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WHEREAS, the strongest, most consistent trend in the marketing of agricultural and other food products is the “local” movement, in which consumers in ever-growing numbers express a desire to purchase products that were grown, raised or processed as near to their homes as possible; and
WHEREAS, because New Jersey is a temperate state, our farmers have a limited window in which to sell their agricultural products; and
WHEREAS, this limited window adds significant importance to New Jersey farmers making the most of the time they have to sell their products, including making the most of the consumer’s desire to “buy local” whenever possible; and
WHEREAS, competition in the marketplace abounds in the form of products from areas outside New Jersey, some from many states away, from which agricultural products must travel several days to reach this state; and
WHEREAS, the lack of a uniform, standardized, national definition of the terms “local” or “locally grown” means that products coming from any state can be labeled “local” by retailers or wholesalers, and consumers may find that what they thought came from a farm just a few miles from the store actually traveled across the entire country to reach those shelves; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey has invested significant resources, both financial and otherwise, into the Jersey Fresh and related marketing campaigns over the past 30 years, signaling the state’s desire to have New Jersey agricultural products stand out in the marketplace; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature has passed and the Governor has signed into law, measures intended to prevent producers of foodstuffs from outside New Jersey from advertising their products in a way that implies or states they have come from New Jersey when, in fact, they have not, adding yet another signal that the state recognizes the interests our farmers have in distinguishing their farms’ output in the marketplace.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the delegates to the 99th State Agricultural Convention, assembled in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on February 5-6, 2014, do hereby urge the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture to adopt, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to implement, statewide definitions of the terms “local,” “locally grown,” “locally raised” and “locally produced” that reflect an accurate meaning of those terms by clearly indicating the state of origin.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge that the adoption of these definitions carry with it sanctions against any retailers or wholesalers who use the terms in a manner inconsistent with the definitions adopted by the State Board.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Department to proactively advertise the adoption of these definitions, both to retailers and wholesalers and to the public at large, so that there is no confusion in the marketplace as to the meanings of these terms as relates to the sale of agricultural products in New Jersey.
