New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Edward D. Wengryn and other state and local officials kicked off the 40th anniversary of Jersey Fresh, April 30, with a visit to Consalo Family Farms, Egg Harbor City, NJ, which grows and packages locally grown produce and other farm products appearing in farmers markets and stores around the state.

Established in 1984 by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Trenton, NJ, the Jersey Fresh logo was designed to inform consumers which fruits and vegetables were grown in the Garden State.

Initially begun as a radio advertising campaign, the Jersey Fresh program has also used billboards, television and print ads, and colorful point-of-purchase materials to remind consumers about the availability of locally grown products. The Jersey Fresh message has reached nearly every state in the U.S. and in many countries, with special emphasis on consumers along the Eastern Seaboard from Richmond, VA, to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the campaign has been translated into French.

“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,” says Wengryn.

“The major reason for the success of this brand has been the consistently outstanding produce grown by farms 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 grows more than 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs and is ranked nationally in the top 10 as producer of such items as blueberries, peaches, bell peppers, squash, tomatoes and cranberries. 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.

“We are proud to be one of the growers that plays a role in making Jersey Fresh produce available to everyone,” says Consalo Family Farms Executive Vice President Chelsea Consalo. “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.”