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Current members of the State Board and the facets of the industry they represent include:

Board Member
Industry
Term Expires

Holly Sytsema
President
Wantage

Dairy 2024

Barney Hollinger
Vice President
Port Norris

Aquaculture 2024

Kurt Alstede
Chester

Fruit 2025

Lisa Specca
Bordentown

Vegetable 2025

Robert Blew
Centerton

Nursery 2026

David DeFrange, II
Frenchtown

Nursery 2026

John Hart
Hopewell Township

Hay and Grain 2027

Stephen V. Lee, IV
Chatsworth

Fruit 2027

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Agricultural Convention

Members of the State Board of Agriculture are elected by delegates from the agriculture community to the legislatively established, annual State Agricultural Convention in February then recommended to the Governor for appointment to the Board with the approval of the State Senate. Farmer-members of the State Fish and Game Council are also selected at the convention.

Two special kinds of awards are also presented each year at the convention:

Distinguished Service and Outstanding Young Farmer.

 
Distinguished Service Awards

In addition, several Distinguished Service Awards are presented at the Convention each year to honor lifetime service to the agriculture industry and professional accomplishments that contributed to the advancement of the industry. More information about the criteria for the award and a nomination form.

 
Outstanding Young Farmer

New Jersey's Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) is selected from nominees submitted by agricultural organizations such as county boards of agriculture; commodity, breed and general farm organizations; machinery, seed or farm supply dealers; lending institutions; local chapters of the Junior Chamber of Commerce; and others including former NJ OYF winners who are members of the Outstanding Farmers of America. A panel of judges selects the year's honoree. Click for additional information or a nomination form. The OYF award is also part of the program at the Outstanding Young Citizens banquet held each year by the New Jersey Junior Chamber of Commerce. At the national level, the OYF program is the oldest farmer recognition program in the United States, dating back to 1955.

The National OYF program is sponsored by Deere & Company, supported by the National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA) and the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce and is administered by the Outstanding Farmers of America (OFA) Fraternity.

Click here for a list of past recipients.