The bill establishes the State of New Jersey as a purchaser of last resort for unsold produce, directing the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to create a program for purchasing this produce from farmers who are unable to sell it in a timely manner. The purchased produce will be distributed to various nonprofit organizations, including food banks, homeless shelters, senior citizen centers, adult day care centers, and veterans organizations. The DOA will determine a reasonable market price for the produce and will also set criteria for farmer and recipient participation in the program.
Additionally, the bill mandates that the DOA operate the program in compliance with relevant rules and regulations from the Department of Health (DOH) regarding food purchase and distribution. The DOA is required to adopt necessary regulations for the program's implementation and to include a request for sufficient funding in its annual budget to support the program's operations. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.