Is "Jersey Fresh" Supposed To Be A Good Thing?

The "Jersey Fresh" and "Jersey Grown" labels have been around for more than a quarter-century, but they are about to get a bit more prominent in the Garden State. Last week Governor Chris Christie signed legislation that requires state agencies, whenever possible, to give extra visibility and accessibility to products from New Jersey. Whether or not consumers find the idea of produce from our southern neighbor enticing is another matter entirely.

"Serving homegrown produce or baked goods at our state facilities sends a positive message about our state, supports local economies and helps preserve New Jersey's farming heritage," one of the bill's co-sponsors, Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose (R-Franklin), said of the new measure. "When people eat at a New Jersey facility, they should have no doubt they're in the Garden State with plenty of menu options featuring Jersey peaches, corn and tomatoes to choose from."

And it is true, when it comes to tomatoes it is hard to top Jersey's beefsteaks. And the corn is pretty sweet too! But do consumers really want to know their fare is from Jersey (even while in New Jersey) in this day and age when the state's most famous export is Jersey Shore—most of whose cast isn't even from Jersey? Still, it's probably better for Chris Christie to see the fresh food he wants to ignore clearly labeled.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in Food on August 22, 2011 10:49 AM

Comments [rss]

openheads

"Is "Jersey Fresh" Supposed To Be A Good Thing?"

Of course it is. No matter how much you wish it weren't.

JBinWilliamsburg

Moreover, I'll take a superficial fist-pumping guido from Nutley, New Jersey over the typical born-again evil yahoo found in most of the states that Gothamist's twenty-something staffers likely recently fled from.

Joe Buckner

Don't hate on the Garden State...

randomtransplant

Weekend access to Jersey is one of the best things about living in New York City.

Sorry about that, Jersey.

gambalore

So which mall grows the best produce?

Eric Gordon

I'll take farm fresh anything from any local farm over imported stuff from China. I just had to buy garlic from CHINA yesterday because the supermarket didn't have any other kind. China!

van_vlissingen

@Garth:disqus While NJ might be to the south of NYS. NJ is certainly not to the south of Gotham!

zombie_cakes

Ha yep, a good bit of Bergen County is north of Manhattan and The Bronx even. But hey, what do maps know?

EverThere

Oh please. Slow news day at Gothamist? Need to try and find a shoestring link between NJ produce and a buzzworthy shit program full of people largely from NEW YORK STATE? The mere fact that you mention it's Jersey's biggest export is absurd. Give me a break.

NJ is not the first -- nor only -- state to encourage people to buy local. So why pick on NJ -- just because it's over the river? What about Maine? They're FIERCE about buying locally-grown products. More so than a lot of other states in the Northeast.

For decades, New Jersey has been producing amazing corn, blueberries, tomatoes, cranberries and apples -- among other things. There's more to NJ than the Turnpike -- just like there's more to New York than New York City. Get over yourselves.

paull

Boom! Headshot.

randomtransplant

You forgot sugar beats and dairy!

PicoPhreako69

Oh, totally, dude.
Every time I go clubbing, it's to get me summadose sweet, sweet, sugar beats.

randomtransplant

What are you, a child?

PicoPhreako69

Oh, I giggle in your general direction, sir &/or madame.
Especially your inability (or flat-out refusal) to recognize mild, grammatically-related sarcasm when you see it (i.e., "beets" vs. "beats"). >:3

randomtransplant

My bad! Let my general assholery not be a reflection upon you.

I was gassy off of cheap wings and good beer.

EverThere

Eep! Thanks for the reminder! :)

robingee

People have to get over the crap they hear about New Jersey. What, the produce is no good because some a-holes are on TV or the Turnpike has bad-smelling refineries? NJ is like the France of America. Someone heard a bad thing and now "NJ sucks". NJ is awesome.

glen_glenn

Jersey produce has always been top notch. If people don't want to eat fresh food simply because it's grown out in the Garden State that's there own problem.

gtraindelay

Very well said. I'll take Jersey grown produce over the imported from wherever crap any day of the week.

LtWorf

The colors on that T-Shirt, as well as their entire advertising campaign reminds me of the Jersey Shore.

That, in itself, makes this an absolute failure. Not to mention the term 'Jersey Fresh' the most mind-numbing oxymoron in history.