Bill > S3724

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Winery Co-marketing Grant Program to reimburse wineries in the State for eligible costs related to certain marketing campaigns. The purpose of the program is to encourage and enhance the ability of New Jersey wineries to engage in co-marketing campaigns that promote agricultural tourism and local businesses. Under the bill, the department is authorized to award a grant under the program to an applicant who is the holder of a plenary or farm winery license who incurred eligible costs in accordance with the bill. Eligible costs are include those that were directly incurred and paid by the grant applicant for marketing campaigns or other advertising that promote the winery owned or operated by the applicant and a winery owned or operated by another holder of a plenary or farm winery license; a restaurant located within the State; an inn, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or other similar place of public accommodation located within the State; a roadside market that sells "Jersey Fresh" designated products or agricultural tourism at a farm located within the State. An applicant may apply for a grant under the program once annually. The bill provides that the department would award grants of up to $25,000 pursuant to the following schedule: 25 percent of the eligible costs incurred marketing campaign or other advertising included one other entity; 35 percent if the marketing campaign or other advertising included two other entities; or 45 percent if the marketing campaign or other advertising included three or more other entities. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. Each annual report submitted is required at a minimum to: (1) identify the total number and dollar amount of grant awards issued during the reporting period; (2) include a recommendation as to whether the grant program should be continued in future years; and (3) identify the amount of previously appropriated funds that remains unexpended and available to finance future grant awards under the program, and, to the extent that the report recommends continuation of the program, recommend additional appropriations, as deemed by the secretary to be necessary to ensure the program's continued operation and ongoing success.

Committee Categories

Owen Henry (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (on 10/07/2024)

Official Document