Establishes State as purchaser of last resort for produce; directs Department of Agriculture to establish program.

A4462

ASSEMBLY, No. 4462

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes State as purchaser of last resort for
produce; directs Department of Agriculture to establish program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning State purchase of produce 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 Department of
Agriculture shall establish and implement, in cooperation with the Department
of Health, a program for the purchase by the State of unsold produce from
farmers and the distribution of the purchased produce to food banks, homeless
shelters, senior citizen centers, adult day care centers, veterans
organizations, �or other appropriate nonprofit recipients that provide food or
meals to the public.

���� b.� Under the program, the
department shall:

���� (1)� purchase at a reasonable
market price,� as determined by the department, as a purchaser of last resort
on behalf of the State, produce from a participating farmer that the farmer has
been unable to sell in a timely manner to any other outlet or purchaser, and
provide for its distribution to participating recipients; and

���� (2)� establish criteria and
requirements for participation in the program by farmers, and for a
participating food bank, homeless shelter, senior citizen center, adult day
care center, veterans organizations, �or other appropriate nonprofit recipient.

���� c.� The department shall
ensure that the program is operated in compliance with any Department of Health
rules, regulations, or guidelines concerning the purchase and distribution of
food which the Department of Health determines to be relevant for the program.

���� d.� The Secretary of
Agriculture shall include with the annual budget request for the Department of
Agriculture a request for funds sufficient to implement the program and provide
for the purchases and distribution thereof through the program.

���� e.� The department shall
adopt, pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation
of this act.

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

STATEMENT

���� The bill establishes the State
as a buyer of last resort of unsold produce.� The bill directs the Department
of Agriculture (DOA) to establish and implement, in cooperation with the
Department of Health (DOH), a program for the purchase by the State of unsold
produce from farmers and the distribution of the purchased produce to food
banks, homeless shelters, senior citizen centers, adult day care centers, veterans
organizations, and any other appropriate nonprofit recipients that provide food
or meals to the public.

���� The DOA would purchase the
produce for a reasonable market price, as determined by the department, from a
participating farmer who has been unable to sell the produce in a timely manner
to any other outlet or purchaser, and provide for its distribution to
recipients participating in the program.� The DOA would ensure compliance with
any DOH rules, regulations, or guidelines concerning the purchase and
distribution of food which the DOH determines to be relevant for the program.

���� Finally, the DOA is required
to adopt any regulations necessary to implement the program and to include in
its annual budget request a request for funds sufficient to implement the
program and provide for the purchases and distribution thereof through the
program.