This bill mandates the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to implement initiatives to promote community supported agriculture (CSA) in the state. It defines CSA as a direct sales method where consumers pay a subscription fee for regular shares of a farm's seasonal output. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to develop a marketing program within 180 days of the bill's enactment, which includes creating a dedicated webpage for CSA programs, utilizing various media for advertising, and producing promotional labels for CSA products. The bill also establishes an annual "Community Supported Agriculture Week" to highlight the benefits of CSA, encouraging public engagement through events at farms, schools, and community organizations.

Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture to encourage schools to participate in CSA programs through the existing Farm to School Program, ensuring that school curricula address the importance of CSA. It expands the existing State website to include a list of schools and food banks interested in CSA participation. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to solicit funds for promoting CSA, with any received funds deposited into the New Jersey Farm Products Publicity Fund, which can now also be used for CSA-related expenses, including the printing and distribution of promotional labels.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4:10-16, 4:10-17, 4:10-19.2, 4:10-25.2