New Jersey is called the Garden State, although the state's governor vetoed a bill to put this nickname on the state's car license plates in 1954 (the bill was passed anyway). The nickname seems to date from 1876 when one Abraham Browning gave an address naming New Jersey as a prosperous garden state.

New Jersey's soil and climate make it one of the most productive farming areas in the world. Their farms provide fresh local produce and beautiful vistas, and recharge groundwater. Because farmland brings in more revenue than it costs in local services, it helps keep property taxes low.
Agriculture is the third largest industry in New Jersey.