Russell
J. Marino of Swedesboro, Gloucester County, was
sworn in recently as a member of the State Board
of Agriculture representing the vegetable industry.
His term expires in 2003. Marino' farm, Sun Valley
Orchards, consists of 1,200 acres of fresh peaches,
tomatoes, peppers and pickles and is one of the
largest and most innovative fresh market vegetable
and fruit farms in New Jersey. The farm is a family-run
operation managed by Marino and his brothers. Marino'
wife, Judy, handles the public relations and bookkeeping
functions of the business and their two sons, Russ,
Jr. and Joe, have recently joined in the management
of the farm. Marino has initiated several innovative
farming methods to improve crop production and
farm efficiency. Tomatoes and peppers are produced
using stake culture, plastic mulch and drip irrigation.
Plastic tunnels are placed over the pickle and
cantaloupe crops in the spring to promote early
season growth. Rather than rely on out-of-state
sources, Marino uses greenhouses to produce his
own vegetable transplants. The business includes
a modern vegetable-packing line with automatic
sizing and relies on its own modern cooling facility
for product storage. Marino graduated from Kingsway
Regional High School in 1968 and has been extremely
active in New Jersey' agricultural community. Since
1972, he has been a member of Gloucester County
Board of Agriculture, having served as past president
and a member of the Gloucester County Farm Bureau,
where he served as a director from 1989 to 1997.
He was also a member of the American Farm Bureau
Labor Committee from 1991 to 1998. Because of his
interest in farmland preservation, Marino has been
a member of the Gloucester County Agricultural
Development Board since 1987 and currently serves
as its chairman. He is also an active member and
director of the New Jersey Tomato Council; director
and vice president of the New Jersey Peach Council;
member of the Swedesboro, Landisville Produce and
Vineland Produce Auctions; former director of the
Farm Credit of Rancocas; and director of the Woodstown
Agway. Marino was a member of the South Harrison
Township Committee as a committeeman from 1981
to 1996, serving as mayor for 13 of those years
and as deputy mayor for one. He was re-elected
to the Committee in 1997 and currently serves as
mayor. During his tenure on the Township Committee,
Marino created the first full time Police Chief
position, supervised construction of the Municipal
Building and Community Center and used his own
equipment to help the Township develop parks and
ball fields. Marino has served on the South Harrison
Township Planning Board since 1974 and has been
an alternate member of the South Harrison Township
Environmental Committee since 1986. David J. Kanach,
a dairy farmer from Branchburg, Somerset County,
was also sworn in as a member of the State Board
of Agriculture representing the dairy industry.
The State Board of Agriculture elected Roger Ruske
of Millville, Cumberland County, to serve as president
and Bix DiMeo of Colts Neck, Monmouth County, as
vice president. Other members of the Board are
Abbott Lee of Chatsworth, Steven Jany of Hightstown,
Thomas A. Brodhecker of Newton and Douglas Zee
of Glassboro. The eight-member State Board of Agriculture
is the highest official policy-making body in the
state. Only those who are involved in producing
farm crops or livestock products are eligible and
membership must represent each of the four leading
agricultural commodities.
|