>>> FUNDING FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEAT" PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WORKING TO KEEP NEW JERSEY IN BUSINESS.

ONLINE AT NJCHAMBER.COM.

NJBIA HAS BEEN THE VOICE OF BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN 110 YEARS, AND IS BUILT TO SERVE OUR MEMBERS IN TODAY'S NEW NORMAL.

NJCU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, A GAME CHANGING FORCE OFFERING PROGRAMS LIKE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY, WHERE BUSINESS ANALYTICS AND DATA SCIENCE.

STEPS AWAY FROM THE EXCHANGE PLACE PATH TRAIN IN JERSEY CITY AND MINUTES FROM WALL STREET LEARN MORE AT NJCU.EDU/GAMECHANGER.

AND IBEW LOCAL 102, PROUDLY SERVING NEW JERSEY'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1900.

LOCAL 102, LIGHTING THE PATH, LEADING THE WAY.

VISIT IBEW102.ORG.

>>> THIS WEEK ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

GOVERNOR MURPHY LIFTS MAJOR PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, BUT BUSINESS LEADERS SAY IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

>>> PLUS, WORKING MORE HOURS BUT NOT GETTING PAID FOR IT.

NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS WORK PLACE TRENDS BORNE OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

>>> AND IT'S ONE OF NEW JERSEY'S MOST CRITICAL INDUSTRIES.

WE PUT FARMING IN FOCUS.

LEARNING ABOUT HOW THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS IS ADVANCING THE TRADE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE STATE.

THAT'S AHEAD ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

♪ >> Announcer: THIS IS "NJ BUSINESS BEAT," WITH RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

>>> HELLO, I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON YOUTUBE, MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET ALERTED WHEN WE POST NEW EPISODES AND CLIPS.

>>> NEW JERSEY'S BUSINESS REOPENING IS REALLY HAPPENING.

NEW CAPACITY LIMITS ARE IN PLACE THIS WEEKEND, AND MANY MORE RESTRICTIONS ARE BEING LIFTED LATER THIS MONTH.

GOVERNOR MURPHY MOVED UP HIS TIMETABLE FOR EXPANDING INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CAPACITY LIMITS BY A FEW DAYS, JUST IN TIME FOR THIS WEEKEND.

BUT THE REALLY BIG CHANGES COME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH, ON MAY 19th.

THAT'S WHEN MANY RESTRICTIONS WILL BE LIFTED ENTIRELY IN NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, AND CONNECTICUT.

UNDER THE TRI-STATE REOPENING PLAN, CAPACITY LIMITS WILL BE REMOVED ON INDOOR DINING, GYMS, CAS CASINOS, SALONS AND OTHER BUSINESSES.

AND THERE WILL BE NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALLOWED TO GATHER OUTDOORS.

SOME RESTRICTIONS WILL CONTINUE.

LARGE INDOOR VENUES, LIKE SPORTS ARENAS, WILL BE CAPPED AT 30% CAPACITY AND INDOOR GATHERINGS CAN HAVE 250 PEOPLE MAX.

SOCIAL DISTANCING IS ALSO STILL REQUIRED.

SO ARE BUSINESSES HAPPY ABOUT ALL THIS?

YOU BET.

ARE THEY COMPLETELY SATISFIED?

NOPE.

TO FILL IN THE BLANKS I SPOKE WITH CHRISTINA RINNE, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

THIS IS THE FIRST WEEKEND WHERE WE SEE SOME CHANGES BASED ON WHAT THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

HOW KEY IS THE LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS FOR THE BUSINESSES IN THIS SOUTH JERSEY?

>> ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL.

ESPECIALLY HERE IN SOUTH JERSEY AS WE NEAR THE SUMMER MONTHS WE NEED TO SEE THE GUIDELINES BROADENING AND REOPENING.

AND ALL THAT DOES WITH IT IS BUILD THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE WE NEED TO GET IN PLACE FOR THE STRONG SUMMER SEASON.

>> WERE BUSINESSES PREPARED TO MAKE THE CHANGES?

WERE THERE ANY HURDLES THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF CHANGING THINGS AROUND FOR CAPACITY?

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT THE PAST YEAR SO I THINK THEY LEARNED TO BE FLEXIBLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

WE ALL SAW THE SAME COVID STATS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS GOING DOWN.

