Republicans blasted the proposal as a trivial distraction from property taxes, utility costs, and looming budget negotiations.
TRENTON, N.J. — With New Jersey facing a budget deadline later this month and residents continuing to grapple with some of the nation’s highest property taxes and rising utility bills, Democratic lawmakers advanced legislation Thursday to designate the hazelnut as the official state nut of New Jersey.
The proposal drew immediate criticism from Assembly Republicans, who argued lawmakers should be focused on affordability issues rather than symbolic legislation.
Key Points
• Assembly committee advanced bill designating the hazelnut as New Jersey’s official state nut
• Republicans called the measure a misplaced priority amid budget and affordability concerns
• The bill itself notes that hazelnuts grown in the United States come almost exclusively from Oregon
The Assembly State and Local Government Committee voted to move forward Assembly Bill 3392, which would officially recognize the hazelnut as a state symbol.
Assembly Republicans mocked the timing of the legislation, noting it appeared first on Thursday’s committee agenda while lawmakers continue negotiations over the state’s next budget.
GOP blasts priorities
“So naturally, the first item on Thursday’s Assembly board list is making the hazelnut the official nut of New Jersey,” the Assembly Republican caucus said in a social media post.
The caucus argued that New Jersey families are more concerned about property tax bills, utility costs, and the approaching budget deadline than the designation of an official state nut.
Republicans also highlighted what they described as the bill’s most ironic detail.
Oregon connection raises questions
According to the committee statement accompanying the legislation, “hazelnuts grown in the U.S. come almost exclusively from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.”
Critics questioned why New Jersey lawmakers would spend time designating a crop that remains overwhelmingly associated with another state, particularly during a period when lawmakers are debating spending priorities and fiscal issues.
Supporters of the measure point to Rutgers University’s efforts to develop hazelnut varieties resistant to eastern filbert blight, a fungal disease that historically prevented commercial cultivation in much of the country outside the Pacific Northwest.
Rutgers research cited
The committee statement notes Rutgers began developing disease-resistant hazelnuts in 1996 and released several new varieties to growers in 2020, including cultivars named Raritan, Somerset, Monmouth, and Hunterdon.
Backers say the research has positioned New Jersey as the first East Coast state capable of growing the crop commercially.
Still, opponents contend the proposal represents the kind of symbolic legislation that frustrates taxpayers who expect lawmakers to focus on issues affecting household finances and the state’s multibillion-dollar budget.
The bill now awaits further consideration in the Legislature as budget negotiations continue ahead of the state’s fiscal deadline later this month.