Bill Text: NJ A4637 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes Department of Agriculture to designate "School of Agriculture for Next Century," to support education, research, and workforce development in advanced agricultural technologies.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee [A4637 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A4637-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes Department of Agriculture to designate "School of Agriculture for Next Century" to support education, research, and workforce development in advanced agricultural technologies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act authorizing the Department of Agriculture to designate a "School of Agriculture for the Next Century" and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats" or "CRISPR" means a gene-editing technology that allows the modification of genetic material or segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), to alter genetic expression, for use in medicine, agriculture, and other industries.
"Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
"Drones" or "unmanned aerial systems" means autonomous or remotely piloted electronic and electromechanical systems, which allow for the operation of an airborne vehicle through a remotely connected command system.
"Light detection and ranging technology" or "LiDAR technology" means the remote-sensing technology used to measure ranges, distances, and movements by targeting an object or surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light or wave of energy to return to the receiver.
"Satellite school" means a public institution of higher education within the State system of higher education, a community college, or an academic program, research center, or extension facility affiliated with an institution of higher education.
2. a. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, shall designate one public or nonpublic institution of higher education, or a school or academic unit within that institution, as "The School of Agriculture for the Next Century."
b. In making a designation pursuant to this section, the department shall consider whether the school demonstrates expertise, instructional capacity, or research activity in emerging and advanced agricultural technologies, including, but not limited to:
(1) unmanned aerial systems, including drones;
(2) artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in agriculture;
(3) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology;
(4) global positioning systems (GPS) and geospatial technologies;
(5) smart irrigation systems and precision water management techniques;
(6) hydroponic, aquaponic, and controlled-environment agriculture systems;
(7) organic and regenerative agricultural practices;
(8) genetic and genomic breeding techniques;
(9) CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies, consistent with applicable law;
(10) agricultural robotics, including both hardware and software systems; and
(11) nanotechnology applications in agriculture, food systems, or environmental management.
c. A designation pursuant to this section shall not create a new public institution or require additional State appropriations unless otherwise provided by law.
3. a. The Department of Agriculture may designate one or more satellite schools for a period of three years to support the mission of the "School of Agriculture for the Next Century."
b. Satellite schools may provide instruction, research, workforce development, or applied training in areas consistent with the focus of the "School of Agriculture for the Next Century."
4. a. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, shall encourage participating institutions to establish academic pathways that allow coursework completed at multiple community colleges to be applied toward a degree program offered by the "School of Agriculture for the Next Century."
b. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of an institution of higher education to determine degree requirements, academic standards, or credit transfer policies.
5. The Department of Agriculture shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to designate an institution of higher education, or a school or academic unit within that institution, as "The School of Agriculture for the Next Century." The purpose of the designation is to promote advanced education, research, and workforce development in emerging agricultural technologies critical to the future competitiveness and sustainability of the State's agricultural sector.
In making a designation, the Department of Agriculture is directed to consider a school's expertise in areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence, LiDAR, GPS and geospatial technologies, smart irrigation, hydroponics, aquaponics, and controlled-environment agricultural practices, organic and regenerative farming, genetic and genomic breeding, CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies, agricultural robotics, and nanotechnology applications in agriculture.
The bill also authorizes the department to designate satellite schools, which may include public institutions of higher education, community colleges, or affiliated academic programs or research centers, to support the mission of the "School of Agriculture for the Next Century" and to expand access to agricultural instruction and training Statewide.
Additionally, the bill encourages the development of academic pathways that allow coursework completed at multiple community colleges to count toward a degree program offered by the designated school, while preserving institutional authority over academic standards and degree requirements.