WE WERE HOPEFUL THIS KIND OF ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE COMING.

IT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE.

WE GOT A TEASE OF IT AND THEN IT DROPPED JUST A FEW DAYS LATER.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, AFTER EVERYTHING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR, WHEN THERE WAS VERY LITTLE LEAD TIME BEFORE REOPENING ANNOUNCEMENTS, THIS IS FAR BETTER THAN THAT, AND I THINK HAVING GONE THROUGH IT ONCE LAST YEAR BUSINESSES WERE MORE PREPARED.

BUT LISTEN, MORE LEAD TIME IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN LESS.

WE'LL TAKE WHAT WE CAN GET AND VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE NEWS THAT WAS GIVEN.

HAD WE HAD A FEW MORE WEEKS, DEFINITELY FROM A STAFFING LEVEL ESPECIALLY, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE HELPFUL FOR BUSINESS.

>> HOW OPTIMISTIC ARE THE BUSINESSES IN SOUTH JERSEY?

PARTICULARLY ALONG THE SHORE ABOUT WHAT THE SEASON IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE NOW?

>> I WILL SAY THAT EVERYONE IS QUITE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE SUMMER SEASON.

IF YOU WERE LAST YEAR, WE WERE REALLY REOPENING RIGHT AROUND FOURTH OF JULY, RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME PERIOD WHEN THE TRADITIONAL START OF THE SUMMER SEASON IS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

SO WE WILL BE GETTING THAT FULL MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY RUN.

THAT DOES REALLY ENCAPSULATE OUR TOURISM, GAMING, OUR HOSPITALITY, OUR RESTAURANTS IN THE SHORE AREA.

SO MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN LAST YEAR BUT WE NEED TO SEE FURTHER GUIDANCE AND RESTRICTIONS LIFTED TO MAXIMIZE ECONOMICS FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THE STATE.

>> WHAT OTHER RESTRICTIONS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LIFTED THEN?

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, A RESTAURANT OR A BAR WILL NEVER BE TRULY AT 100% CAPACITY AS THE GOVERNOR IS SAYING WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING IN PLACE.

BECAUSE IF YOU KEEP TABLES 6 FEET APART, THAT IS NOT THEIR USUAL CAPACITY.

IT IS THEIR MAX CAPACITY WITH 6 FEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.

SO THAT LIMITS YOUR AMOUNT OF SEATS AROUND THE BAR AND THE AMOUNT OF TABLES IN A RESTAURANT.

SO AGAIN, ALL VERY GOOD NEWS, BUT THOSE KINDS OF STEPS MAY BE SHRINKENING THAT SOCIAL DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS AND BARS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO MAXIMIZE THE ECONOMIC OUTPUT OF THESE BUSINESSES AND THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU RHONDA.

>>> RESTRICTIONS ARE BEING ROLLED BACK ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S GIVING THE JOB MARKET SOME PEP.

IT WAS REPORTED THAT COMPANIES ACROSS THE COMPANY HIRED 742,000 WORKERS LAST MONTH.

BUT EVEN AS WORKERS START NEW JOBS OR RETURN TO THE OFFICE THEY'RE FEELING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THINGS.

I SPOKE WITH ADP'S CHIEF ECONOMIST ABOUT THE PANDEMIC'S IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE.

YOU RECENTLY PUT OUT A REPORT THAT LOOKED AT HOW MUCH THE WORK PLACE HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST YEAR.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORKER.

THERE WERE SOME VERY INTERESTING FINDINGS ABOUT PAY AND PERFORMANCE.

>> RIGHT.

WE SPENT OVER A YEAR DOCUMENTING CHANGES TO EMPLOYMENT AND THE TREMENDOUS JOB LOSS.

THIS SURVEY BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR HONED IN ON WORKERS FELT ABOUT IT AND WHAT WE SAW FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND THIS IS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE, IS THAT 85% OF THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE, OVER 32,000 PEOPLE IN 17 COUNTRIES, FELT INSECURE ABOUT THEIR JOBS.

AND SO THAT TRANSLATED INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS.

