New Jersey Department of Agriculture, 2005 Year in Review

The Department of Agriculture faced many challenges in 2005. In regards to the weather, it was a year of extremes that resulted in a loss of yields for farmers. However, the majority of the quality of New Jersey's crops was very good. While there were challenges, there also were many achievements, including an effort by the Division of Animal Health to ensure that Avian Influenza in all domestic bird populations is controlled and eradicated, progress in eradicating the Asian Longhorned Beetle from the Middlesex/Union County and Jersey City/Hoboken infestation areas, an effort to help communities plan for agriculture by developing a Smart Growth Toolkit, the development of a Green Energy Initiative promoting the use of solar, wind and renewable fuels, and a Comprehensive Child Nutrition rule made official that seeks to combat a national epidemic of childhood obesity and promote better nutrition.Second title: New Jersey Agriculture: 2005 Agricultural Repor