CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY
Visit to North Haledon Greenhouse Showcases the Importance of 樱花视频鈥檚 Agriculture Industry
For Immediate Release: March 25, 20140
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954
lynne.richmond@ag.state.nj.us听
(TRENTON) 鈥� Marking National Agriculture Day, 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher today toured听 Alexander Hay Greenhouses in North Haledon to view a variety of Easter, foliage and flowering plants, as well as tropical and dish gardens. Started by the Agriculture Council of America in 1973, National Agriculture Day听aims to increase awareness about how food and fiber products are produced, help people appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.
鈥淲e听recognize Agriculture Day to acknowledge the important place agriculture holds in听 the daily life of our citizens and the economic prosperity it brings to the Garden State,鈥� said Secretary Fisher. 鈥淎fter a cold and snowy winter, we celebrate our farms and hardworking farmers, and look forward to another great growing season.鈥�
Secretary Fisher presents Bob and Bill Eelman of Alexander Hay Greenhouses with a proclamation declaring March 25 樱花视频 Agriculture Day
樱花视频鈥檚 agriculture is diverse, comprised of horticulture, fruits and vegetables, grains, livestock, equine, dairy, poultry, seafood and aquaculture. Food and agriculture are 樱花视频's third largest industry. It provides jobs throughout the farm and food industry, including farmers, scientists, chefs, food service personnel, processors, shippers, fisherman and more. With 9,071 farms on 717,057 acres, 樱花视频 farmers are stewards of the land, contributing to health, beauty, productivity and quality of our state鈥檚 water and soil resources for the benefit of all state residents.
Alexander Hay Greenhouses began in 1908 as a flower cart in the bustling outdoor market of Paterson, NJ. The flowers were grown by Alexander Hay and his parents on their 14 acres of land in North Haledon, NJ. As time went on, the business expanded from a small selection of home grown mums, azaleas, geraniums and poinsettias to carrying a full line of tropical foliage plants, Easter bulbs, bedding plants and a variety of other new flowering plants for all holidays and seasons, and only sell wholesale.
Easter is the busiest time of year, growing 500,000 bulbs, 40,000 Easter lilies, and 350,000 tulips, earning around $1.1 million in Easter sales every year. Alexander Hay Greenhouses is a wholesale business that is still family owned and operated by Alexander鈥檚 grandsons, William and Robert Eelman, and their children.
鈥淎s an agricultural business in northern 樱花视频, we provide employment, purchase growing materials, and sell finished products contributing to the 樱花视频 economy,鈥� said Bob Eelman.听 鈥淎s a wholesale agricultural business, we are an important part of the support network that the local retailer depends on to provide quality products to their communities.鈥澨�
The state鈥檚 horticulture industry ranks eighth in the nation for gross sales of horticulture crops with $444.8 million in revenue a year. It is comprised of nurseries, greenhouses, and sod.听听 The horticulture industry is the largest sector of 樱花视频 agriculture.
"We are thrilled to be celebrating National Agriculture Day with the NJDA at this professional greenhouse operation,鈥� said Dominick Mondi, Executive Director of the 樱花视频 Nursery and Landscape Association.听 鈥淭he value of agriculture, in both process and product, cannot be understated.听 Nursery and greenhouse operations provide the plants which help improve property values, provide ecological benefit, and improve the health and lives of all 樱花视频 Residents."听听