AND ONE OF THEM WAS TAKING ON MORE WORK AND ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

>> AND PEOPLE WERE TAKING ON NEW WORK, BUT WERE THEY ACTUALLY GETTING COMPENSATED FOR THAT?

>> WELL, THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS IN TERMS OF THAT.

YES, THEY WERE.

BUT IT'S A MIXED STORY.

SO ABOUT ONE INN SEVEN WORKERS REPORTED THAT THEY ACTUALLY RECEIVED SOME ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION, WHETHER IT WAS A PRO EMOMOTION OR A BONUS.

BUT WE SAW THAT WORKERS AROUND THE GLOBE, THIS IS A CONSISTENT RESULT, WERE WORKING MORE HOURS FOR FREE.

SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES THEY WERE GETTING PAID FOR, SOME THEY WERE NOT AND THE INCIDENTS OF WORKING FOR FREE UNPAID WORK GREW ESPECIALLY HERE IN NORTH AMERICA, IT DOUBLED IN THE COURSE OF THE SHORT ONE YEAR PERIOD SO A MIXED RESULT IN TERMS OF PAY AND PERFORMANCE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

>> SO WHAT HAS ALL OF THIS DONE FOR WORKERS' OPTIMISM AND WORKERS' FEELINGS ABOUT THEIR JOBS?

>> IT DOES VARY BY AGE.

THE YOUNGER WORKERS WERE THE MOST AFFECTED BY COVID-19.

THEY EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF JOB LOSS AND PAY CUT.

SO IT'S THE YOUNG, THE GEN Z, THE NEWEST COHORT TO THE WORKFORCE THAT HAS SEEN A REDUCTION IN OPTIMISM.

>> THE SURVEY ALSO LOOKED AT SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON QUITE A BIT AND THAT IS SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES BY GENDER, WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED IN THE PAST YEAR.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

IN FACT, A LOT OF COMMENTATORS HAVE CALLED THIS THE "SHE" RECESSION BECAUSE SO MANY WOMEN HAD TO LEAVE THE WORK PLACE BECAUSE OF ADDED FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES WITH DAY CARE CLOSURES AND SCHOOL CLOSURES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WE SEE IT IN THE DATA.

ONE WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING PAID MORE FOR ADDITIONAL WORK.

BUT MEN MORE LIKELY HERE IN THE U.S. TO BE PAID MORE, ABOUT 52%, THAN WOMEN, ABOUT 50% WERE PAID MORE.

WOMEN WERE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO FEEL CONFIDENT THEY COULD FIND A JOB WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY.

MEN WERE MUCH MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT.

WOMEN WANT TO HOLD ON TO WHATEVER FLEXIBILITY THEY HAVE AND WHATEVER PAY THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY SEE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT AND THAT'S A KEY CONCERN AS WE TRANSITION BACK TO THE WORK PLACE.

>> FASCINATING REPORT.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE HIGH LEVEL FINDINGS WITH US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>>> THIS TIME OF YEAR THERE ARE A FEW NEW JERSEY INDUSTRIES THAT TAKEOFF, TOURISM IS ONE OF THEM.

THE OTHER IS NEW JERSEY'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY.

WE ARE THE GARDEN STATE.

FARMING IS IN FOCUS FOR US THIS WEEK.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT GENERATION OF NEW JERSEY FARMERS AND FINDING OUT WHAT THE STATE IS DOING TO SUPPORT FAMILY FARMS.

FIRST SOME NUMBERS THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU.

NEW JERSEY IS HOME TO WELL OVER 9,800 FARMS WHICH GENERATE MORE THAN $1 BILLION IN REVENUE.

NOW THIS YOU KNOW MAY KNOW, JERSEY'S TOP MONEY MAKING CROPS ARE, MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, BLUEBERRIES, THE JERSEY TOMATO AND BELL PEPPERS.

AGRICULTURE NEW JERSEY IS AT A CROSS ROADS AS MANY FARMERS ARE NEARING RETIREMENT.

LAST WEEKEND, THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION LAUNCHED ITS ARE YOU READY TO FARM PROGRAM FOR NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS AROUND THE STATE.

THE DIRECTOR OF THAT PROGRAM SAYS THE STATE NEEDS INTELLIGENT, ENERGETIC GROWERS WITH GREAT IDEAS TO CARRY ON THE LEGACY OF NEW JERSEY'S ESTABLISHED, SUCCESSFUL FARMERS.

