Rutgers University | New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Pesticide User Responsibility

July 7, 2020

RCE Agents Offer Marketing Tips With Del State U & USDA Northeast Climate Hub

Webinar Postponed ’til Fall!

Due to technical issues and low enrollment, this webinar has been postponed by the organizers and will be rescheduled for the fall.

Register here today (7/7/20) by 11pm!

Webinar: Part 2 in a series

Emergency Preparation & Dealing with COVID-19 on Farms: Alternative Marketing Strategies to Stay in Business

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Time: 12 – 1:15 PM

Use the link below to register by July 7, 2020, 11 PM EST. The Zoom link to the webinar will be e-mailed to all registered attendees prior to the webinar.

[link removed]

Small farmers and extension agents working with small farmers will learn best practices for communicating with consumers and meeting their demands.

Participants will learn how to:

  • Use available resources to market your products
  • Reach out to consumers online
  • Use alternative marketing strategies to sustain and grow businesses
  • Use online business opportunities for farm sales

Attendees will learn about available resources to help them manage logistics of the Covid-19 health crisis on their farms. Presenters will share information and solutions from the experts and answer questions from participants. Like the first webinar in this series, this meeting will address common problems most farmers are facing, what they are planning to do to stay in business and how well their plans are working. The webinar series also summarizes how extension programs can assist farmers through this difficult time.

Agenda (Q&A session after each presentation)

12 – 12:05 PM Welcome & Introduction Gulnihal Ozbay & Jason Challandes, DSU; Erin Lane, USDA Northeast Climate HUB
12:05 – 12:25 PM “Know Your Customers
Know Your Prices”		 Richard VanVranken, Professor & County Extension Department Head (Small Farms & Farm Marketing), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County, New Jersey
12:25 – 12:45 PM “Meeting Customer Demands for Agricultural Products In response
to the Covid-19 Pandemic”		 Stephen Komar, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head (Plant and Animal Agriculture), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County, New Jersey
12:45 – 1:05 PM “Online logistics and considerations with Direct Sales Models during Covid-19” William J. Bamka, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County in New Jersey, Crop Production and Agritourism
1:05 – 1:15 PM Closing Remarks & Information
on Webinar Evaluation		 Dr. Ozbay and Ms. Lane
This webinar series is moderated by Delaware State University Cooperative Extension (Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay) & USDA Northeast Climate Hub  (Erin Lane). Webinar hosts are Ms. Megan Pleasanton & Mr. Jason Challandes (DSU Cooperative Extension).
Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
June 23, 2020

Recorded Webinar Posted – COVID-19 Guidance for Ag Workers/Employers

Cover 5-20-2020 NJ DOH Interim Guidance for Migrant-Seasonal Farmworkers
The webinar for Ag Employers regarding Understanding & Implementing NJ’s COVID-19 Guidance For Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers, Employers & Housing Providers* held on Tue June 16, 2020 has been posted on the Rutgers NJAES On-Farm Food Safety team’s YouTube page.
 
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who discussed expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
The agenda included introductory remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher, followed by a detailed overview of the guidance document by Amanda Medina-Forrester, Executive Director of the Office of Minority & Multicultural Health, and Siobhan Pappas, Coordinator of the Childhood Lead Program of the NJ Dept. of Health; Christine Blumauer, Policy Advisor in the Office of the Commissioner of the NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development; along with comments from Michelle Blanchfield, MPH, Zufall Health, and Bridget Hogan, Ocean Health Initiatives representing  Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) charged with assisting farmers with testing and education of farmworkers. Pete Furey and Ben Cassella of NJ Farm Bureau provided follow-up comments after a few questions were discussed.
  • There have been no changes to the document since it was published, but one major point of discussion that you will hear in the recording was a comment made by a presenter that temperature monitoring should use a 99oF threshold instead of the 100.4oF threshold that was published in the guideline. Monique Purcell, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, who had worked closely with the NJDOH and NJDOL reps in development of the guidance document received clarification from them the next day that confirmed that the threshold remains 100.4oF.
  • The other point addressed by several speakers was the need to work with and invite the FQHCs to your farm. They are charged with helping to educate your farm workers to understand this disease, how it spreads, and how to protect themselves (the importance of physical distancing and wearing face masks), as well as to provide testing for all employees on your farm, including the owner and family members working on the farm, free of charge.

