WHEREAS, wines from New Jersey’s approximately 50 wineries are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and that sophistication is showing in their award-winning products; and

WHEREAS, the state’s wine industry has received countless awards locally, nationally and internationally, and New Jersey’s $30 million dollar per year wine industry adds an important diversification to New Jersey’s agricultural sector, offering agri-tourism opportunities while providing a value-added product; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey’s wine industry ranks in the Top-10 in the nation in production and, although grape production continues to expand in New Jersey, but it is not keeping pace with increased wine production; and

WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture administers a promotion and research fund for the wine and grape industry supported by per-gallon assessments collected by the New Jersey Wine Industry Advisory Council, and the Council prints promotional materials, conducts publicity programs, funds promotional festivals and conducts varietal and production oriented research with these funds; and

WHEREAS, small-scale breweries also are becoming more popular in New Jersey, and their operations, including the brewing of beer and the operation of pubs connected to the breweries, present opportunities for New Jersey farmers to sell products used both in the production of beer and as items on the menus of the pubs; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law in 2013 provisions for small craft breweries and distilleries licenses, provided that no less than 51 percent of the raw materials used in the production of those products are grown in the state; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey has experienced extreme cold weather in 2014, and these cold temperatures have caused damage to grapevines, which will translate to a loss of crop production in this season and loss of vines that will need to be replanted; and

WHEREAS, with this loss of plants and crops, it will take several years for the industry to return to its previous state of production.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the delegates to the 99^th State Agricultural Convention, assembled in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on February 5-6, 2014, do hereby urge the Department to continue taking steps to help the wine and grape industry increase grape production in an effort to increase the local agricultural input of New Jersey’s wine industry; promote the use of locally produced fruits in the making of New Jersey wines; encourage support for new production research to increase the state’s grape production and expand the locally grown content of New Jersey wines. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that to increase demand and support the industry’s efforts to highlight the “Jersey Wines from Jersey Vines” brand and promote products from New Jersey’s American Viticulture Areas -- the “Outer Coastal Plain,” “Warren Hills,” and “Central Delaware Valley” -- the Department continue taking steps to increase the sales, both retail and wholesale, of New Jersey wines.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department support the interdisciplinary program of research and education established as the New Jersey Center for Wine Research and Education at Rutgers University, spearheaded by industry stakeholders and academics statewide, and having the following goals: to identify and address problems of greatest importance to the New Jersey wine industry; to develop educational programs that enhance, elevate and sustain the New Jersey wine industry, to analyze fundamental production, marketing, economic, social and human issues as they might enhance the global competitiveness of the New Jersey wine industry; and to coordinate and deploy expertise and resources about wine grape growth, wine production, and marketing from a network of resources.  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the appropriate agencies to help facilitate the development of craft breweries and distilleries as called for in the legislation signed into law in 2013.

 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, working alone or in concert with other state and federal agencies, to support the New Jersey grape industry in any way possible to provide aid and services to help overcome the damage caused by the extreme weather of Winter 2014.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support any attempts by New Jersey wineries to seek temporary waivers to requirements in farm winery licenses for certain percentages of grapes used in making their wine to come from New Jersey, provided those percentages return to normal as soon as practicable, and provided the wineries do not exceed their highest year’s production when using grapes from other states.