For Immediate Release:
December 21, 2018

Monmouth County Freeholders applaud passing of legislation promoting locally grown produce

FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone and Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry are applauding the signing of a bill into law that requires the State’s tourism division to publish information about farm-to-table restaurants on their website.

“I am excited to see the State promoting restaurants that are supporting our local agricultural businesses, while serving fresh, healthy food to residents and visitors alike,” said Director Arnone, liaison to the Monmouth County Division of Economic Development. “In Monmouth County, our Grown in Monmouth program has been largely successful in promoting restaurants that serve locally grown produce, so we hope to see that same success at the state level.”

In 2016, Monmouth County’s Grown in Monmouth program launched a logo and invited farms, agricultural businesses and restaurants to use the logo to promote, market and brand their products.

All of these restaurants and businesses were then added to the website, www.growninmonmouth.com, where users could search an interactive map to find them. The website features restaurants, wineries, breweries, farmers markets, places to pick your own produce and even Christmas tree farm locations.

“I am pleased to see so many of our Assembly and Senate members come together to sponsor this bill and the unanimous support for our agricultural community as they voted to pass it into law,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Burry, liaison to the Monmouth County Agricultural Board. “We hope, one day soon, to see every restaurant in Monmouth County, and in New Jersey, serving the fresh, high-quality produce that comes right from our local farmers and the passing of this legislation is another step in the right direction.”

In the fall of 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture awarded the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders a Rural Business Enterprise Grant to assess the rural agricultural industry in Monmouth County, evaluate current trends and future opportunities to expand the industry, and to develop a marketing strategy to promote and market local agricultural products. The ‘Grown in Monmouth’ initiative is designed to help retain and grow the County’s agriculture industry and provide business skills assistance to our agricultural community.

For more information about the Monmouth County Grown in Monmouth program, go to www.growninmonmouth.com.

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