whereas, The State's agricultural production industry includes fruit and vegetable crops, nursery stock, greenhouse plants, sod, Christmas trees, field crops, equine, seafood, dairy, wineries, breweries, distilleries, beekeeping, and other categories of agricultural enterprises; and
Whereas, New Jersey is also among the national leaders in the production of certain crops, ranking among the top 10 states in the production of cranberries, bell peppers, spinach, peaches, blueberries, cucumbers, sweet corn, squash, tomatoes, snap beans, and cabbage; and
Whereas, In order to foster growth, development, regulation, and refinement of agricultural enterprises in the State, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) was established in 1916; and
Whereas, The NJDA, and its policy-making body, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture, work in conjunction with a variety of partners such as Rutgers, the State University, the New Jersey Farm Bureau, the New Jersey Agricultural Society, the New Jersey Food Council, and other groups representing the many agricultural commodities, to improve the production and quality of New Jersey agricultural products; and
Whereas, The NJDA is a national innovator, and is one of only three state agriculture departments that currently administer school breakfast and lunch programs; and
Whereas, In 1984, the NJDA created the first in the nation state-sponsored agricultural branding program, Jersey Fresh, in order to distinguish the high quality of New Jersey produced fruits and vegetables from others in the marketplace; and
Whereas, This State-sponsored branding program was later expanded to include Jersey Grown for nursery crops, Jersey Seafood for aquacultured and wild-caught fish and shellfish, Jersey Equine for equine livestock, and Made with Jersey Fresh for processed food made with New Jersey sourced agricultural products; and
Whereas, The NJDA continues to lead the State's agricultural community in maximizing the output in all sectors of New Jersey agriculture; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of the State of New Jersey recognize the 100th anniversary of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and commend the hard work of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, and its policy-making body, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture in promoting agriculture so effectively in the "Garden State."
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Secretary of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the President of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution recognizes the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) on its 100th anniversary and commends the hard work of the NJDA, and its policy-making body, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture in promoting agriculture so effectively in the "Garden State."
Agriculture has been a key part of New Jersey's economy since the earliest Native American settlements which lay the foundation for what would become the United States. The importance of agriculture to the State is reflected in its nickname the "Garden State," and the State's agriculture and food industry is valued in the billions of dollars. The State's agricultural production industry includes fruit and vegetable crops, nursery stock, greenhouse plants, sod, Christmas trees, field crops, equine, seafood, dairy, wineries, breweries, distilleries, beekeeping, and other categories of agricultural enterprises.
In order to foster growth, regulation, development, and refinement of agricultural enterprises in the State, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) was established in 1916. The NJDA, and its policy-making body, the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture, work in conjunction with a variety of partners such as Rutgers, the State University, the New Jersey Farm Bureau, the New Jersey Agricultural Society, the New Jersey Food Council, and other groups representing the many agricultural commodities, to improve the production and quality of New Jersey agricultural products.
The NJDA is a national innovator, and is one of only three state agriculture departments that currently administer school breakfast and lunch programs. In 1984, the NJDA created the first in the nation state-sponsored agricultural branding program, Jersey Fresh, in order to distinguish the high quality of New Jersey produced fruits and vegetables from others in the marketplace. This State-sponsored branding program was later expanded to include Jersey Grown for nursery crops, Jersey Seafood for aquacultured and wild-caught fish and shellfish, Jersey Equine for equine livestock, and Made with Jersey Fresh for processed food made with New Jersey sourced agricultural products.
