Department of Agriculture

Commodity Councils

Members of the councils are appointed by the Board of Agriculture. They serve without salaries but may be reimbursed for expenses. The councils have from five to fifteen members. All terms expire June 30 of the year indicated. The memberships include the Secretary of Agriculture and the Dean of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, or their designees. Correspondence may be addressed to them at P.O. Box 330, Trenton 08625.

NEW JERSEY APPLE INDUSTRY COUNCIL

(Chapter 80, Laws of 1959)

Taylor S. Applegate, chair, Freehold, 2025; Gary Mount, Princeton, 2026; John Melick, Oldwick, 2024; Keith Duffield, Sewell, 2026 Terms are three years.

NEW JERSEY ASPARAGUS INDUSTRY COUNCIL

(Chapter 18, Laws of 1959)

Thomas Sorbello, Swedesboro, 2024; Dante Spina, Salem, 2024; Kathy Morris, Swedesboro, 2025; Bruce Roberts, Allentown, 2025; Santo John Maccherone, Salem, 2025. Terms are two years.

NEW JERSEY BLUEBERRY INDUSTRY COUNCIL

(Chapter 308, Laws of 1971)

Dennis Doyle, New Lisbon, 2025; David Arena, Hammonton, 2024; Art Galletta, Hammonton, 2024; Francisco Allende, Glassboro, 2024; Paul Macrie, Hammonton, 2024; Matthew Macrie, Hammonton, 2024; Brandon Raso, Hammonton, 2024; Sam Mento III, Hammonton, 2024; Chelsea Consalo, Egg Harbor City, 2026. Terms are three years 

NEW JERSEY DAIRY INDUSTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL

(Chapter 308, Laws of 1971)

Richard Byma, chair, Sussex, 2024; Robert Fulper II, Lambertville, 2026; Matt Puskas, vice chair, Somerset, 2024; Brant    Simmons, Columbia, 2025; Joy Ricker, Wantage, 2025; James Watters, Port Murray, 2025; Daniel Lyness, Pittstown, 2026. Terms are three years.

 

NEW JERSEY PEACH PROMOTION COUNCIL

Chair: Bonnie Lundblad; Vice-Chair: Santo John Maccherone; Secretary: Tom Beaver; Treasurer: Kathleen Salber.  OTHER DIRECTORS: Matt Duffield, Erica Shiles, Christina Wilson, CONSULTANTS: Jerry Frecon, Pegi Adam; EX-OFFICIOs: Joe Atchison, NJ Department of Agriculture; Christine Fries, NJ Department of Agriculture; Dr. Hemant Gohil, Rutgers NJ Ag Experiment Station; Dr. Megan Muhlbauer, Rutgers NJ Ag Experiment Station.

POULTRY PRODUCTS PROMOTION COUNCIL

(Chapter 47, Laws of 1966)

Karen Puglisi, vice chair, Howell, 2025; Richard Lee, Hightstown, 2025; Edwin Schuster, Lakewood, 2024; John R. Evans, chair, Bayville, 2025; Leah Santiago, Broadway, 2024; Zachary Webb, Rheems, Pa., 2024. Terms are two years.

NEW JERSEY SWEET POTATO INDUSTRY COMMISSION

(Chapter 283, Laws of 1966)

Joseph F. Nicolosi, Logan Township, 2026; Dante Spina, Salem, 2025; Charles Muzzarelli, Jr., Vineland, 2024. Terms are three years.

WHITE POTATO INDUSTRY COUNCIL

(Chapter 169, Laws of 1957)

John Coombs, Jr., Chair, Elmer, 2025; Tom Bishop, Vice- Chair, Elmer, 2024; Ron Budd, Woodbury, 2025; Christopher Probasco, Chesterfield, 2025; Ben Wilson, Elmer, 2024; Mike Brooks, Elmer, 2024. Terms are two years.

 

STATE SOIL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

(N.J.S.A. 4:24-1 et seq)

The committee was established in 1937 to oversee programs for the conservation of soil resources and the prevention of soil erosion.

