New Jersey Department Of Agriculture Celebrates A Century

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) celebrates its centennial this year. In honor of this milestone, the Trenton, NJ-headquartered agency launched its 100-year logo. This logo, which features a diamond as a visual of this historic milestone, was first used on a commemorative booklet handed out at the New Jersey State Agricultural Convention in February.

The NJDA will now use the logo on all of its agency’s letterhead, e-mail signatures and PowerPoint slides this year. It will prove a potent reminder of what the NJDA has accomplished to date and its goals for the future.

A bill signed into law on March 29, 1916 created the NJDA. The law’s purpose was to create a single agency to promote, protect and serve the state’s agricultural interests. On May 17, 1916, the first New Jersey State Agricultural Convention was held at the New Jersey State House in Trenton.

“Much has changed in 100 years, however the main goals of the Department remain – to nurture and protect the agricultural interests of the Garden State,” says Al Murray, New Jersey’s assistant secretary of agriculture.

In 1916, dairy was the major agricultural industry in New Jersey. Much of the state’s agriculture centered around grain and forage crops needed to supply the dairy herds. Fruits and vegetables were also important, but they typically were grown close to the New York and Philadelphia markets.

Railroads enabled New Jersey farmers to produce more fresh fruits and vegetables for trade and opened up the state to competition from other states. Apples were the major fruit at the time, and New Jersey was considered a major apple producing state. The cultivated blueberry, of which New Jersey is famous, also shares its 100th anniversary in 2016.

Campbell Soup Company, in Camden, NJ, perfected its condensed soup product around this time. Consequently, the famous “Jersey Tomato” flourished on hundreds of farms statewide to supply Campbell’s.

The NJDA’s biggest accomplishments over the last century in the realm of fresh fruits and vegetables include:

? Rolling Classroom: In the early 1900s, the NJDA sponsored a “rolling classroom,” which was a railroad car that traveled throughout the state. The railcar was dropped off at various towns for a period of time and farmers would be encouraged to visit the exhibits, learn the latest in farming techniques and crops, as well as interact with agricultural experts.

? Establishment of the Jersey Fresh branding program and the Jersey Fresh Quality Grading Program: The first advertising and promotional program for New Jersey agricultural products, named “Fresher by Miles,” was a very localized program. In 1984, it was turned into “Jersey Fresh” by Secretary of Agriculture, Arthur R. Brown, Jr., who secured state funding in order to turn Jersey Fresh into a nationally recognized brand. Agricultural cash receipts over the past three decades since the Jersey Fresh brand was introduced increased from $700 million to $1.1 billion.

? Fresh Produce Audit Verification Program: The New Jersey became the first state certified by the USDA to perform third-party audits. The Department remains active in food safety by partnering with Rutgers University, and to date, helped train more than 4,000 farmers prepare for third-party certification.

? Made with Jersey Fresh and Made with Jersey Fresh Milk: The Jersey Fresh brand expanded to include a new line of value-added products that use New Jersey produced farm products — thus introducing more marketing opportunities for growers.

New Jersey, like many northeastern states, is finding land for farming growing scarce due to its expanding population and urban areas. As a result, agriculture ventures are beginning to take root and grow vertically. For example, old factories are being converted into hydroponic operations. The public has renewed interest in gardening and it is not uncommon to see fruits and vegetables being produced on urban roof tops.

In the future, the NJDA will continue to advocate introducing fresh and nutritious foods to “at risk” populations. This will be accomplished through working with local officials to establish community farmers markets.

“We’ve created a Jersey Fresh Farm-to-School program, and its goal will be to introduce New Jersey farmers and their products into the school feeding programs. It’s another way we continue to move forward to fulfill the Department’s century-old mandate of nurturing and protecting the agricultural interests of the Garden State and ensuring agriculture in the state remains viable during the next 100 years,” says Murray.

Source: PerishableNews.com