Farmers plow into Trenton to save NJDA
Locals head parade of protesters, horses, tractors to State House
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer
Photos by Jeff Granit
Two Upper Freehold farmers led the march on Trenton to protest Gov. Jon Corzine's plan to eliminate the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA).

Above: Ali Van Cleef, of Hillsborough, and John Oldzej, of the New Egypt section of Plumsted, protest the proposed elimination of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in a rally at the State House on April 1. Below: Julianne Robinson, 15, of Ellisdale, holds "Legislature" the pig and Wes McCoy, 17, of Columbus, holds "State" the pig during the rally. Bottom right: Steven Stone, 3, of the New Egypt, plays in the tire of one of the 119 tractors at the rally.

Farmer Bob Faber, who also serves as the township's deputy mayor, and farmer George Holmes, who operates the Holmes Brothers Farm in Upper Freehold with his brother Dave, were the first in the parade that marched on April 1 to protest the governor's plan to abolish the NJDA as a costcutting measure. An estimated 2,000 people attended the rally.

The governor expects to save $2.5 million annually by cutting the NJDA and two other government branches. The 260-person NJDAis responsible for agricultural advocacy and product promotion, animal health inspections, plant disease control, soil conservation and environmental programs, fertilizer testing, emergency food distribution, farmland preservation, and securing federal USDA grant funding, among other services.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff

To protest the elimination of the NJDA, state farmers and other farming advocates made sure every aspect of New Jersey agriculture was represented at the rally. Hay and grain farmers, organic farmers, sod producers, nursery operators, equine industry members and vegetable farmers were among those in attendance. FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) students, including some from Allentown High School, also attended the protest where Assemblymen Ronald Dancer (R-30) and JosephMalone (R-30) made speeches in support of saving the NJDA.

Faber said Corzine heard those at the rally loud and clear.

"He didn't come out but we made sure he knew we were there," Faber said.

Upper Freehold farmers Bob Freiberger and his son Tom, who brought three tractors and a hay wagon decorated with New Jersey Farm Bureau and local farming company banners to the rally, said the protest was better than anyone could have imagined and three times larger than they expected it to be.

"I thought we might have 40 or 50 tractors," Bob Freiberger said, adding that there were 119 tractors there.

The tractors came from staging areas in Bordentown, Ringoes and Trenton and included farming machines driven by Allentown and Upper Freehold residents such as Roger Gravatt, Jim Van Hise and David Wright.

Many local equine enthusiasts rode their horses in the protest parade and Maggi Romano, of Millstone, who serves as president of the New Jersey Horse Council, used a wheeled horse to represent the council and the equine industry in the rally.

Freiberger said people received the rally well. "In every neighborhood we drove through, people came out on their porches," he said.

Freiberger said that if he could speak with Corzine directly, he would tell the governor to come to his senses.

"If he doesn't, I think the Legislature will," Freiberger said. "I don't think that they will permit him to have his way with this."

Freiberger said there seems to be consensus among Republicans and Democrats that closing the NJDAwould be a foolish move for the state government.

Martin Bullock, one of the owners of Bullock Farms in Upper Freehold, said eliminating the NJDA would send a message that farming is no longer important in New Jersey.

"The citizens of New Jersey have approved spending millions of dollars to preserve land to keep farming in New Jersey, with Upper Freehold Township being one of the leaders in acres preserved," Bullock said. "Not having the NJDA and our own cabinet member leaves farmers without the support we need to farm in New Jersey."

While the rally surpassed organizer and New Jersey Farm Bureau member Ed Wengryn's expectations with more people, tractors and other vehicles than planned for and the surprise appearance of farmers with baby pigs and a goat, Corzine's reply to the protest disappointed him, he said.

"[Corzine] really believes this is the right thing to do for the state budget and that this tough cut needs to be made," Wengryn said. "It is so shortsighted and will generate no savings to the state."

Corzine would not only eliminate the secretary of agriculture post but also the state's Board ofAgriculture, according to Wengryn. The eight-member board of volunteer farmers selected by the farming community advises and operates the NJDA, he said.

"Instead of having people who live with the industry bringing the varied perspectives to the table to focus and direct the agency, the governor is going to save a few pennies by putting the functions of the department into other state agencies that do not have agriculture as a focus but have other primary responsibilities," Wengryn said.

Wengryn said eliminating the NJDA would be devastating to state farmers.

"If you had a farm and wanted to preserve it for the future [or] take your operation in a new direction, would you sell your development rights to a state that just said we no longer need a Department of Agriculture or would you just sell your farm outright for full development value and move to a state that does support agriculture?" Wengryn said.

Wengryn said farmers and their families are asking themselves these questions right now. He said those in the agricultural business are also pondering, "Does our state want us here farming?"