A 2762 — Directs Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines.*

A2762 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

Assemblywoman MoralesMorales, Assemblyman Freiman, Assemblywomen Brennan, Drulis and Assemblyman Sauickie         SYNOPSIS      Directs Department of Agriculture to designateadvertise Jerseyand Freshpromote funding for New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines;wines.

appropriates  $100,000.CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on May 4, 2026, with amendments.

    CURRENTAn VERSIONAct OFconcerning TEXTfunding     for IntroducedNew PendingJersey Technicalliquors, Reviewbeers, byand Legislativewines, Counsel.1and1 supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes 1[, and making an appropriation]1.

   An Act concerning funding for New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines, supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

       1.  a.a.  As used in this section:

 As used in this section:

     b.  The department, as part of the Jersey Fresh Program,Program1[,]1 shall 1, within the limits of monies appropriated or allocated to the Jersey Fresh Program,1 advertise and promote liquor, beer, and wine products, the quality of which complies with standards adopted by the department and is verified thereby through the use of an appropriate quality grading and rating system.system.  The department shall develop and implement an appropriate quality grading and rating system specific to the quality of alcohol products, which system shall be consistent with, and similar to, the quality grading and rating systems that are used, by the department, to measure the quality of other agricultural commodities for the purposes of the Jersey Fresh Program.

 The     department1[c.  shallIn developaddition andto implementthe anmonies appropriateappropriated qualitypursuant gradingto section 2 of this act and ratingotherwise systemappropriated specificor allocated to the qualityJersey ofFresh alcoholProgram, products,there which system shall be consistentappropriated, with,from andthe similarGeneral to,Fund to the qualityDepartment gradingof andAgriculture, ratingthe systemsannual thatsum areof used,$100,000, byfor the department,purpose toof measurefacilitating the qualitydepartment’s ofadvertisement otherand agriculturalpromotion commoditiesof forliquor, thebeer, purposesand ofwine products under the Jersey Fresh Program.Program, as required pursuant to subsection b.

     c.  In addition to the monies appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this actsection.]1  and  otherwise     appropriated1[2.  orThere allocatedis toappropriated the Jersey Fresh Program, there shall be appropriated, from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture,Agriculture the annual sum of $100,000,$100,000 for the purpose of facilitating the department’s advertisement and promotion of liquor, beer, and wine products underproduced in the State as part of the Jersey Fresh Program,Program.]1 as  required     pursuant1[3.]  to2.1 subsection This b.act shall take effect immediately.

of this section.         2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture the sum of $100,000 for the purpose of the promotion of liquor, beer, and wine products produced in the State as part of the Jersey Fresh Program.

       3.  This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT        This bill would direct the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (department) to designate Jersey Fresh funding for New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines.  Jersey Fresh currently features several New-Jersey-crafted alcoholic products on their website, such as wine, beer, cider, and liquor.  In the interest of the promotion of various State alcoholic products, this bill would provide for an established and designated funding source for alcohols produced in the State that are made from agricultural commodities cultivated in the State.       The Jersey Fresh Program is a marketing and quality grading program used by the department to advertise and promote the availability of fruit and vegetable commodities produced in the State.  This bill would expand the Jersey Fresh Program to officially include marketing for liquor, beer, and wine products generated in the State, from products cultivated in the State.  The bill would require the department to implement a quality grading and rating system which are consistent with the quality grading system used by the department to measure the quality of other agricultural commodities for the Jersey Fresh Program.       This bill would provide for an annual appropriation of $100,000 in each fiscal year following enactment of the bill, to facilitate the marketing and promotion of liquor, beer, and wine products under the “Jersey Fresh” program.