SOME OF THE FARMERS ARE HERE LIKE JOHN WHO FOUNDED DOUBLE BOOK FARM.

HE DITCHED HIS WALL STREET TRADING CAREER FOR A DIFFERENT LIFE USING HIS STREETS SMARTS TO TURN HIS PASSION INTO A MONEY-MAKING ADVENTURE.

JOHN, YOU BECAME A FARMER AFTER SPENDING PART OF YOUR CAREER ON WALL STREET.

WHAT MADE YOU CHUCK IT ALL AWAY AND DECIDE TO TURN TO FARMING IN NEW JERSEY?

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER 2008.

IT JUST MADE ME THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND WHY WE WERE DOING IT.

AND PART OF THE ISSUE WITH FINANCE IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING TANGIBLE.

YOU CAN'T TOUCH IT, YOU CAN'T FEEL IT, YOU CAN'T SMELL IT.

SO THE IDEA OF HAVING A CAREER WHERE THERE'S INTANGIBILITY, SOMETHING TO SHOW THE PROGRESS AT THE END OF THE DAY WAS AN APPEALING ASPECT OF WHAT GOT US INTO FARMING.

>> WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST PART ABOUT THE TRANSITION?

>> YOU KNOW, INTERESTINGLY, THAT IT SEEMS VERY DIFFERENT FINANCE AND FARMING.

THE REALITY IS THAT A LOT OF IT IS VERY SIMILAR DECISION MAKING.

SO WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON PARTIAL INFORMATION, THE WEATHER IS GOING TO CHANGE, THE ANIMALS ARE GOING TO GET SICK.

AND SO, INTERESTINGLY, THE DECISION MAKING WASN'T SO DIFFERENT THAN FINANCE.

>> CAN YOU MAKE A REAL DECENT LIVING BY A VERY DRAMATIC CAREER CHANGE LIKE YOU DID?

>> YEAH, SO WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE ECONOMICS OF FARMING AND WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, WE DECIDED THAT IT MADE MOST SENSE TO CONNECT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES TOGETHER.

SO I TALKED TO LOCAL FARMERS AND THE ISSUE THEY HAD WITH THEIR BUSINESSES WAS MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION.

I TALKED TO CHEFS AND THE ISSUES THEY HAD WAS SOURCING AND RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY.

AND THEY WERE SORT OF THE OPPOSITE OF THE SAME PROBLEM.

IT HAS TAKEN US TEN YEARS TO PUT ALL THOSE PIECES TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE BOTTLENECKS, WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS.

AND THE REALITY IS, WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN THIS, WHAT I THOUGHT WERE GOING TO BE THE PROBLEMS HAVE TURNED OUT NOT TO BE AS BIG AN ISSUE AS I THAUGTS.

AND THINGS I THOUGHT WERE GOING TO BE EASY HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY HARD.

SO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW DO YOU MAKE FARMING PROFITABLE?

IT IS TAKING BACK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST OVER THE LAST 30 OR 40 YEARS.

THE PROCESSING, THE DISTRIBUTION, THE TRUCKING, THE TRANSPORTATION, AND BRINGING IT BACK TO LOCAL.

>> DO YOU LOVE YOUR JOB?

>> I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE'VE BUILT A COMMUNITY THAT DIDN'T EXIST TO THE EXTENT IT EXISTS NOW.

AND I LOVE HAVING THE FREEDOM OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE TIME OUT OF MY DAY, IF I NEED TO, TO GO EXPERIENCE ONE OF MY KIDS' SPORTING EVENTS OR SPEND TIME WITH THE FAMILY.

AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE DAYS ARE AS LONG, IF NOT LONGER, THAN THE FINANCIAL WORLD, THE FLEXIBILITY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

>> JOHN, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> THE AVERAGE AGE OF A NEW JERSEY FARMER IS 60.

SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S A MOVE TO GROOM YOUNGER FARMERS.

AND THE NEXT GENERATION BRINGS A LOT TO THE TABLE.

THEY'RE EMBRACING AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA WHICH THEY USE TO BRING IN CUSTOMERS.

