Horticulture, including greenhouse, sod, nursery and floriculture operations, is New Jersey’s leading agricultural sector, representing almost 40 percent of the state’s agricultural production with more than $337 million in cash receipts. In 2002 New Jersey had 19 million square feet of greenhouse space plus another 14.8 million square feet of film plastic structures. New Jersey’s horticultural products offer esthetic value, providing shade and a cooling effect, re-charging the air with oxygen while providing wildlife habitats.

The 2004 strategies greatly expanded the television advertising of New Jersey horticultural products through the “Jersey Fresh” marketing program and saw the development of the “Jersey Grown” quality-grading program along with an upgraded retail nursery and garden center listing on the Jersey Grown website.

To increase demand for New Jersey nursery stock, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture is continuing to expand the “Jersey Fresh” marketing program to include more horticultural crops. In addition to cut flowers, the Department is currently seeking to expand the developing “Jersey Grown” quality inspection program to a wider range of ornamental horticultural products.

The Department will continue to inspect and certify nurseries, enabling growers to sell certified disease-free material in and out of state, and conduct seed certification and seed control testing programs to ensure high quality turf grass seed for New Jersey sod growers.

In 2005, the Department’s horticultural economic development strategies will be focusing on implementing the “Jersey Grown” brand program. A Jersey Grown website will be built, and inspections for harmful pests and certifying seed will be continued.


Horticulture Strategies

2.1 Ensure Plant Health
19) STRATEGY – Work to have a comprehensive approach to ensuring plant health. The following methods to be employed include:
- Continue inspections for harmful pests and disease.
- Seek ways to increase use of new methods of pest control and beneficial insects
- Inspect and certify nurseries, enabling growers to sell certified disease-free material in and out of state.
- Conduct seed certification and seed control testing programs to ensure high quality turf grass seed for New Jersey sod growers.
- Encourage the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station to continue its research in identifying new varieties of agricultural products resistant to pests, diseases and new plant introductions.

20) STRATEGY- Work toward establishing a drought emergency protocol for implementation of predictable, effective and sound restrictions for future emergencies.
Work with the Nursery and Landscape Industry, the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection, and the Department’s Agricultural Water Working Group prior to future drought emergencies, to develop drought emergency water use restrictions.

2.2 Increase Consumer Awareness
21) STRATEGY - Continue work to strengthen the “Jersey Grown” brand name to enable the industry to benefit from a common trademark identifying locally produced horticultural products.
- Work with growers and independent garden centers and nurseries to strengthen their efforts to promote “Jersey Grown” products through the use of point of sale advertising such as product stickers, labels, tags and signage.
- Continue to include horticultural crops in the “Jersey Fresh” marketing program.
- Maintain the retail nurseries and garden center listings on the “Jersey Grown” website.

22) STRATEGY - Develop fact sheets and/or articles of interest to educate and inform consumers about the availability, variety and use of “Jersey Grown” horticultural products. Work with the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association to distribute fact sheets and horticultural articles of interest.

2.3 Improve State and Public Contract Requirements
23) STRATEGY- Work with state agencies, including the Department of Transportation, through its highway planting program, and the Department of Environmental Protection, through its forestry program, to use New Jersey produced products whenever possible and ensure that all products meet the pest-free standards of the New Jersey Nursery Law and satisfy the quality standards set by the Jersey Grown Rule as established by the Department.

24) STRATEGY - Lead in the use of Jersey produced plant material in bioengineering and cost share projects supported by the Soil Conservation Service.

2.4 Develop an Industry Recognition Program
25) STRATEGY - Explore the feasibility of creating a program to recognize outstanding uses of “Jersey Grown” nursery material grown and used in the state. A comprehensive award program that promotes both growers and end users of “Jersey Grown” nursery products will create increased awareness of the ornamental horticulture industry in the state.

2.5 Strengthen Communication with Industry Leaders
26) STRATEGY - Meet at least once annually with horticultural producers to discuss items of mutual interest, and meet at least once annually with floriculture leaders to address challenges in their industry.