Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee Statement to Assembly, No. 2458 (2025)

Summary

Statement of the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee, State of New Jersey, dated March 6, 2025, reporting favorably with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2458. As amended, the bill establishes the "Urban Gardening Pilot Program" in the Department of Agriculture, which is to award three qualified applicants a grant of up to $35,000 each for an urban garden in a low-income area for the three-year pilot program. An agronomist or a qualified individual from the New Jersey Cooperative Extension Service would teach local residents to plant and cultivate produce. The bill appropriates $100,000 to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund. The amendments remove a requirement for a contractual relationship with a licensed clinical social worker.

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ASSEMBLY COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE
COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY,
No. 2458

with
committee amendments

STATE
OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 6,
2025

The Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and
Agriculture Committee reports favorably, and with committee amendments,
Assembly Bill No. 2458.

As amended by the committee, this bill establishes the “Urban Gardening Pilot Program” in the Department of
Agriculture (department) to provide grants to three qualified applicants to
establish an urban garden in a low-income area of the State. The bill requires
the department to award three qualified applicants a grant of up to $35,000
each, which the applicant will use for an urban garden for the three-year pilot
program. The goal of the urban gardening program is to improve the local
neighborhood conditions and integrate residents of diverse communities.

The bill requires an
agronomist or a qualified individual from the New Jersey Cooperative Extension
Service to teach local residents how to plant and cultivate fresh produce or
other agricultural products for consumption as food in the urban garden.

Within three years of the
effective date of the bill, the Secretary of Agriculture would be required to
prepare and submit a written report to the Governor and to the Legislature
summarizing the activities and findings of the program. The report would provide
information on whether the program provided benefits to the local communities,
evaluate the effectiveness of urban gardening in low-income areas as a
means of improving the neighborhood and integrating
residents of different ethnic backgrounds , and provide
recommendations for legislative action, including whether or not to make the
program permanent.

The bill appropriates
$100,000 to the Department of Agriculture from the General Fund in order to
provide grants to three qualified applicants as required under the bill.

This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the
2024-2025 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the
changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS :

The committee amended the bill to:

(1) remove the provision
that requires an applicant to the “Urban Gardening Program” to demonstrate they
have or will have a contractual relationship with a licensed clinical social
worker; and

(2) make technical
corrections.

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