THEY'RE PEOPLE LIKE TIM, A 29-YEAR-OLD FIFTH GENERATION FARMER IN SOUTH BRUNSWICK.

>> OBVIOUSLY BEING A FARMER IS IN YOUR BLOOD AND IT'S SOMETHING YOUR FAMILY HAS DONE FOR GENERATIONS.

BUT WHAT IS, FOR YOU, THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT STARTING A CAREER IN THIS INDUSTRY?

>> LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S SOMETHING I GREW UP DOING, ALWAYS HELPING OUT DAD FROM A YOUNG AGE I WAS PLANTING DIFFERENT CROPS AND DOING SOME OF MY OWN THINGS.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT FARMING IS IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.

WE DO A LOT WITH DIFFERENT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

SO IT'S NEVER THE SAME THING TWO DAYS IN A ROW.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE -- YOU THINK IT'S REALLY EASY.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF SCIENCE AND BUSINESS ACUMEN AND THINGS THAT GO INTO FARMING.

IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS IT LOOKS.

THERE'S A LOT TO IT AND KIND OF ALWAYS KEEPS YOU THINKING.

>> YOU'RE VERY DEEPLY INVOLVED IN NEW JERSEY'S YOUNG FARMER ASSOCIATION.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE YOUR AGE ABOUT HOW FARMING IS CHANGING AND HOW THIS NEW GENERATION IS MAKING IT SUITABLE FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO?

>> I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KIND OF DOING MORE WITH LESS NOW.

I KNOW I HAVE SOME FRIENDS DOING THINGS WITH CUT FLOWERS OR SPECIALTY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, KIND OF 20, 30, 40 YEARS AGO, A LOT OF FARMS IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE 500 OR 1,000 ACRES YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT FARMING.

NOWADAYS YOU CAN HAVE TWO OR THREE ACRES AND GROW HIGH VALUE CROPS AND YOU CAN MAKE A LIVING ON THAT.

IT REALLY HAS CHANGED AND HERE IN NEW JERSEY WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE AND THAT CAN BE ANNOYING SOMETIMES TRYING TO DRIVE A TRACTOR DOWN THE ROAD AND YOU GET PEOPLE HONKING AT YOU, PASSING YOU, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT'S A CUSTOMER BASE FOR US AND WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT ALL THOSE CUSTOMERS.

AND IT REALLY -- FOR AS MANY AS AROUND HERE, AS MANY FARMERS THAT CAN BE IN THE GARDEN STATE WE CAN BE SUPPORTED BECAUSE WE HAVE A HUGE POPULATION BASE LOOKING FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND THINGS TO COME OUT AND DO ON THE FARM.

>> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING PERHAPS YOUR FATHER OR GRANDFATHER DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU'RE ON INSTAGRAM, OUT THERE TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE IN WAYS THAT PREVIOUS GENERATIONS DID NOT HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

>> IT'S DEFINITELY CHANGED.

I KNOW MY DAD USED TO SAY WE COULD TELL HOW BUSY WE MIGHT BE BASED ON HOW MANY PHONE CALLS WE WOULD GET.

AND LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID WE WERE DOING TIMED TICKETS SO WE COULD KNOW THE DAY BEFORE, HOW MANY TICKETS WE SOLD.

THERE WERE DAYS WE SOLD OUT AHEAD OF TIME, AND WE COULD PLAN OUR STAFFING AND KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AT THE FARM.

AND FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM IS GREAT BECAUSE IT LETS US -- IF SOMETHING POPS UP AND THE STRAWBERRIES ARE READY A WEEK EARLY WE CAN LET OUR CUSTOMERS KNOW, RESTRAWBERRY PICKING STARTS TODAY.

WHERE IN THE PAST YOU MAY HAVE TO SET A NEWSPAPER ADD, AND THEN YOU HAD STRAWBERRIES THAT WERE READY AND NOW ARE PASSED THEIR PRIME.

WE DO FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEOS TO SHOW CUSTOMERS WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO PRODUCE THEIR STUFF.

IT'S GREAT TO INTERACT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND HEAR FROM THEM TOO.

>> IT'S GREAT CHATTING WITH YOU HEARING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FARM.