Secretary of Agriculture; Commissioner of Environmental Protection; Dr. Laura Lawson, Executive Dean, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; Brian Schilling, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, ex-officio; John Kocubinski, Allentown (Governor’s appointee); Louise Davis, Denville, 2024; Joseph Lomax, Cape May Court House, 2024; Raymond J. Cywinski, Demarest, 2025; Michael Rigolizzo, Berlin, 2025; Cormac Morrissey, Galloway, 2026, and Sylvia Kovacs, Hackettstown, 2026 (representing soil conservation districts); Julie Hawkins, State Conservationist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service—N.J. (advisory member). The six soil conservation district representatives serve terms of three years. They are unsalaried but may be reimbursed for expenses. Executive Secretary – Frank Minch, Department of Agriculture.

Aquaculture Advisory Council

(Chapter 236, Laws of 1997)

The council assists in fostering an aquaculture industry defined as “the propagation, rearing, and subsequent harvesting of aquatic organisms in controlled or selected environments, and the subsequent processing, packaging and marketing” of the products.

Members—Lisa M. Calvo, Newfield, 2021, Barney Hollinger, Port Norris, 2022, Matthew Gregg, Brick, 2025, and Vacant (industry representatives); Vacant (public members) . Terms are three years, without compensation. Ex officio—Secretary of Agriculture, Chairman, and representatives of eight other departments and agencies. Aquaculture Development Specialist—Amanda Wenczel Arians, 609-913-6499; Email: amanda.wenczel@ag.nj.gov.

EQUINE ADVISORY BOARD

(Chapter 5, Laws of 1967)

The board assists in programs for the state’s pleasure horse industry. It consists of representatives of breed groups and other agricultural organizations. Ann Dorsett, Woolwich;  Estella Almeida, Eatontown; Susan DataSamtak, Bedminster;  Gayle Stinson, Oxford; Eliza Banks, Jackson;  Thomas Picinich,Manalapan;  Mark Mullen, Cream Ridge; Mike Campbell, West Long Branch.;  Cyndee Roszel, New Egypt; Robin Meirs, Cream Ridge;  Ellan Weisfeld, Jackson; Marjorie Moser, Williamstown; Diane Sigafoos, Allentown; Ed Wengryn, Farm Bureau; Dr. Cary Williams, New Brunswick; Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Rutgers-New Brunswick; Mark McCracken – Warren Carolyn Montgomery – Marlton; Brittany Rigg – Clarksboro; Mary Alice Goss – Freehold; Erin Gale – Wrightstown; Doud Raynor – Allentown; Katie Bunca – Wrightstown; Flosie Ale – Logan Twp.

SIRE STAKES PROGRAM BOARD OF TRUSTEES

(Chapter 85, Laws of 1971)

The program was established in 1971 to encourage the breeding of Standardbred horses. It offers purses for winning harness-racing trotters and pacers sired by registered New Jersey Stallions and foals of registered New Jersey mares, and provides a minimum of six races a year for each class of both two- and three-year old colts and fillies, trotters and pacers alike. The program includes Sire Stakes Premier Division events, the Standardbred Development Fund Program, and the Renaissance Open and Filly Paces. The Premier Division is contested in the spring and summer with a series of races at The Meadowlands for both two- and three-year old colts and fillies on both the trot and pace. The top point winners in each division qualify for the finals. The program has been instrumental in maintaining more than 100,000 acres of open space.

Board members—Nancy Grbelja, Millstone Township, and Michael J. Gulotta, Lebanon, (public members); Mark C. Mullen, Cranbury, and Richard S. Meirs, V.M.D., Cream Ridge (Standard Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn.); Secretary of Agriculture, ex officio. Terms are two years.

STATE FARMLAND EVALUATION COMMITTEE

(Chapter 43, Laws of 2013)

The act’s provision included clarification of the minimum qualification standards for farmland assessment eligibility. It changed the name of the Farmland Evaluation Advisory Committee to the Farmland Evaluation Committee and revised its membership and responsibilities. The committee now consists of the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, the Dean of the College of Agriculture of Rutgers University, a farmer member, and a municipal tax assessor or county assessor or tax administrator. The Governor’s appointments of Ann M. Dorsett, Woolwich Township, as the farmer member, and Kathleen Hill, CTA, Greenwich Township, Gloucester County’s Senior Assistant Assessor, Farmland Division, were confirmed.