Designates eggplant as State Crop.

S4082

SENATE, No. 4082

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 4, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator� JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Amato

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates eggplant as State Crop.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
designating the eggplant as the New Jersey State Crop.

Whereas,

Agriculture is the third-largest industry in the Garden State, bringing in approximately
$1.5 billion annually; and

Whereas,

New Jersey has nearly 10,000 farms spread across more than 700,000 acres
producing more than 100 different kinds of fruits and vegetables; and

Whereas,

New Jersey is consistently one of the highest-ranking producers of eggplants,
ranking third nationally in 2023 and first between 2018 and 2022; and

Whereas,

Eggplants are a diverse crop that come in a variety of colors, shapes, and
sizes, ranging from white to green to deep purple or striped, round, long, or
teardrop in shape, and as short as 2 inches or more than a foot long; and

Whereas,

A variety of commercially-grown eggplants are harvested in the State, including
the traditional teardrop-shaped eggplant, as well as specialty types including
Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Sicilian, and Thai eggplants; and

Whereas,

New Jersey summers provide eggplants the warm, humid weather in which they
thrive; and

Whereas,

This State has an abundance of well-draining, sandy loam soil, which is perfect
for growing eggplants; and

Whereas,

In 2022, eggplants were harvested for sale on 785 acres across 342 farms in New
Jersey; and

Whereas,

In 2023, New Jersey produced 14.7 million pounds of eggplant, valued at $5.8
million; and

Whereas,

Eggplants grown in this State are sold at local markets and shipped across the
country and internationally; and

Whereas,

Eggplants are high in antioxidants and a good source of fiber and potassium,
making the crop a positive addition to a person�s diet; and

Whereas,

New Jersey is home to restaurants serving food that represents the cultural
diversity of the State, with many of them saut�ing, baking, roasting, steaming,
and frying a variety of international eggplant-based dishes, including Italian
eggplant parmigiana, Middle Eastern baba ghanoush, and Indian baingan bharta;
and

Whereas,

In recognition of the eggplant�s popularity across New Jersey and its economic
impact, it is fitting and proper to designate the eggplant as the State Crop;
now, therefore,

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

���� 1.� The eggplant is designated
as the New Jersey State Crop.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill designates the eggplant
as the State Crop in recognition of eggplant�s popularity across New Jersey and
its economic impact.

���� Agriculture
is the third-largest industry in the Garden State, bringing in approximately $1.5
billion annually.� New Jersey is consistently one of the highest-ranking
producers of eggplants, ranking third nationally in 2023 and first between 2018
and 2022.�

���� This
diverse crop comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.� A variety of
commercially-grown eggplants are harvested in the State.�

���� New
Jersey summers provide eggplants the warm, humid weather in which they thrive.�
This State has an abundance of well-draining, sandy loam soil, which is perfect
for growing eggplants.

���� In
2022, eggplants were harvested for sale on 785 acres across 342 farms in New
Jersey.� In 2023, New Jersey produced 14.7 million pounds of eggplant, valued
at $5.8 million, and a portion of the crop is shipped across the country and internationally.

���� Eggplants
are high in antioxidants and a good source of fiber and potassium, making the
crop a positive addition to a person�s diet.� New Jersey is home to restaurants
serving food that represents the cultural diversity of the State, with many of
them cooking a variety of international eggplant-based dishes, including
Italian eggplant parmigiana, Middle Eastern baba ghanoush, and Indian baingan
bharta.� The eggplant�s importance to New Jersey�s farming economy and its
popularity across the State make it appropriate to designate the eggplant as
the State Crop.