New Jersey Department of Agriculture touting Jersey Fresh at NEPC show
New Jersey Department of Agriculture touting Jersey Fresh at NEPC show
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture excels at bringing marketing support for New Jersey growers through traditional media including outdoor, aerial banners, radio and print advertising, as well as social and online media. Additionally, it provides point-of-purchase materials including bin wraps, banners, price cards, aprons and hats to retailers to denote products grown in the Garden State.
Another way the NJDA gets the word out about New Jersey products is by representing the growers at the biggest produce shows and that includes the upcoming NEPC Produce, Floral & Food Service Expo.
That one is particularly important, as the Boston/New England area represents the second-largest market for Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables outside of the immediate tri-state market of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
“We hope to expose more people to the goodness that is Jersey Fresh produce,” said Joe Atchison III, NJDA’s assistant secretary/marketing and development division director. “Networking is a critical part of any trade show. Not only meeting potential new customers for Jersey Fresh products but also visiting with people you have known for years and maintaining those strong relationships. Someone you meet today could be a long-term friend and buyer of New Jersey’s farm products.”
Joining Atchison at the show will be Christine Fries, NJDA’s coordinator of agricultural marketing. Together, they will alternate working at the booth and visiting others on the floor throughout the day.
“Visitors to our booth will see our display of seasonal, just picked Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables including famous Jersey corn and tomatoes, as well as seasonal favorites including squashes, peppers, peaches, melons and whatever else is at the height of the harvest season,” Atchison said. “Thanks to the timing and proximity of this show, we can showcase in-season crops that have been harvested from the Garden State just 24-36 hours prior to the show.”
It’s been a busy year for the NJDA so far and it remains committed to developing a savvy strategic plan for the entire organization and will be rolling that out through the rest of the year. The NJDA’s leaders have also been keeping a close eye on the produce industry and making decisions based on the challenges and fluctuations it is noticing.
“This year, we are seeing increases in prices for tomatoes and peppers among others due to impacts from weather and labor costs,” Atchison said. “New Jersey growers are utilizing more H2A workers for their workforces and are exploring more weather resistant varieties in their plantings.”
That’s why at the NEPC show, Atchison will be talking with others about the trends they are noticing and seeing what can be done for continued success in 2025.
“We always look forward to see what other exhibitors are promoting and how they are doing it,” he said. “Conversations with them show how we seem to face a lot of the same issues and how we approach them.”
At the conclusion of every show, Atchison said the NJDA assesses who they met with, what they learned and the opportunities that came from it.
“If you can find at least one or two people who haven’t purchased from Garden State growers previously and you share what Jersey Fresh is about and create a contact, that’s a good day,” he said.