Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Mukherji, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblymen Verrelli, Conaway, Space, Wirths, Coughlin, Assemblywomen Carter and Mosquera
SYNOPSIS
Directs Dept. of Agriculture to establish public awareness campaign for food waste.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public awareness of food waste and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, shall:
a. establish a public awareness campaign to educate the general public about food waste prevention by raising awareness regarding:
(1) strategies to reduce wasteful shopping which may include the benefits of creating a shopping list;
(2) the benefits of freezing meat close to the expiration date; and
(3) the meaning of date labels definitions such as “use by,” “sell by,” and “best buy”;
b. take appropriate measures to encourage the reduction of food waste through donating or composting leftover food; and
c. develop and distribute appropriate informational materials regarding food waste, which may include, but need not be limited to, the use of social media, television, radio, or print media.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to create a public awareness campaign to educate the general public on food waste prevention by raising awareness regarding:
(1) strategies to reduce wasteful shopping which may include the benefits of creating a shopping list; and
(2) the benefits of freezing meat close to the expiration date; and
(3) the meaning of date labels definitions such as “use by,” “sell by,” and “best buy.”
The department would be required to encourage the reduction of food waste through donating or composting leftover food and to develop and distribute appropriate informational materials regarding food waste, which may include, but need not be limited to, the use of social media, television, radio, or print media.