BEST OF LUCK ACCOUNT UPCOMING SEASON.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FARMING AROUND NEW JERSEY, WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE STATE'S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, DOUGLAS FISHER.

HE'S WORKING TO PRESERVE MORE OF NEW JERSEY'S FARMLAND WHILE ALSO PROMOTING OUR LOCAL CROPS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS NEW JERSEY'S FARMING TO THE ECONOMY OVERALL?

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S LIKE $100 BILLION FOR FOOD, IF YOU TAKE THE FARM ITSELF, THE PRODUCTS THAT COME RIGHT OFF THE FARM, IT'S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.

AND, OF COURSE, IT GETS DEVELOPED INTO OTHER PRODUCTS, FOOD STUFFS AND THE LIKE.

SO IT'S A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ENTERPRISE, VERY IMPORTANT TO THE STATE.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY INITIATIVES THAT THE STATE HAS RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FAMILY FARMS IN NEW JERSEY?

>> WHAT DO WE DO?

WE PROMOTE.

WE MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH FARMERS AND USERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRODUCTS RECEIVED IN THE SUPERMARKETS AND STORES, WE PROMOTE FARMER'S MARKETS WE DO AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN.

YOU'LL SEE ANY NUMBER OF BILLBOARDS THIS SUMMER ACROSS THE MAJOR ARTERIES WE'RE TOUTING IT.

AND WE DO SOCIAL MEDIA WORK.

WE'LL DO PLANES -- IF YOU WERE ON THE BEACH LAST YEAR YOU SAW THE PLANE FLY OVER TALKING ABOUT THE JERRY FRESH VENDOR SO IT'S A GREAT MARKETING EFFORT WE WANT TO PUT OURSELVES FRONT AND CENTER FOR THE BUYING PUBLIC.

>> WHERE DOES NEW JERSEY'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM STAND RIGHT NOW?

ARE WE SEEING A LOT OF FARMLAND STILL BEING PRESERVED OR ARE WE KIND OF PAST THE PEAK OF THAT?

>> WE HAVEN'T PAST THE PEAK.

WE ARE ONE OF THE LEADING STATES IN THE COUNTRY FOR FARMING PRESERVATION AND HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY -- THAT'S HOW MUCH NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS APPRECIATE THE FARMLAND -- THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

WE'VE PRESERVED ABOUT 230,000 ACRES IN THE STATE.

WE'D LIKE TO GET TO A BASE OF ABOUT, BETWEEN 500, 550,000 ACRES.

AND WE HAVE APPLICATIONS FROM ALL OF OUR COUNTIES FOR ANOTHER $280,000 FOR US TO PRESERVE FUND AND TO TAKE THE PRESSURES OFF FROM DEVELOPMENT.

BECAUSE BASICALLY WHAT WE DO, WE BUY THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

>> HOW OPTIMISTIC ARE YOU THAT MORE NEW JERSEYIANS WILL DECIDE TO EMBRACE FARMING?

>> WE GET A LOT OF INTEREST AND WE HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST FROM YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD A CAREER IN ONE PART OF THEIR LIFE, ONE PHASE OF THEIR LIFE AND THEY WANT TO RETURN HOME AND FARM.

SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC.

WE'LL CHANGE WHAT WE GROW, SOME OF THE TACTICS THAT WE USE TO GET THAT PRODUCT TO MARKET WILL CHANGE.

BUT THE PUBLIC HAS AN UNWAIUNWAIVERING DEMAND TO BE FILLED IN TERMS OF WANTING LOCAL PRODUCT SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC.

>> IT'S GREAT TALKING TO YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED A FARM LATELY YOU MAY HAVE STOPPED BY YOUR LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET.

OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS THEY'VE BEEN REOPENING ACROSS THE STATE AND THE CROWDS ARE THERE.

THE COMMUNITY GATHERING SPOTS HAVE HELPED FOODIE'S GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.

BOB OPENED HIS STORE AFTER SELLING THE SWEETS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

YOU'RE ONE OF THESE GREAT FARMER'S MARKET SUCCESS STORIES.

TELL US HOW YOU FIRST STARTED TO SELL YOUR BAKED GOODS AT A FARMER'S MARKET.

>> WE STARTED IN 2007 AT THE FARMER'S MARKET IN SUMMIT.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR A SPACE TO OPEN A STORE.

