The bill establishes a three-year pilot program called the Jersey Protein Pro within the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, aimed at creating a workforce pipeline for the meat processing industry. This initiative seeks to address ongoing workforce shortages that hinder facility operations and compel farmers to ship livestock out of state. The program will be designed by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Commissioner of Agriculture and county educational institutions, to provide short-course training in areas such as meat cutting, food safety, and sanitation.

The pilot program will be funded with an appropriation of $3 million from the General Fund and will operate through grants awarded to qualified institutions, which may include county colleges and vocational school districts. Participating institutions are required to utilize grant funds for developing training courses, purchasing equipment, and providing hands-on training, as well as offering tuition assistance to eligible participants who commit to working in New Jersey for at least two years post-training. Additionally, the bill mandates biannual reporting from participating institutions on grant fund usage and annual reporting from the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to the Governor and Legislature regarding the program's implementation and recommendations for its future.