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Bill

A 1846

Establishes New Jersey Healthy Soils Program; establishes grant program for soil testing of urban agriculture sites; establishes Urban Agriculture Site Soil Testing Fund.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Annette Quijano and 2 co-sponsors

New Jersey creates a grant program and dedicated fund to test soil at urban agriculture sites, protecting food safety and urban farming operations from contamination risks.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee
#agriculture #environment
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Bill Summary · A 1846

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 1846 creates a New Jersey Healthy Soils Program that provides grants to test soil quality at urban agriculture sites and establishes a dedicated fund (Urban Agriculture Site Soil Testing Fund) to support these testing efforts. The program aims to ensure that soils used for growing food in urban areas meet safety and quality standards.

Why is this important

Urban agriculture has expanded significantly in cities as a source of fresh produce and community engagement, but contaminated soil—from historical industrial use, lead paint, or other pollutants—poses serious health risks to food growers and consumers. This bill addresses a critical gap by providing financial resources to identify contamination before crops are planted, protecting public health and enabling safer urban farming operations.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding source unclear: The bill establishes a fund but doesn't specify how it will be financed, raising questions about whether it requires new appropriations or relies on existing budget allocations
  • Program scope and eligibility: Details on which urban agriculture sites qualify, how many can be tested, and geographic coverage across New Jersey are not specified in the bill summary
  • Remediation responsibility: The bill addresses testing but doesn't clarify who is responsible for remediating contaminated soil or whether additional funding/support will be provided to fix identified problems

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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