ASSEMBLY COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5270

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 12, 2025

      The Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5270.

      This bill dedicates a portion of the revenue collected from the alcoholic beverage excise tax on certain wine sales to the “Jersey Fresh Program Fund.”

     Specifically, the bill requires the State Treasurer to deposit into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund an amount equal to the revenues generated under the alcohol beverage excise tax at the rate of $0.21875 per gallon of wines, vermouth, and sparkling wines sold by plenary winery and farm winery licensees, as defined under State law.  This dedication equates to 25 percent of the tax currently imposed on the sales of these alcoholic beverages.

     Under current law, the Legislature is required to annually appropriate all funds deposited into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund to the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of providing support to the Jersey Fresh Program, which includes, but not be limited to, funding advertising, promotional, and quality grading program activities to inform consumers about the availability of locally grown agricultural products.

     This bill expands the scope of revenues that are required to be annually deposited into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund to include a portion of revenues generated from the alcoholic beverage excise tax on the sale of wines, vermouth, and sparkling wines by plenary winery and farm winery licensees.  Under the bill, the Legislature would also be required to annually appropriate these monies to the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of providing support to the Jersey Fresh Program.