*The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar reviews these guidelines.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
June 16, 2020

USDA Good Agricultural Practices, Harmonized and Harmonized Plus Audits

Wes Kline reports the New Jersey Department of Agriculture is now scheduling audits.

  • There had been an extension for audits before May 31, but there will be no additional extensions.
  • If you had an audit last year and need to schedule a renewal, or if you need a new audit, now is the time to make an appointment.
  • Anyone wanting an audit should have gone through food safety training which is held each year December through March.  The auditor will want to see that you have had some type of training.
  • To schedule the audit, email Chris Kleinguenther at christian.kleinguenther@ag.state.nj.us.
Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
June 15, 2020

Tonight’s Webinar for Ag Employers – Updated Agenda

Understanding & Implementing NJ’s COVID-19 Guidance For Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers, Employers & Housing Providers
Tue June 16, 2020
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who will discuss expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

This event requires registration and there will be a follow-up survey.

Agenda (Updated)
Welcome
  • Rick VanVranken & Wes Kline, Agricultural Agents, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Introductory Remarks
  • Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher, NJ Dept. of Agriculture
Introduction of Speakers
  • Asst. Secretary of Agriculture Monique Purcell, NJDA
Overview and Expectations for Implementing COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, Agriculture Employers and Housing Providers.
  • NJ Dept. of Health
    • Amanda Medina-Forrester, MA, MPH, Executive Director, Office of Minority & Multicultural Health &
    • Siobhan Pappas, Ph.D., Coordinator, Childhood Lead Program
  • NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development
    • Christine Blumauer, Policy Advisor, Office of the Commissioner
  • Comments from Federally Qualified Health Center representatives
    • Michelle Blanchfield, MPH, Zufall Health
    • Bridget Hogan, Ocean Health Initiatives
Moderated Questions & Discussion between each presentation
Reaction & Summary
  • Pete Furey, Exec. Director, NJ Farm Bureau
The webinar will end with a quick follow-up survey to assess your understanding and implementation of these guidelines. It will be completely anonymous.

The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar will review these guidelines. Questions from participants will be taken and addressed during the webinar.

Register

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
June 11, 2020

Webinar Scheduled for Ag Employers – Understanding & Implementing NJ’s COVID-19 Guidance For Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers, Employers & Housing Providers

Cover 5-20-2020 NJ DOH Interim Guidance for Migrant-Seasonal Farmworkers
Tue June 16, 2020
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who will discuss expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

This event requires registration and there will be a follow-up survey.

Agenda
Welcome
  • Rick VanVranken & Wes Kline, Agricultural Agents, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Introductory Remarks
  • Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher, NJ Dept. of Agriculture
Introduction of Speakers
  • Asst. Secretary of Agriculture Monique Purcell, NJDA
Overview and Expectations for Implementing COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, Agriculture Employers and Housing Providers.
  • Amanda Medina-Forrester, MA, MPH, Executive Director, Office of Minority & Multicultural Health, NJ Dept. of Health
  • Christine Blumauer, Policy Advisor, Office of the Commissioner, NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development
Moderated Questions & Discusson
Reaction & Summary
  • Pete Furey, Exec. Director & Ben Cassella, Field Representative, NJ Farm Bureau
The webinar will end with a quick follow-up survey to assess your understanding and implementation of these guidelines. It will be completely anonymous.

The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar will review these guidelines. Questions from participants will be taken and addressed during the webinar.

Register

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
June 9, 2020

USDA – Farm Service Agency – Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)

USDA is providing critical support to our nation’s farmers and ranchers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities with financial assistance that gives them the ability to absorb sales declines and increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The attached fact sheet provides an overview of the program.

For more information about the CFAP program, visit farmers.gov/cfap or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit offices.usda.gov.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,