Bill > A3439

Introduced Session

This bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish, in consultation with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA), a loan program and application process for the purpose of providing loans to eligible vineyards or wineries to pay for qualified capital expenses. The term "qualified capital expenses" is defined in the bill to mean expenditures made by an eligible vineyard or winery to improve or purchase land, and to acquire or modernize infrastructure, machinery, and equipment. The bill requires that loans provided pursuant to this program are required to: (1) be no less than $10,000 and no greater than $100,000, for each eligible vineyard or winery; (2) bear an interest rate between three and five percent; and (3) be repayable over a term of up to 10 years, as determined by the EDA and NJDA. However, a vineyard or winery that plans to use funds from the loan to acquire more real property in order to expand its business is eligible for higher loan amounts with lower interest rates, as determined by the EDA and NJDA.

Committee Categories

Ronald Dancer (R)*,  Eric Houghtaling (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee (on 03/05/2018)