Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Join the Sustainable SWD Management Team on Tuesday December 8, 2020 at 12 pm (EST)
For a one hour webinar: “A decade of SWD: Lessons for management”
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://ncsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r__Q2lCTS2Wkf8UZmq4KlA
We will highlight what we have learned about spotted-wing drosophila populations, crop risk, pesticide efficacy, biological control, cultural & behavioral controls, and how to use this information to improve management.
With the need to social distance and restrictions on the number of individuals allowed at a meeting we are holding all our food safety trainings online for the spring. Below is the list of trainings which are limited to 20 participants for each unless noted.
Produce Safety Alliance Training
The Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration’. This is the only training recognized by the FDA at this time!
Fruit and vegetables growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management of natural resources and food safety should also attend this training.
For the Produce Safety Alliance Training you must follow these requirements. You must have a computer or laptop with audio (microphone) and video (camera) capabilities. Video must be on for the entire course. Before signing up for this training please read the following: (right click on link below to open menu then click open link in new tab or just copy and paste link into your browser) https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/zoom/. Without these requirements you will not receive a certificate of completion.
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
This is approximately a seven-hour course to cover these seven modules:
In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module and are included in the grower manual provided. There is time for questions and discussion, so participants are encouraged to share their experiences and produce safety questions.
Benefits of Attending the Course
The course provides a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:
After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be online for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to the trainers at the end of the course.
Course Dates:
January 12 – 13 registration deadline December 31 (there is one slot available for these dates)
February 11 – 12 registration deadline January 28
March 9 – 10 registration deadline February 23
Third Party Audit Training
Each year we hold third party audit training for the USDA Harmonized Audit. This year it will be January 19. The deadline for registration is January 5 on Eventbrite. This one-day training will cover all aspects of the Harmonized Audit and any changes for 2021. NJDA will also review problems areas found during 2020 audits.
Blueberry Food Safety Training
The annual food safety training for blueberry growers will be held March 16. There are no restrictions on the number of participants, but you must register through Eventbrite since the training will be virtual. The deadline to register is March 2. Look in the January and February newsletters for more details.
How to Register for Courses
All registration are being handle through Eventbrite, go to https://rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com an signup. If you are unable to register online contact Brandi at (856) 451-2800 x 1 or contact Brandi Williams at BRANDIWI@co.cumberland.nj.us. Each course costs $50.00 to cover the certificate and materials.
An Integrated Weed Management workshops organized by Virginia Tech, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland will be held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday Dec. 8th (first half of the meeting) and Tuesday Dec. 15th (second half of the meeting). On both days, participants can choose the time that works best for them: 8-10 am OR 6-8 pm. These workshops are free, but participants will need to register.
Session One: Tuesday Dec. 8th from 8-10 am OR 6-8 pm
Session Two: Tuesday Dec. 15th from 8-10 am OR 6-8 pm
<a style=”background-color: #ffff00;” href=”https://ume.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_572VSpGgXvPk6e9″>Register here
Flyer available here
Program materials including an IWM guide, factsheets on herbicide resistant weeds, identification guides, and a special “Fight Weeds” facemask will be mailed to each participant prior to the meeting. Please include a valid mailing address.
Pesticide and CCA credits have been requested, but may not be available for all states.
Participants seeking CCA credits will need to confirm that they viewed the material to receive credit. State level programs require participants to correctly answer 4 of 5 webinar specific content questions to receive credits. Links to complete the quiz will be sent to the participants shortly after the scheduled session has been completed. In addition, a QR code (to navigate to the evaluation link) will be shared at the end of each webinar. NOTE: Only registered participants can access the questions and receive credit for attending the webinars. Only one completed quiz will be allowed for each registered email.
Work in or around produce safety? We have a new project that wants to know what produce safety concerns keep you up at night. In this anonymous online survey you will be asked to
rank your top five produce safety risk management areas that need improvement. The information collected will be used to guide Extension work nationally and the development of resources to help manage risks and comply with regulations.
This survey should take about ten minutes to complete and there is no direct benefit to you for completing this survey. The first survey question, the informed consent, must be answered yes in order to proceed through the survey. The informed consent will give you more details about the nature of the survey, the handling of any information collected, and contact information should you have questions about this survey. Anyone involved in the produce industry who is at least 18 years of age may take this survey. Please click on the link below to enter the survey. https://go.rutgers.edu/4tuxsrdf
