skip to main content skip to main navigation
Peter V. Demarest - Click to enlarge
Peter V. Demarest
Bergen County farmer Peter V. Demarest was born into a farming family, ultimately becoming owner and operator of Demarest Farms in Hillsdale and Saddle River, an operation that first took shape in 1886. The 32-acre diversified agricultural operation specializes in vegetables and fruits but Demarest also operates a greenhouse and grows Christmas trees. The farm includes a 10,000 square foot retail complex and is the only farm in Bergen County that offers pick-your-own apples, peaches and pumpkins. Demarest's wife Marsha and son P.J. are active participants in the business.

Demarest considers his most important accomplishments to be his role in the passage of the legislation that protects farmers from frivolous lawsuits; his service on the four-member state Right-to-Farm Task Force; and representation of the New Jersey Farm Bureau on several American Farm Bureau subcommittees.

Demarest served on the State Board of Agriculture from 1995 to 1999 serving as its vice-president in 1999. A member of the Bergen County Board of Agriculture, having served several years as president, Demarest has represented Bergen County as a director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau for 13 years. He was a member of the Board of Managers at Rutgers University, Cook College and served as director of Farmers Brokerage, Inc. He is a member of the Vegetable Growers' Association of New Jersey, Inc., the New Jersey Peach Council, Inc., the New Jersey State Horticultural Society, Inc., the New Jersey Agribusiness Association, the New Jersey Agricultural Society, the National Peach Council and the International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association.

The sponsor of local school sports teams, Demarest served as president of the Bergen County Board of Agriculture for three years and as the vice president in 1999 and 2000.

A member of the United States Navy, Demarest served in Vietnam from 1967 through 1968.

In recognition and appreciation of his lifelong dedication to the betterment of New Jersey's agricultural industry, the State Board of Agriculture proudly presents Peter V. Demarest with its citation for Distinguished Service to New Jersey Agriculture