NJDA headed to NEPC to tout benefits of Jersey Fresh

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is looking forward to the 2022 NEPC show as New England is the second largest market for Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables outside of the immediate tri-state market of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

“Because New England is such a prominent market for New Jersey growers, we hope to continue strengthening established relationships and to forge new relationships with retail buyers,” said Joe Atchison III, NJDA’s marketing and development division director. “We have had a presence at the NEPC show since its inception and we are proud to continue that partnership.”

Joining Atchison at the show will be Christine Fries, coordinator of agricultural marketing for the department.

As always, the NJDA team will have its own booth at the show boasting an eye-catching display of some of the best summer crops New Jersey growers have available.

“Thanks to the timing and proximity of this show, we can showcase in-season crops that have been harvested from the Garden State just 24-36 hours prior to the show,” Atchison said.

He’ll be championing New Jersey produce and explaining why now more than ever, it’s a great choice for retailers in the New England area.

“The cost of shipping continues to be a hot topic and with New Jersey being within just a few hours of the New England market, our growers can make delivery faster and less expensively than other producers that are thousands of miles away,” he said.

The NJDA continues to support its growers through a variety of marketing efforts, and this year is establishing an Organic, Sustainable, Regenerative Agriculture program to provide technical advice and marketing support for growers interested in that growing segment of the market.

“We also plan to increase participation in our value-added program, ‘Made With Jersey Fresh’ to extend the season for New Jersey’s growers,” Atchison said.

With some recent rain and with ongoing irrigation efforts by New Jersey growers, the NJDA projects nothing but the best throughout the rest of the summer and fall seasons with top quality sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, peppers, squash, eggplant, greens, cranberries, broccoli and so much more still being grown.

“The NJDA provides marketing support for New Jersey growers through traditional media including outdoor, aerial banners, radio and print advertising, as well as social and online media,” Atchison said. “Additionally, we provide point-of-purchase materials including bin wraps, banners, price cards, aprons and hats to retailers to denote products grown in the Garden State.”

This year, the department has also held sampling events on some of the largest tourist destinations in the country — the boardwalks along the Jersey shore.

“With over 100 million visitors each year from all over the country, this provides a high-profile opportunity to reach new audiences,” Atchison said.