Directs Dept. of Agriculture to post certain information to assist distressed farmers on its Internet website.

A4758

ASSEMBLY, No. 4758

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs Dept. of Agriculture to post certain
information to assist distressed farmers on its Internet website.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
requiring the posting of information on the Department
of Agriculture�s Internet website to assist distressed farmers, and
supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.� The Department of
Agriculture shall conspicuously post, on the homepage of its Internet website,
and update as appropriate:

���� a.� a text link or icon that
includes the phrase �Suicide Prevention Hotline� and the phone number to the
New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline, written in capital and bold letters
that are of a contrasting type, font, or color, to the surrounding text or
background color of the homepage, that hyperlinks to the Internet webpage of
the New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline; and

���� b.� an icon, in a color and
font that contrasts with, and is easily distinguishable from, the background
color of the homepage, that hyperlinks to an Internet webpage on which a list
of all resources available to aid distressed farmers, including, but not
limited to, suicide prevention hotlines, mental health resources, disaster
assistance, legal assistance, and financial assistance, is posted.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill would require the
Department of Agriculture (department) to conspicuously post on the homepage of
its Internet website, and update as appropriate, links to resources available
to aid distressed farmers.�

���� The department would be
required to post a text link or icon on its homepage, in capital and bold
letters, that includes the phrase �Suicide Prevention Hotline� and the phone
number to the �New Jersey Suicide Prevention Hopeline.�� Also, the department
would be required to post an icon on its homepage, in an easily distinguishable
color and font, that hyperlinks to an Internet webpage which would include a
list of additional resources available to aid distressed farmers, including
assistance for suicide prevention, mental health resources, disaster
assistance, legal assistance, and financial assistance.�

���� Mental health illnesses and
disorders, such as anxiety and depression, have increased significantly in
farmers and other agricultural workers since the 1980�s due to factors such as
profit losses caused by the shrinking price of commodities, increased debt
caused by high interest rates, tariffs, and trade barriers, and isolation.� The
CDC found that farmers and ranchers were, on average, 3.5 times that of the
general population to die from suicide.