Archives for September 2020

Webinar Tomorrow: “Ask the Ag Agent” Fall Series, Every Other Wednesday at 7:00PM

Farmers and others are welcome to join this bi-weekly teleconference every-other Wednesday night from 7:00pm-8:00pm in September and October. Events are hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents working with the farming industry.

This call-in or WebEx webinar event features updates on farm management, crop conditions, farm industry observations, agricultural agency programs and other topics discussed by farmers, agricultural agents and other agricultural service providers.

Some topics for this Wednesday include:
1. Debate on the New Jersey Law on eliminating plastic bags and other containers
2. Public perception of agriculture with the pandemic
3. Update on the hemp industry and Rutgers hemp research
4. Discussions on winter educational programs with Rutgers Cooperative Extension
5. NJ DEP Pesticide License Testing to be handled by Rutgers OCEP in the future
6. Obtaining pesticide recertification credits next year

Hosted by Agricultural Agents Bill Bamka, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and Meredith Melendez, this bi-weekly communication provides a forum for discussion for farmers and all involved in NJ agriculture, including agricultural agency personnel, non-profit organizations and others.

To join the “Ask the Ag Agent” forum each week on a computer/tablet/smartphone via the WebEx Videoconference

Click Here to Join or use the link https://go.rutgers.edu/g4v4gy0x

To Join by phone call:
+1-650-429-3300 passcode 1202639477##

For this event and other Rutgers Cooperative Extension events see the NJAES Calendar.

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Program Improvements For Direct Marketers

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced modifications to the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program to decrease paperwork and recordkeeping burdens for direct marketers beginning with the 2021 crop year.

“These changes will allow more direct marketers who previously could not meet reporting requirements a way to participate in the Whole-Farm program and provide better and more affordable coverage to these diversified growers,” RMA Administrator Martin Barbre said. [Read more…]

Vegetable IPM Update 9/23/20

Sweet Corn

 

Corn earworm (CEW) moth captures have declined dramatically with cold night temperatures.  As nights warm again toward the weekend, we may see some recovery in adult activity.  Growers should consider this pest to still be at moderately high population levels in the state unless warmer nights indicate that the threat has diminished.     The current population poses a significant risk to silking corn.  Green areas on this map (see map at left)   represent a 3-day spray schedule.  However, night temperatures in the 40 to low 50 F range, may permit the extension of that spray interval by a day.  For further information on CEW activity, see pheromone trap information below.

 

The highest nightly trap catches of CEW in black light traps for the week ending 9/23/20 are as follows:

Long Valley   8 Morristown   2 Downer   1
Hackettstown   3 New Egypt   2 Elm   1
Denville   2 Allamuchy   1 Old Bridge   1
Farmingdale   2 Cedarville   1 Tabernacle   1

[Read more…]

Reminder: September Nursery Twilight This Thursday Night (Virtual)

Nursery Twilight Meeting

There is still time to register for the September 2020 Nursery Twilight Meeting (Virtual)

Registrations will be accepted until noon Thursday. Registration is required (Free).

This Thursday, September 24th, 2020

6:00-7:00 pm

please log-in between 5:30 and 5:50pm

Click here to register for the twilight meeting

Registration password: nursery

Click here to upload your government issued photo ID and Pesticide license prior to the meeting


In cooperation with the NJNLANJLCA, and NJCTGA


Instructions:

  • Register for event at the above link
  • Include your pesticide license number and date of birth if you would like recertification credits
  • After registration you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the actual twilight meeting.
  • Upload a copy of your government issued photo ID at the link above
      • Upload a copy of your government issued photo ID and Pesticide License
      • (This is required to receive pesticide recertification credits)  
      • If you click on the photo ID upload link using a smart phone/tablet you will have the option of simply taking a photo of your ID & pesticide license and uploading it directly into the system. Otherwise, you can scan a copy of your photoID & pesticide license into a computer and follow the directions at the upload link. If you are unable to upload documentation prior to the meeting we will work with you to verify your identity for NJDEP recertification credit purposes using the attendance roster to contact individuals that are seeking credits. 
      • Please upload files of your photo ID and pesticide license named as: 
      1. a)    “Last name_ First_ Photo ID”; and 
      2. b)    “Last name_ First_ Pesticide License”. 
  • Day-of: click the link in the registration confirmation email and select “join by browser-New” around 5:30pm
  • Day-of: Have your video on if you wish to obtain credits

Additional requirements for those seeking credits:  

  1. Licensed applicators with a recertification period expiring October 31, 2020 will be given an exemption from the NJDEP online credit cap of 25% and are eligible for all credits, otherwise this exemption does not apply.
  2. Required to be eligible to receive pesticide applicator recertification credits for this Twilight program:
  3. Attend the entire meeting with live VIDEO feed on, seated in the center of the frame. Those without a webcam or phone attendees without a live video feed are not eligible to receive credits.
  4. Attendees must participate throughout the entire session, staying to the end. Individuals are not eligible for credits if they arrive after the start of the first training topic or leave before the end of the last topic. Polls will be randomly scheduled, and attendance will be visually monitored to verify attendance.

Rutgers is dedicated to protecting your privacy and keeping your personal information safe.  Upon upload, your files will be encrypted and stored to Rutgers Connect. Your information will be kept strictly confidential; used solely to meet NJDEP ID verification protocol for recertification credit; and will not be used for any other purpose. Your files will be deleted within 60 days after the training event.  

 

Farm Worker Housing Simulator Shows How To Help Reduce COVID-19 Spread

Partnering with the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety (NEC), the Vessel Dynamics Laboratory at George Mason University created an online app that shows how various practices aimed to slow the spread of COVID-19 among farm workers in shared housing can work.

Room for Improvement:  An Online Tool for Reducing the Spread of COVID-19 in Farmworker Housing allows you to put in information about your on-farm housing and it will show how coronavirus can spread through farmworker housing. You can change the size of the room, type of beds, number of workers housed, and a variety of preventative practices to see the impact on spread of the disease.

The simulator is available at https://vesseldynamics.com/research/farmworker-housing-simulator/. (Note that the simulator works best in Google Chrome.)

More information about farmworker safety programs from the NEC are available at https://www.necenter.org/.

Please Help: Annual Bluegrass Survey

Conditions for good annual bluegrass growth have returned. Whether you adore or despise Poa annua, consider completing a survey which will allow us to collect valuable insights regarding the turf industry and opinions about managing this pesky grass. The results of this survey will inform a national project team of turfgrass weed scientists working to […]

Bluegrass