AND WE GOT A PRETTY QUICK FOLLOWING AT THE FARMER'S MARKET AND THE NEXT YEAR A STORE BECAME AVAILABLE AND JUNE OF 2008 WE OPENED A RETAIL LOCATION IN IN DOWNTOWN SUMMIT.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE FARMER'S VIBE IT SEEMS THAT WE'VE EMBRACED OUR FARMER'S MARKETS.

>> IT'S A GREAT MARKET.

IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE ABOUT 42 VENDORS THIS YEAR.

SO THERE'S A GREAT DIVERSITY OF VENDORS AT THE MARKET.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE ONLY SEE AT THE MARKET.

A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WE ONLY SEE AT THE STORE AND WE'VE ALSO GATHERED A LOT OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE'VE SEEN BOTH PLACES DURING THE WEEK.

SOME PEOPLE COME TO THE STORE DURING THE WEEK AND THEN THE MARKET ON SUNDAY.

>>> IT'S JUST AMAZING.

WE'VE SEEN SUCH A GROWTH OF FARMER'S MARKETS UP AND DOWN NEW JERSEY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS DRIVEN THE P POPULARITY OF FARMER'S MARKETS.

>> I THINK IN THE PAST IT'S ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCAL TWO BUT IN THE YEAR OF COVID IT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ABLE TO SHOP OUTDOORS THAT HAS MADE A BIG IMPACT.

LAST YEAR WE NOTICED A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE.

THERE'S BEEN AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE IN SURROUNDING AREAS FROM LIKE BROOKLYN, JERSEY CITY, THERE'S A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION FROM THOSE WHO FROM WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.

BESIDES THE NEW PEOPLE FROM LAST YEAR THIS YEAR WE NOTICED IN THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE AFRAID TO COME LAST YEAR ARE VACCINATED SO THEY'RE COMING BACK AGAIN.

SO IT'S ALMOST TWICE THE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.

>> DO YOU EVER SEE GIVING UP THE FARMER'S MARKET STAND OR IS THAT SOMETHING SO INTEGRAL TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

>> IT'S INTEGRAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, SO I DON'T THINK WE'D DO THAT.

IT'S ALSO THE CLOSEST WE GOT TO THE CUSTOMERS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF REGS THAT WHEN THEY WALK UP TO THE TABLE WE KNOW WHAT THEY WANT AND WE'VE ACTUALLY BECOME FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF THEM.

>> PROBABLY A FUN WAY TO SPEND THE WEEKEND FOR YOU PERSONALLY, JUST TO GET OUT AND ABOUT IN THE FRESH AIR AND MEETING NEW AND OLD CUSTOMERS.

>> IT IS.

IT'S AN "EARLY START" ON SUNDAY, WE GET UP AT 4:00 BUT IT IS A GOOD WAY TO BE OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE OUTSIDE, TOO, ON SUNDAYS.

>> WOW.

YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT IF YOU'RE UP AT 4:00 ON A WEEKEND MORNING.

THAT IS IMPRESSIVE.

BOB, ENJOY THE SEASON AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOUR BUSINESS THIS YEAR.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT WRAPS UP OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: FUNDING FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEAT" PROVIDED BY, NEW JERSEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

WORKING TO KEEP NEW JERSEY IN BUSINESS.

ONLINE AT NJCHAMBER.COM.

CGI, A GLOBAL I.T.

AND BUSINESS NJBIA HAS BEEN THE VOICE OF BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN 110 YEARS AND IS BUILT TO SERVE OUR MEMBERS IN TODAY'S NEW NORMAL.

NJCU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, A GAME CHANGING FORCE OFFERING PROGRAMS LIKE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY, WHERE BUSINESS ANALYTICS AND DATA SCIENCE.

STEPS AWAY FROM THE EXCHANGE PLACE PATH TRAIN IN JERSEY CITY AND MINUTES FROM WALL STREET.

LEARN MORE AT NJCU.EDU/GAMECHANGER.

AND IBEW LOCAL 102, PROUDLY SERVING NEW JERSEY'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE 1900.

LOCAL 102, LIGHTING THE PATH, LEADING THE WAY.

VISIT IBEW102.ORG.

♪ ♪