Bill Text: NJ A3444 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Organic Farming Board in Department of Agriculture.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-01-10 - Approved P.L.2022, c.141. [A3444 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A3444-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Organic Farming Advisory Board in Department of Agriculture.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning organic farming and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established in the Division of Marketing and Development in the Department of Agriculture the Organic Farming Advisory Board.
a. The purpose of the board shall be to advise the Department of Agriculture on topics related to organic farming, including the certification program established pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (4:10-79), the federal organic farming certification program implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture, best practices for organic farming, incentives to encourage more organic farming in the State, and new techniques to carry out organic farming.
b. The board shall consist of seven members as follows:
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary's designee, who shall serve ex officio as chairperson; and
(2) six public members, to be appointed by the Governor, with experience or expertise in organic farming. To the maximum extent practicable and feasible, the public members shall be chosen to provide geographical representation.
c. The public members shall serve for terms of three years and may be reappointed and may serve until a successor has been appointed. Of the public members first appointed, two shall be appointed for terms of three years, two shall be appointed for terms of two years, and two shall be appointed for a term of one year. Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.
d. The board shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of a majority of its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the board. The board shall meet at the call of the chairperson, or when requested by a majority of its members, at those times and places within the State as the chairperson shall determine.
e. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the board.
f. The board 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.
g. The Department of Agriculture shall provide staff support to the board.
h. Every three years, the board shall submit a written report on the status of organic farming in the State, including any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action, to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall also be posted on the Department of Agriculture 's Internet website.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish an Organic Farming Advisory Board in the Department of Agriculture (DOA). The purpose of the board would be to advise the DOA on topics related to organic farming. The board would consist of the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary's designee, who would serve ex officio as chairperson, and six public members, to be appointed by the Governor, with experience or expertise in organic farming. The public members would serve without compensation.
The bill would also direct the board to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature every three years on the status of organic farming in the State, including any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action.
Organic farming, also known as organic agriculture, is a process of growing agricultural products through farming techniques that help ensure the health and well-being of the soil, plants, animals, and people. The National Organic Program (NOP) is a regulatory program within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service responsible for developing national standards for organically produced agricultural products. The certification program ensures organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and the use of additives. In 2003, the DOA established the State's organic certification program, which complies with NOP's standards. The DOA is the only accredited national organic certification agent in the State and has certified approximately 60 farms in the State.
The ecologically protective practices of organic farming contribute to enhanced ecosystem services and benefit water quality, soil health, and biodiversity. Furthermore, organic farmers feed the soil with organic matter instead of ammonia and other synthetic fertilizers, which has been shown to increase nutrient levels in produce.
