New Jersey FY2027 Budget Analysis: What the State Budget Means for Our Food System
Every year, New Jersey's state budget invests millions of dollars in programs that shape how food is grown, distributed, purchased, and accessed. But those investments are spread across multiple agencies—from Agriculture and Human Services to Health, Education, and Environmental Protection—making it difficult to see the bigger picture.
That's why the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative and the New Jersey Food Policy Council created the New Jersey Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Analysis: Investments in Food, Agriculture & Community Resilience. The state’s “fiscal year” begins on July 1 and ends on June 30.
This new report examines the state budget through a food systems lens, highlighting the programs, appropriations, and policy choices that influence New Jersey's farms, food businesses, emergency food network, nutrition programs, and local food economy.
Our analysis found that the FY2027 budget continues New Jersey's strong commitment to food security by maintaining investments in emergency food assistance, WIC, SNAP minimum benefits, school nutrition, and innovative programs like Regional Innovative Food Security Initiatives, Fresh Match, and Good Food Bucks. The budget also creates a new Community Kitchens Grant Program and modestly increases funding for Jersey Fresh marketing.
At the same time, the budget leaves important opportunities on the table. No funding was included for a permanent Local Food for Schools Program, dedicated Climate-Resilient Agriculture initiatives, or a Beginning Farmers Program. These investments are essential to strengthening farm viability, expanding local food markets, and building a more resilient food system for the future.
Rather than reviewing one department at a time, this report brings together food system investments from across state government to provide a comprehensive picture of where New Jersey is investing—and where future opportunities remain.
Whether you're a farmer, food system organization, policymaker, journalist, funder, or simply someone interested in how public dollars shape New Jersey's food system, we hope this report becomes a useful resource.
Read the full FY2027 Budget Analysis and explore how New Jersey is investing in food, agriculture, and community resilience.
About this report
The New Jersey FY2027 Budget Analysis is intended to become an annual publication of the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative and the New Jersey Food Policy Council. Each year, it will examine how the state budget invests in New Jersey's food system and identify trends, progress, and opportunities to strengthen food security, agriculture, and community resilience.
