July 1, 2026

High Temperatures and Effect on Tomato Pollination and Fruit Set

We are in a period of high temperatures which will result in poor pollination, blossom drop or poor fruit set.  Day temperatures over 90F and night temperatures over 70F reduce fruit set.  In fact, three hours at 104F on two consecutive days will result in poor fruit set.  These temperatures may sound high, but if the tomatoes are grown in high tunnels without shade and outside temperatures are in the high 90’s it could be in the 100’s inside the tunnel.  Good air flow and shade cloth can help reduce the temperature.  The tunnel should have roll up sides and if possible, have the ends open.

Look at the joint just below the flower for a swollen yellow area followed by yellowing to the flower as an indicator of poor pollination.  At high temperatures applying a product to encourage pollination will not be beneficial.

Filed Under: vegetable, Vegetable Crops
June 3, 2026 and

Farm Visitors Are Back: Are you required to let the public bring their animals onto your retail farm?

A spring reminder of what you can and cant do regarding the public wanting to bring animals to your direct market and/or agritourism farm:

An increasing number of customers are bringing animals with them when they visit farm markets, pick your own farms, or agritainment activities. Animals can pose a food safety risk to produce, introduce disease to farm animals, frighten or upset farm animals. Outside animals can also pose a risk to employees and other market customers and farm visitors. Farmers need to consider these occurrences when keeping in compliance with regulations and buyer requirements specific to food safety and biosecurity to protect their farm animals. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) governs what you are legally allowed to do in regards to customers with service animals visiting your market or on your farm. This fact sheet will cover the specifics of the ADA, animals that are not protected by the ADA regulations, and how to reduce potential risk on your farm from outside animals. States often have regulations that go beyond the federal ADA regulation, information represented in this fact sheet is specific to New Jersey. If you farm in another state please consult the state by state guide linked at the end of this article.Dog resting in the shade

What do the ADA regulations cover?
While many types of animals can provide comfort and emotional support to their owners, only service animals are protected by the ADA, specifically Title II and III. The ADA regulations define “service animal” as dogs, and less commonly miniature ponies, that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding a blind person, alerting people who are deaf, assisting a person in a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or other duties. The work or task that a service animal has been trained to perform must be directly related to the persons disability. Some of these disabilities are obvious, others are not.

What questions can you legally ask?
When it is not obvious to you that an animal is a service animal you may ask just two questions to determine if the animal is a service animal.
1) Is the service animal required because of a disability?
2) What work or task has the service animal been trained to perform?
The service animal must have been trained to perform a specific task or work for a person with a disability in order to qualify for protection under the ADA regulations. Note that service animals do not always wear vests or harnesses, and there is no paperwork or ID Card carried by anyone with a service animal.

What questions are you legally prevented from asking?
1) You may not ask about the persons disability.
2) You may not ask for proof of the persons disability. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
February 19, 2026 , , and

Produce Safety Rule Training Part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

When: Tuesday, March 17, 2026, from 9:30-4:30 PM.

Where: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, 1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing, NJ 08638

Cost:  $100.00 (lunch included) as part of registration process you will ask to pay by card.  Online ticket Sales end on Friday, March 6, 2026. If paying after the deadline or in person payment must be by check made out to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

 To sign up and information: https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tP1FhE34sviJv0

Who Should Attend

  • Fruit Growers
  • Vegetable Growers
  • Growers who have farms that fall under the Produce Safety Rule
  • Growers who have farms that do not fall under the rule but will in the future.

 Benefits of Attending the Workshop

Individuals who participate in this course will gain a basic understanding of:

  • Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
  • Fulfills the requirement for at least one supervisor from a farm to complete food safety training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA.
  • Microorganisms relevant to produce safety.
  • Where microorganisms may be found on the farm
  • How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm.
  • Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
  • Cleaning and Sanitizing

Areas Covered Under the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene and Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals and Land Use
  • Agricultural Water (Part I: Pre Harvest Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
  • Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

After attending the entire course and submitting the appropriate survey to their trainer at the end of the 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. This course fulfills the FSMA Produce Safety Rule training requirement for at least one supervisor per farm is trained by an FDA-recognized Produce Safety Alliance curriculum.

Does your farm fall under the FSMA PSR? Find out at the link below.
https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4IagP1mbPyrp42N

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
December 15, 2025 , , and

Food Safety Modernization Act: Produce Safety Rule Training

When: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 10:00-5:00 EST.

Where: Northeast Agricultural Expo (New Jersey Vegetable Growers Convention) at Harrah’s Waterfront, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ.

To sign up: https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/fsmaac/

Online ticket Sales end on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Registration after January 13, or in-person registration at the conference, must be paid by check.

Who Should Attend

  • Fruit Growers
  • Vegetable Growers
  • Growers who have farms that fall under the PSR
  • Growers who have farms that don’t fall under the rule but will in the future

 Benefits of Attending the Workshop

Individuals who participate in this course will gain a basic understanding of:

  • Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them
  • Fulfills the requirement for at least one supervisor from a farm to complete food safety training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA
  • Microorganisms relevant to produce safety
  • Where microorganisms may be found on the farm
  • How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
  • Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
  • Cleaning and Sanitizing

What to Expect at the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene and Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals and Land Use
  • Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
  • Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

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 present for the entire training and submit the appropriate survey to their trainer at the end of the course.

Does your farm fall under the FSMA PSR? Find out at the link below.
https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4IagP1mbPyrp42N

 

 

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
November 5, 2025 , , and

Two-day online Food Safety Modernization Act: Produce Safety Rule Training: December 9 and 10

The PSA 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 a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

You’ll need to attend both days to receive a certificate, and you must always have a camera on during the training according to the Produce Safety Alliance Online Training Policies.

For more information and to sign up go to: Our Trainings – Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety [onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu] Registration closes November 14th.

Not sure if your farm falls under the Produce Safety Rule: Take this survey to find out: https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4IagP1mbPyrp42N [rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com]

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
August 29, 2025

Traceability Rule (Section 204) in the Food Safety Modernization Act Delayed

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed extending the deadline for the traceability rule (Section 204) under the Food Safety Modernization Act until July 2028.  The rule was to go into effect in 2026, but FDA is allowing more time for the industry to comply based on the complexity of the rule.  The extension only relates to implementation.  There are no proposed changes to the rule itself.   Growers should take this time to discuss with their buyers how traceability will be implemented.  This is a very involved rule so do not wait until the last minute to start developing your system which meets all the provisions.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops