(FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Edward D. Wengryn and other state and local officials today kicked off the 40^th Anniversary of Jersey Fresh with a visit to Consalo Family Farms, which grows and packages locally grown produce and other farm products now appearing in farmers markets and stores around the state.

“Jersey Fresh is an iconic brand that is nationally known, respected, and imitated by many other states due to the success it has experienced here in the Garden State for the last four decades,” Secretary Wengryn said. “The major reason for the success of this brand has been the consistently outstanding produce grown by farms like the one we are on today throughout the entire state. The Jersey Fresh label continues to be a trusted trademark for consumers who know they are purchasing the best product while supporting the local economy.”

New Jersey ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. in the production of several crops, including third in asparagus, one of the early season crops highlighted today. The recently released Census of Agriculture showed the New Jersey asparagus crop was valued at $12.5 million and that the overall production of fruits and vegetables is valued at almost a half billion annually.

Other crops with an early harvest that are available daily include kale, lettuce, radishes and spinach. Expected to be widely available in about two weeks are beets and strawberries.

Consumers can find what Jersey Fresh produce is in season and where it is being sold by going to FindJerseyFresh.com.

“We are proud to be one of the growers that plays a role in making Jersey Fresh produce available to everyone,” Consalo Family Farms Executive Vice President Chelsea Consalo said. “The Jersey Fresh season is here and we anticipate having an outstanding season. Our family plans to maintain our agricultural tradition for the generations to come.”

Consalo Family Farms, which also includes CEO Skip Consalo, Senior Vice President of Procurement A.J. Consalo, and Vice President of Finance Sarah Consalo, is a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper, importer, and distributor. The company is 100 percent family owned and has been growing fruits and vegetables in New Jersey since 1927 and now grows on approximately 1,500 acres. The family’s largest crop is blueberries, but also includes a wide range of vegetables, which includes salad items (leaf lettuces), herbs, and cooking greens (dandelion, swiss chard, kale, among other items), peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and hard squash.

The company distributes items in both the United States and Canada allowing local New Jersey produce a national and international reach. Started with just one tractor, the company has grown into a multi-faceted operation including The Fresh Wave, the sole marketer for all products grown by Consalo Family Farms. The Fresh Wave includes storage, packing, distribution, transportation, and merchandising solutions for retailers.

###

To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA and @JerseyFreshNJDA.