New Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie said Wednesday that the federal government will help coastal farmers in need as he urged states to step up efforts to help them as he signed into law an executive order to help coastal producers.
“We have the resources and we have the capacity to help,” Christie said at the signing ceremony at the White House.
“The question is, how do we make it happen?
And I think that’s what this executive order is going to help us do.”
The New Jersey order, which takes effect Jan. 1, establishes a task force of coastal producers, food processors and food service providers to work on the implementation of the president’s Agricultural Recovery Act of 2012.
“It’s really a very good first step,” Christie told reporters.
“And it’s going to really help a lot of people, not just coastal producers but everybody, in terms of getting food to consumers and reducing their food waste.”
Christie also said the administration will work with the states to help ensure that states and counties are able to implement their own food waste and recycling requirements.
“Our goal is to have these requirements in place as soon as possible,” he said.
“I think that is going be the focus, as long as there are opportunities to help those coastal producers and the people of New Jersey.”
The order also requires the administration to provide assistance to the states and municipalities in their efforts to implement food waste regulations.
The president signed the executive order in New Jersey at the end of a visit to the Garden State that was part of his push to help his coastal states.
Christie said the president will use his executive powers to “continue to help states and communities make the transition to an agricultural recovery program.”
He said the executive orders goal is “to create incentives to help people who need it, not make the decision to leave the farm and work on a farm.”
“It is a huge undertaking and I think we have a lot more work to do,” Christie added.
