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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Directs Department of Agriculture to Establish Beginning Farmer Mentoring Program
Last action · June 15, 2026: Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations CommitteeSponsors: Andrea Katz and 3 others
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What This Bill Would Do
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is required to develop and implement a mentoring program pairing experienced farmers with beginning farmers, in consultation with agricultural and educational organizations. The measure takes effect immediately upon enactment.
New Jersey farmers face an aging workforce, with the average principal operator age rising to 59 years, threatening the future viability of the state's agricultural industry.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
beginning farmers
Receive guidance, advice, and assistance from experienced farmers to help them succeed and thrive.
experienced farmers
Provide guidance, advice, and other appropriate assistance to beginning farmers under criteria established by the department.
Department of Agriculture
Required to develop, implement, and supervise the beginning farmer mentoring program and adopt necessary rules and regulations.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main goal of the mentoring program?
Who must the Department of Agriculture consult with when creating the program?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jun 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Formalized Mentoring Mandate
The legislation shifts agricultural support from informal networking to a formalized, department-supervised mentoring program utilizing public-private partnerships.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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