SENATE ECONOMIC GROWTH COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 283

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  JANUARY 14, 2021

 

      The Senate Economic Growth Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 283.

      As reported, this bill allows producers to sell their freshly-baked products at farm markets in wrapped or covered containers, for sanitation purposes, without being weighed. 

      Under current law, all articles of food which are capable of being measured and sold by dry capacity measure are based on the avoirdupois net weight or numerical count only and sold accordingly.  An exception to this measurement requirement is for articles of food offered for sale by bona fide farmers at a farm market, but only if the food is in open or uncovered standard containers.  This requirement applies to producers of baked goods, such as “Baked with Jersey Fresh” and “Made with Jersey Fresh” products, who sell their products at farm markets which requires them to weigh their hand-crafted products, unlike their counterparts in retail shops and local bakeries.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.