Establishes Artisanal Food Council in Department of Agriculture.

A5201

ASSEMBLY, No. 5201

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 4, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Artisanal Food Council in Department of
Agriculture.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
establishing an Artisanal Food Council in the
Department of Agriculture 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.� As used in this
section:

���� �Artisanal Food� means food
that requires minimal processing and that is handcrafted in small batches or
quantities by skilled makers using traditional non-industrial methods and
quality specialty ingredients, including but not limited to, local sourced
ingredients from small and midsized farms.

���� b.��� There is established in
the Department of Agriculture the Artisanal Food Council.

���� c.���� The purpose of the
council shall be to identify the needs and priorities relating to artisanal
food industries in the State, promote a well-integrated local farming economy,
and support the efforts of local farmers.�

���� d.��� The council shall be
comprised of nine public members, seven of whom shall be appointed by the Governor,
one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of
whom shall be appointment by the President of the Senate, and the nine public
members shall include:

���� (1)�� three members of the
farming industry;

���� (2)�� three artisanal food
distributors; and

���� (3)�� three artisanal food producers,
of which one member must be from an urban area, one member must be from a
suburban area, and one member must be from a rural area. �

���� e.���� The public members of
the council shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel
and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the
limits of funds made available to the council for its purposes.�

���� f.���� Each public member
appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall serve
terms of three years, except that of those members first appointed: three shall
serve for a term of three years, two shall serve a term of two years, and two
shall serve a term of one year.� Each public member appointed pursuant to
subsection b. of this section by the Secretary of the Assembly and the
President of the Senate shall serve terms of three years. �Each public member
shall hold office for the term of the appointment and until a successor is
appointed and qualified.� Any vacancies in the council membership shall be
filled in the same manner as provided for the original appointment, and public
members shall be eligible for reappointment to the council following the
conclusion of their terms.

���� g.��� The council shall
organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 60 days following the
appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson
from among the members. �The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not
be a member of the council.

���� h.��� The council may meet at
the call of its chair and hold hearings at the times and in the places it deems
appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge, but no less than twice per
year. �The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself
of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department,
board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available
to it for its purposes.

���� i.���� The council may seek
the advice of experts, such as persons specializing in the field of
agriculture, education, law, human services, economic development, workforce
development, or other related fields, as deemed appropriate by the membership
of the council.

���� j.���� The Department of
Agriculture shall provide staff services to the council as necessary.

���� k.��� The council shall:

���� (1)�� actively engage with
farmers of all scale using traditional methods and local entrepreneurs in the
State to determine what types of assistance might facilitate the economic
viability farming and artisanal food making operations, connect farmers to artisanal
food makers in the State, and inform labor chain participants of the laws,
rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives that are designed to
assist farmers in enhancing the interconnection of operations between producers
and distributors;�

���� (2)�� apply for, accept, and
distribute any grant of money from the federal government, private foundations,
or other sources, which may be available for programs related to artisanal food
production;

���� (3)�� when feasible and within
the limits of available funding, provide grants to farms and small businesses
to establish, expand, or improve artisanal food production;

���� (4)�� review the programs,
policies, and initiatives of any department or agency of State government or
any local organization, as appropriate, that concern the Department of Health,
and make recommendations to the departments, agencies, and organizations that
will enable them to better coordinate and improve the effectiveness of artisanal
food making and distribution; and

���� (5)�� develop a biannual written
report that identifies the needs, economic concerns, and practical problems
affecting the artisanal food industry in the State to be annually submitted to
the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to
the Legislature. The report shall include the following information;

���� (a) any current economic data
and significant market trends related to artisanal foods in the State,
including changes in expenses, revenues or consumer behaviors;

���� (b) the existing laws, rules,
regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives of the Department of
Agriculture, Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and Workforce
Development, and any other department or agency of State government or any local
organization, as appropriate, that concern the artisanal food industry, in
order to make recommendations to the departments, agencies, and organizations
that will enhance the coordination and effectiveness of artisanal food
marketing and distribution;

���� (c) the annual activities of
the council; and

���� (d) any recommendations for
the adoption, revision, repeal of laws, rules, regulations, policies,
standards, procedures, plans, programs, or guidelines which might promote and
enhance the viability of artisanal foods in the State.

���� l.���� The council shall serve
as an information and advisory resource for data and information on local
artisanal food products, and as a coordinator providing expertise on marketing.

���� m.�� Throughout the year, the
council shall provide recommendations and advice, if necessary, to the
Governor, the Legislature, the Department of Agriculture, the State Agriculture
Development Committee, county and municipal governments, county agriculture development
boards and sub-regional agriculture retention boards, county boards of
agriculture, and other appropriate policymakers and organizations on any issues
related to the long-term economic status of farming and artisanal food
production.

���� n.��� The council shall convene
an annual, public forum to advertise and discuss issues relating to the artisanal
food industry, and to develop strategies to promote the types of artisanal food
available throughout the State.� The convention may feature local artisanal
food manufacturers in the State, in an effort to increase public awareness of
local artisanal food producers.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes a nine
member Artisanal Food Council in the Department of Agriculture. �The council�s
purpose is to advertise locally produced artisanal food and develop
recommendations to develop, promote, and support collaboration throughout the farming
and artisanal food production chains and to act as a coordinator in providing
expertise on marketing.�

���� The bill assigns several
responsibilities to the council, including: (1) serving as an information and advisory
resource for data and information on local artisanal food; (2) reviewing State laws,
rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives that may affect farmers
and artisanal food producers; (3) coordinating the receipt and distribution of
grants to small businesses to encourage local artisanal food production; (4)
drafting a report on economic conditions of the farming and artisanal food
industry; and (5) organizing a State convention to promote artisanal foods.

���� Finally, the bill requires the
council to report biannually to the Governor and Legislature on the activities
of the Council and its findings and recommendations regarding the coordination
and effectiveness of the State artisanal food industry.