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New Jersey Farm Bureau News

Ag Matters Online

N.J. farm preservation program marks success

16 Oct 2013, Posted by admin in Local Farms and Food, State News

Fred and Hoss Grasso grow a lot of fruits and veggies on their 100-acre farm in Mullica Hill, including strawberries, asparagus, cucumbers, squash and watermelon.

When the brothers heard the Urban Farm in West Deptford was for sale, they jumped at the chance to expand. What sealed the deal was that the 106-acre property is part of the state’s Farmland Preservation Program.

The program celebrated its 30th anniversary at the Urban Farm Tuesday. It limits participating land to agricultural use in exchange for development rights purchased by the state.

Click here to read the full story from the Courier-Post.

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Food Safety Modernization Act – What does it Mean to Your Farm Operation?

27 Sep 2013, Posted by admin in Meetings and Events, State News

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture and NJFB are sponsoring a conference to explain the new Food Safety Modernization Act rules on October 22. The meeting, to be held at the Rutgers EcoComplex, will include speakers from the US Food and Drug Administration, Rutgers Cooperative Extension and others. Pre-registration is recommended.

For meeting details and an agenda, click here.

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Time Short, House Says It Seeks a New Farm Bill

24 Sep 2013, Posted by admin in National News, News

House leaders on Tuesday said they were working with their Senate counterparts toward a new five-year farm bill, just days after the House pushed through a bill that would slash billions of dollars from the food stamp program.

But with only a few days left before the current farm bill expires at the end of the fiscal year, and with a fight over the debt ceiling looming, few lawmakers see any chance of getting a new farm bill done.

Click here to read the rest from the New York Times.

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Healthcare – Required Notice to Employees

20 Sep 2013, Posted by admin in National News

As mentioned in the 9-20-13 edition of This Week in Farm Bureau, the federal Affordable Care Act requires that all employers provide their employees with an “Exchange Notice” by October 1, 2013. AFBF has developed a fact sheet for farm employers that provides guidance on how to comply with this new and ongoing requirement. The fact sheet is accompanied by sample forms that farm employers can use.

To find links to these documents, visit our Information for Farmers page, under the Healthcare heading.

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