The New Jersey Farm Bureau Policies of 2014 opposes new legislation being drafted by the New Jersey Legislature that would define “locally grown” as any product grown in New Jersey or 30 miles outside of the state. Jack Rabin, director of farm programs at Rutgers’ New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, agrees. “We have soy beans that we sell to Maryland to feed chickens – those chickens are then sold in New Jersey – the whole thing is local,” Rabin said…”If you’re going to say local, say where. But don’t demand local just being nearby, because we have 8.8 million people and we are a food-deficit state.”

Pinnacle Foods announced Tuesday it has opened a research & development pilot plant at Rutgers University. The plant will support the Parsippany-based company’s effort to “Reinvigorate Iconic Brands” and support recognizable names such as Duncan Hines, Vlasic, Wish-Bone and more as Pinnacle increases their R&D capacity and supports their brand renovation…”This is a great opportunity for Rutgers University’s Food Innovation Center – North and students; we are very excited to partner with Pinnacle as it reinvigorates iconic brands,” Dr. Peggy Brennan, associate vice president of economic development, Rutgers University, said in the release.