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Hopefully by the time you read this article, the
elimination of the Department of Agriculture will be
just a memory. Given the impact that this department,
its staff and its services provide for the state the
obvious question would be “Why abolish it?” A good
question and one that the members of the Southern
New Jersey Development Council have been asking
since the release of the budget, with its proposed
cuts, by eliminating or consolidating three
departments that purport an overall savings of $2.5
million. In actuality the savings from the elimination
of the Department of Agriculture is approximately
$500,000.
On the other side of the issue – the revenue generated
by this industry – is staggering. Consider this:
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Agriculture generates millions of dollars in tax
receipts from sales tax on nursery products, horse
industry impacts and payroll taxes from the $200
million worth of hired labor industry-wide. Cash
receipts from farm commodities produced were $924
million in 2006, which ultimately generates a
multi-billion-dollar impact to the state’s economy.*
Putting the issue of revenue vs. expense aside, lets
consider the programs that are offered by the
Department of Agriculture, beginning with the
well-known
Jersey Fresh
Program. It might have started out as a catchy
marketing program but one look at the many services
offered is impressive. The department also includes
other programs such as “What’s in Season” – a
chart that provides harvesting information for fruits,
vegetables and nursery items – or the ”Agricultural
Tourism” program that offers
affordable, family-oriented recreational and
educational activities and opportunities to learn
about the production of food and agricultural
products, and the state’s rich farming heritage.
Moving from the familiar land-based activities to
lesser-known aquaculture, (although equally enjoyable
fare) I was surprised to learn just how large this
effort is. Touching on
domestic marketing and promotion projects for locally
harvested fish and seafood products, this division
also provides a harvesting chart that identifies the
availability of all area finfish, shellfish and
crustaceans. This division also participates in a
system to assist seafood companies in the development
of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point plan,
mandatory for all seafood processors by the Food and
Drug Administration.
There are many more programs undertaken by the
Department of Agriculture but one that is critical
to
South Jersey and the quality of life we have come to
expect is the Farmland Preservation/Right to Farm
initiative. Currently there are some 165,000 acres
of farmland preserved statewide.
Farmland preservation
can assist farmers to
meet financial goals, providing them with the
capital to expand their existing operations;
eliminate or reduce their debt load; or further
their estate or retirement planning. The department
provides all this and green, open and productive
spaces for all to enjoy.
Lastly, it is hoped that
our state government is committed to preserving our
farming heritage. The diversity of this industry,
including fresh produce and fruit, horticulture
(plants, trees and shrubs), livestock and poultry;
the highly skilled horse breeding trade; dairy
farming, seafood production and more is an
opportunity for second and third generations of
family farmers to continue the family business – and
we should encourage their efforts.
*Statistics gathered from the NJ Farm Bureau and the
NJ Department of Agriculture
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