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A4286 • 2026

Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.

Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture Budget
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Speight, Shanique
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.

Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.
  • Topic: Agriculture and Natural Resources Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-19 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Official Summary Text

Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30 million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of Agriculture.
Topic:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A4286

ASSEMBLY, No. 4286

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Makes FY2026 supplemental appropriation of $30
million from General Fund to Food and Hunger Programs in Department of
Agriculture.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Supplement
to the annual appropriations act
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, P.L.2025, c.74.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and the General Assembly
of the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� In addition to the amounts
appropriated under P.L.2025, c.74, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 2026, there is appropriated from the General Fund the
following amount for the purpose specified:

10 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

40 Community Development and
Environmental Management

49 Agricultural Resources, Planning,
and Regulation

GRANTS-IN-AID

05-3350� Food and Nutrition
Services ............................. $30,000,000

���������������� Total
Grants-in-Aid Appropriation,��������������������������������������

������������������ Agricultural
Resources, Planning, and Regulation $
30,000,000

Grants-in-Aid:

�������� 05��� Food and
Hunger Programs................ ($30,000,000)

���� 2.� This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill supplements the
Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations act to make an appropriation of $30 million
from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture, to be used for food and
hunger programs.� The funds would be distributed to the State�s six regional
food banks, which solicit, store, and distribute donations of edible but
unmarketable surplus food.� The food is then distributed to food pantries and
other nonprofit organizations that feed the needy.

���� In November 2025, due to the
federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture halted benefit
payments under the federal SNAP program, citing insufficient funds.�
Approximately 800,000, or one in nine, New Jersey residents rely on SNAP benefits
to purchase groceries each month.� The delay in funding will impact the entire
State as food banks become overwhelmed and New Jersey residents stop paying
certain bills in order to pay for food.� This funding will provide meals to
low-income families, senior citizens, disabled individuals, and children
throughout the State.