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Committee Statement to Assembly — Assembly Bill No. 5377, Food Innovation District Program (May 5, 2021)

Summary

Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee statement to Assembly, No. 5377, with committee amendments, State of New Jersey, dated May 5, 2021, reporting Assembly Bill No. 5377 favorably. The bill, as amended, would establish the Food Innovation District Program within the Division of Marketing and Development in the Department of Agriculture, to encourage the development of food innovation districts within New Jersey. A municipality may apply to the division for designation of all or part of the municipality, and the division would approve, conditionally approve, or deny a complete application within 60 calendar days of receipt. Under the committee amendments, the program sits within the Division of Marketing and Development rather than the Division of Food and Nutrition.

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“Committee Statement to Assembly — Assembly Bill No. 5377, Food Innovation District Program (May 5, 2021).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2021-05-05-ace-a5377-s1-f345782caa/, SHA-256 b01feae73fca80590941b87c5cbfaff15ca6235664a7c2495c2f0208770a1afb.

Full text

ASSEMBLY COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
                COMMITTEE

                         STATEMENT TO

                     ASSEMBLY, No. 5377
                        with committee amendments



       STATE OF NEW JERSEY
                            DATED: MAY 5, 2021

          The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee
      reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No.
      5377.
          This bill, as amended, would establish the “Food Innovation
      District Program” within the Division of Marketing and
      Development in the Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the
      program is to encourage the development of food innovation
      districts within New Jersey. A food innovation district is a
      geographic concentration of food-oriented businesses, services, and
      community activities that are supported through planning and
      economic development initiatives in order to promote a positive
      business environment, spur regional food system development, and
      increase access to local food.
         The division, in consultation with the Department of Labor and
      Workforce Development, the Department of Community Affairs,
      and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, would
      identify criteria for the designation of food innovation districts.
      The bill specifies the criteria for a food innovation district
      designation to include, but not be limited to:
           accessibility to mass transportation facilities and services;
           zoning or a redevelopment plan that permits mixed-use
               development; and
           a cluster of interconnected food businesses, suppliers, and
               associated institutions.
         The bill directs the division to establish an application form and
      procedure for municipalities to apply for designation of an area as a
      food innovation district. The bill would require an application to
      include, but would not be limited to:
         (1) the boundaries of the proposed food innovation district;
         (2) an inventory of existing and proposed food-oriented
      businesses; regional food hubs; community kitchens; farmers
      markets; warehousing, processing, distribution, and related
      facilities; and other food system infrastructure; and
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   (3) a plan for the development or redevelopment of the proposed
food innovation district.
   The bill directs the division to publicize the Food Innovation
District Program, and provide links to the application form and
procedure on its Internet website.
   Under the bill, a municipality may apply to the division for
designation of all or part of the municipality as a food innovation
district. Two or more municipalities may jointly apply for
designation of an area as a food innovation district. Within 60
calendar days of its receipt of a complete application for
designation of an area as a food innovation district, the bill directs
the division to approve, conditionally approve, or deny the
application.
   The bill directs the division, in consultation with the Department
of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Economic Development
Authority, to adopt guidance and standards for municipalities to
promote food innovation districts as places for businesses to locate.
A municipality may advertise or otherwise use the food innovation
district designation in accordance with the adopted guidance or
standards.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
    The committee amendments would provide for the establishment
of the “Food Innovation District Program” to be within the Division
of Marketing and Development in the Department of Agriculture
rather than the Division of Food and Nutrition.

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