Aug 5, 2019

New members take seats on New Jersey State Board of Agriculture

Somerset County farmer Debbie Norz and Burlington County farmer Paul Hlubik  were recently sworn in to their terms on the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture during the board’s regular monthly meeting in Trenton. The meeting was also the annual reorganization meeting where Atlantic County’s August Wuillermin was elected president and Morris County’s Dan Farrand vice president.

“Debbie Norz and Paul Hlubik bring a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to the State Board,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “They understand the issues that are important to the agricultural community and I know they will take great pride in fulfilling their roles.”

Norz and her husband Rich Norz, who served on the state board from 2011-15, own and operate Norz Hill Farm and Market in Hillsborough. They are the first husband and wife to each be elected to the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Norz Hill is a vegetable, livestock and agritourism operation, which includes a market that opens each year in June. The farm also hosts school tours, parties and has a corn maze.

Debbie Norz is a graduate of the New Jersey Agricultural Leadership Development Program and has served as vice president on the Somerset County Board of Agriculture, been director of the New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association and is a member of New Jersey Farm Bureau and the New Jersey Agricultural Society.

Hlubik established and owns and manages Backacres Farms in Chesterfield, a hay and grain operation that encompasses 1,400 rented and owned acres.

He is the former Executive Director of the New Jersey Farm Service Agency and is past president and director of the Burlington County Board of Agriculture and previous director of the New Jersey Soybean Board. Hlubik is also on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Agricultural Society. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Agriculture Business Management.

Wuillermin and Farrand have each served on the board since 2016. Wuillermin is a vegetable farmer in Hammonton and Farrand is a hay and grain producer in Long Valley.

The State Board of Agriculture comprises eight members who serve for four years. By law, at least four of its members must represent the top commodity groups in the state.  Members serve without salary. For more information, visit www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/sba.