by Courtney Stafford, for the SBOANJ

Red Bank, NJ — New Jersey State Senator Jennifer Beck on Wednesday (Oct. 12) will visit two local horse farms as part of the effort to rally support for the gaming expansion ballot referendum.

Senator Beck will join farm owners to assess their status and needs as New Jersey’s horse farm community faces mounting pressure to sell their property to real estate developers. Gaming expansion is a critical need to support New Jersey’s equine industry, one of the largest sources of open space in Monmouth County.

Beck will be visiting Hunters Run Farm in Neptune and Boxwood Farms in Manalapan. She will be accompanied by Anthony Perretti, Director of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners of New Jersey, as the group works to preserve and protect the equine industry throughout the state.

Beck and Perretti will tour the farms and speak with the owners about the state of the industry in New Jersey and how the Legislature can help farm owners maintain their way of life.

The visits and tours will take place at 11 a.m. at Hunters Run Farm, 4111 Belmar Blvd. in Neptune and at 12:30 p.m. at Boxwood Farms, 135 Iron Ore Road in Manalapan.