New Jersey has over fifty wineries spanning its northern and southern regions. Seeking to bolster growth of this industry, Assemblymen Roy Freiman (D-Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon) and Clinton Calabrese (D-Bergen, Passaic) sponsored legislation supporting wine-related tourism, which the Governor signed into law on Thursday.
The law (formerly A-3643) establishes a marketing and advertising campaign that includes the creation of unique roadway signage across New Jersey to help attract travelers and tourists to nearby wineries and viticulture sites.
Sponsors of the new law released the following joint statement:
“New Jersey’s local wine industry is having an extremely positive impact on our economy. Having received national recognition and prestigious awards for the quality of our local wines, the industry is helping grow and diversify our economy, creating jobs and bringing more visitors to our state.
“To keep at pace with other neighboring states and fuel growth, it is important our state does its best to support the industry. With this legislation we’re supporting local marketing efforts and spurring new creative collaboration between our residents and small businesses. Inviting visual artists to participate in the creation of unique road signage and outdoor displays in areas viewable by the public will help generate even greater buzz and traffic for the wineries in the state.”