Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblyman ROBERT D. CLIFTON
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Jersey Vines Program" in Department of Agriculture.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the promotion of wine produced in New Jersey, 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. The Secretary of Agriculture, in conjunction with the State Board of Agriculture, shall develop and implement a "Jersey Vines Program" to encourage, advertise, and promote the sale of wine produced in the State by plenary winery and farm winery licensees licensed pursuant to R.S.33:1-10. The wines promoted by the program shall be produced using grapes, fruits, and other ingredients that are cultivated and grown in the State.
b. The Jersey Vines Program shall:
(1) increase consumer awareness of the New Jersey wine industry;
(2) organize advertising campaigns and create marketing programs that promote wine produced in the State;
(3) disseminate information about the variety and availability of wine produced in the State;
(4) disseminate information about wineries, vineyards, and farms in the State that produce wine, or that cultivate and grow grapes, fruits, and other ingredients used in wine produced in the State; and
(5) create a labeling program, similar to the Jersey Fresh labeling program, to identify wine produced in the State as "Jersey Vines" wine.
c. The Department of Agriculture shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in conjunction with the State Board of Agriculture, to develop and implement a "Jersey Vines Program" to encourage, advertise, and promote the sale of wine produced in the State by plenary winery and farm winery licensees. The wines promoted by the program would be produced using grapes, fruits, and other ingredients that are cultivated and grown in New Jersey.
The Jersey Vines Program would increase consumer awareness of the New Jersey wine industry, organize advertising campaigns and create marketing programs to promote wine produced in the State, disseminate information about the variety and availability of wine produced in the State, disseminate information about certain wineries, vineyards, and farms in the State, and create a labeling program (similar to the "Jersey Fresh" program) to identify wine produced in the State as "Jersey Vines" wine.