TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11) -- Some lawmakers are sewing seeds they hope will yield more farmers to combat what they say is a growing shortage.
"It's really designed to get younger folks into farming," said Assemblyman Alex Sauickie (R-NJ 12th District). "We've got to continue to incentivize folks to get into farming because it's a hard thing to do."
Sauickie is co-sponsoring a bill that would create a new loan program. If passed into law, the program would help new farmers of low to moderate net worth get a loan to acquire land, machines, trucks, and more.
"A lot of people like to work from home now," said Sauickie, "so to get people to come and work on a farm, which is real hard work, is a real challenge."
Not to mention, this line of work is getting more expensive. According to the USDA Census report released earlier this year, while New Jersey added more than a hundred farms, the cost of farming in New Jersey increased by nearly $40,000 per farm.
The Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture -or ACE- Committee met to discuss the bill on Monday. The Committee chair, Democratic Assemblyman William Spearman, is co-sponsoring the bill along with Republican Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia.
"This is a loan program, it's not a hand-me-out type of program," said Sauickie. "Farmers are hard workers, they're not looking for handouts, but we do need to help them out just like we would help out beginning homeowners."
The ACE Committee advanced the bill; its next stop is likely the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
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