LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5357

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: MARCH 24, 2025

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Establishes farm pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer collection and disposal program.

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure increase; potential annual local expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Environmental Protection; Department of Agriculture; local governments.

 

 

 

Fiscal Impact

Annual

State Expenditure Increase

Up to $500,000

Potential Local Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate.

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill would involve up to $500,000 in annual State expenditures for the Department of Agriculture and Department of Environmental Protection to establish the farm pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer collection and disposal program for commercial farm waste.  This estimate anticipates the need for a maximum of two additional full-time equivalent employees and up to $250,000 in costs to hire contractors to collect and recycle the farm waste.

·         Municipalities may also experience an indeterminate increase in annual expenditures as local agents are to be appointed to inventory specified farm products.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to establish a voluntary collection and disposal program for pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers on commercial farms.   

      The Department of Environmental Protection is to strategically place collection sites in diverse regions of the State; offer at least two collection events every year at each collection site; contract with and provide oversight of entities qualified to safely collect, dispose of, or recycle these items; and appoint local agents to inventory them.  The local agents would then provide that information to the department.

      The Department of Agriculture is to establish a cooperative public education campaign to inform farmers of the location and dates of collection events; the types of items accepted by the program; the benefits of their collection and disposal for farmers; and the environmental benefits of proper disposal.  This educational information is to be posted to the Department of Agriculture’s website and updated regularly. 

      The departments would submit an annual report to the Legislature and the Governor summarizing the operations of the program and post the results online.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that this bill would involve up to $500,000 in annual State expenditures for the Department of Agriculture and Department of Environmental Protection to establish farm collection sites, organize collection events, hire qualified contractors to collect and dispose of the materials, and appoint local representatives to inventory pesticide collection.  The OLS finds that one additional full-time equivalent employee in the Department of Environmental Protection and one in the Department of Agriculture would be required to implement the provisions of the bill at a total personnel cost of about $250,000 per year, including fringe benefits.  In addition, the OLS assumes that contracting costs for this program would require $250,000 for each year of collection and disposal.  The OLS notes that participation in this program by farmers would be voluntary, which would influence the extent of the State and local costs.

      The departments would experience ongoing workload increases to organize collection events, implement education campaigns, and establish the required website.  To the extent that local agents would be involved in inventorying discarded farm products, this bill could result in additional municipal or county expenses.  As counties already conduct periodic hazardous waste collections, it is possible that some tasks required under this program would be included in existing collection events and would not result in any additional expense to local governments.

 

Section:

Environment, Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources

Analyst:

Anna Heckler

Assistant Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).