ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1580

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 9, 2021

      The Assembly Agriculture Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1580.

      This bill would establish the “Jersey Native Plants Program” in the Department of Agriculture.  The bill would require the department to develop a program that would: (1) encourage and promote the sale of New Jersey native plants at retail garden centers and nurseries; (2) increase consumer awareness of the important role of native plants in the ecosystem through advertising campaigns and marketing programs; (3) provide for the dissemination of information about the variety and availability of New Jersey native plants; and (4) create a labeling program to identify native plants as “Jersey natives”  similar to the Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown programs.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

      As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 83 as also reported by the committee.