Bill Text: NJ S1356 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Encourages purchase of "Jersey Fresh" and other NJ agricultural products by State agencies, departments and facilities.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-06-09 - Substituted by A2342 (1R) [S1356 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1356-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Encourages purchase of "Jersey Fresh" and other NJ agricultural products by State agencies, departments and facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the purchase of "Jersey Fresh" and other New Jersey agricultural products, and amending P.L.1999, c.32.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1999, c.32 (C.52:32-1.6) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. The Director of the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury shall, upon consultation with the Department of Agriculture, review and modify all bid and product specifications relating to the purchase of agricultural and horticultural products and commodities, so that the specifications do not discriminate against, but encourage, the maximum purchase of "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey. In purchasing any agricultural or horticultural products or commodities for use by the various agencies and departments of the State government, for the entities defined in section 1 of P.L.1959, c.40 (C.52:27B-56.1), or for any county, municipality or school district pursuant to P.L.1969, c.104 (C.52:25-16.1 et al.), the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property, to the maximum extent possible, shall make contracts available for "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey, unless the director determines it to be inconsistent with the public interest or the cost to be unreasonable. The Department of Agriculture shall provide information regarding the location and time of year "Jersey Fresh," Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey are available to the Division of Purchase and Property.
b. To the extent any agency or department of State government purchases agricultural or horticultural products or commodities other than through or by the Division of Purchase and Property, the agency or department shall follow guidelines therefor to be developed and issued by the Division of Purchase and Property in consultation with the Department of Agriculture. These guidelines shall encourage and promote to the maximum extent practicable the purchase of "Jersey Fresh," Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey.
c. In implementing subsections a. and b. of this section for any agency or department of State government, when entering into or renewing a contract for the purchase of goods or related services, preference shall whenever possible be given to "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey.
In preparing the specifications for any contract for the purchase of goods and services, the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury or any State agency having authority to contract for the purchase of goods or services shall include in the invitation to bid, where relevant, a statement that any response to the invitation that proposes or calls for the use of "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey shall receive preference whenever possible.
d. The Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), any rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.
(cf: P.L.2004, c.4, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would amend current law to direct the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property to, whenever possible, give preference to "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other agricultural food products and commodities grown or raised in New Jersey when entering into or renewing a contract for the purchase of such goods for use by various State agencies, departments and facilities.
"Jersey Fresh" is an advertising and promotional program developed by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in 1983 to draw consumer attention to the availability of New Jersey farm products. Growers who register with the department's quality grading program are allowed to use the "Jersey Fresh" logo on their packages. The logo indicates that the contents have been inspected and meet standards equal to, or better than, U.S. No. 1 or U.S. Grade A. One component of the "Jersey Fresh" program is the "Jersey Grown" logo, which has been developed for nursery plants.
