Advanced: Dancer initiative to help beginning farmers

Assembly Republican Press Release -

[Attachment]

Ron Dancer

The average age of farmers in New Jersey has climbed to 59, and more farm families are opting to get out of the business and pursue more lucrative opportunities. These are just a couple of the trends creating a critical need for beginning farmers to assume the roles of food producers in the Garden State.

Today, a six-bill package of legislation supporting new farmers sponsored by Assemblymen Ron Dancer advanced from the Assembly agriculture committee.

'Farming is a $1 billion industry in New Jersey. Our core farmers are getting older, and we need to incentivize new farmers,' said Dancer (R-Ocean). 'We are one of the nation's top producers of blueberries, peaches, cranberries, spinach and bell peppers. To remain competitive with the large commercial farm operations in other states, we have to do everything we can to help beginning farmers succeed.'

The beginning farmer legislative package includes:

• A beginning farmer mentoring program.
• Corporation business tax and income tax credits for hiring beginning farmers to perform custom farming.
• Corporation business tax and income tax credits for leasing agricultural land to farmers.
• A new farmers' improvement grant program.
• Economic Development Authority loans to help beginning farmers finance capital purchases.
• Higher Education Student Assistance Authority loan redemption program for students studying farming.

'Our state has been a national leader in preserving farmland, and now we need to begin innovative programs to preserve the next generation of farmers. You can't have farms without farmers,' concluded Dancer.

Posted by NJ Assembly Republicans in Press Release | Tagged: beginning farmers , farmland preservation , new farmers , Ron Dancer | No Comments

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