March 18, 2020

ReadyAG – Dealing With Disaster May Be The Last Thing On Your Mind, But Are You Prepared?

The COVID-19 posts asking if your business could survive if you, as owner/operator/key manager, got sick reminded me that we never ‘plan to fail, but to often fail to plan’! ReadyAG is an online self-assessment tool that is meant to help you do just that. You can download the entire workbook or use the online versions to conduct your own review of your ability to deal with a disaster, make prioritized lists of items you might need to address, and create contingency plans and contacts to put all essential information into a centralized plan.

Hopefully COVID-19 avoids our farm community, but the ReadyAG workbook can be an eye opener about your farm business’s ability to cope with any disaster.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
January 25, 2020

NJ Ag Convention & Trade Show, Feb 4, 5, 6 in Atlantic City

It’s not too late to register online or at the door for the 2020 NJ Agriculture Convention & Trade Show. If you haven’t already received a direct mailing from the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ with information about the event, find it on their website at njveggies.org under the convention tab. Membership in the VGA gives you access to 3 days of educational programming, or there is an optional daily pass. The educational program is a collaborative effort of the NJAES/RCE vegetable working group, the blueberry and small fruit working groups, and the new hemp working group. Input and support from NJDA and VGANJ allow us to bring internationally recognized speakers from both our Rutgers faculty and staff, and beyond NJ’s borders to share insights and research on current topics important to NJ agriculture. Thanks to all who have worked to put this program together. We hope to see you in AC.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
November 7, 2019

6-Week Urban “Annie’s Project” Farm Management & Business Training Course

Especially aimed at NJ farm women and veterans, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) will present a new, urban-focused version of the popular Annie’s Project titled “Farming in New Jersey’s Cities and the Urban Fringe.” Classes will be held simultaneously in Roseland, New Brunswick and Cherry Hill on Dec. 3, 10, 17 and Jan. 7, 14, 21, between the hours 6 – 9 p.m. Registration is currently open and is $150 until Dec. 2. Dinner will be provided at 5pm each evening of the class. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
August 20, 2019

Vegetable Twilight Research Tour Tomorrow

Wes, Michelle and I invite you to our annual open house plot tour tomorrow evening at RAREC!

Wednesday, August 21, 2019, 4:00pm
Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center
(meet at the shelter near the parking lot)
121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ (Upper Deerfield)

  • Specialty Crop Evaluations – Albert Ayeni, PhD, Ethnic Crop Research Specialist, Rutgers University and Tom Orton, PhD, Specialist in Vegetables
    • Exotic peppers (Habaneros, Superhots, Poblano types, Jalapenos, Sweet minibells and African Birdeyes)
    • Tropical Spinach
    • Tigernuts (Conventional vs. Organic plots)
    • Roselle (Conventional vs. Organic)
    • Asian Cucurbits (Trellised vs. Non-trellised)
    • Elephant Ear Demo
    • Sweetpotatoes for Leaf Production (Vine vs. tuber propagule)
    • Fluted pumpkin (Conventional vs. Organic)
  • Evaluation of Yacon as a Potential New Specialty Crop for New Jersey Farmers – Rick VanVranken, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County and Peter Nitzsche, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County
  • Evaluation of Bell Pepper Varieties and Breeding Lines for Bacterial Leaf Spot and Phytophthora Blight Management – Wes Kline, PhD, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County
  • Weed Control Options for Cucurbits – Thierry Besancon, PhD, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops
  • Basil Downy Mildew Fungicide Control Trial – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • Cucurbit Powdery Mildew Control with Fungicides – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • Basil Downy Mildew Variety Evaluations – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • Organic and Conventional Basil Downy Mildew Control Programs Comparing New Rutgers DMR Lines and Downy Mildew Susceptible Lines. – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • Managing Phytophthora Blight in Peppers With Fungicides – Andy Wyenandt, PhD, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology
  • Evaluation of Five Sweet Corn Varieties: non-Bt, Bt, and Bt+VIP for Resistance to Corn Earworm, Fall Armyworm and European Corn Borer – Joe Ingerson-Mahar, PhD, Vegetable IPM Coordinator

Pesticide credits have been requested.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Vegetable Crops
June 13, 2019

USDA Secretary Perdue Issues Statement on Disaster & Trade-Related Assistance

(June 10, 2019 – Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement on disaster and trade-related assistance:

“Whether it’s because of natural disasters or unfair retaliatory tariffs, farmers across the country are facing significant challenges and tough decisions on their farms and ranches. Last month, immediately upon China reneging on commitments made during the trade talks, President Trump committed USDA to provide up to $16 billion to support farmers as they absorb some of the negative impact of unjustified retaliation and trade disruption. In addition, President Trump immediately signed into law the long-awaited disaster legislation that provides a lifeline to farmers, ranchers, and producers dealing with extensive damage to their operations caused by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019.

“Given the size and scope of these many disasters, as well as the uncertainty of the final size and scope of this year’s prevented planting acreage, we will use up to $16 billion in support for farmers and the $3 billion in disaster aid to provide as much help as possible to all our affected producers.

“I have been out in the country this spring and visited with many farmers. I know they’re discouraged, and many are facing difficult decisions about what to do this planting season or if they’ve got the capital to stay in business, but they shouldn’t wait for an announcement to make their decisions. I urge farmers to plant for the market and plant what works best on their farm, regardless of what type of assistance programs USDA is able to provide.

“In the coming weeks, USDA will provide information on the Market Facilitation Program payment rates and details of the various components of the disaster relief legislation. USDA is not legally authorized to make Market Facilitation Program payments to producers for acreage that is not planted. However, we are exploring legal flexibilities to provide a minimal per acre market facilitation payment to folks who filed prevent plant and chose to plant an MFP-eligible cover crop, with the potential to be harvested and for subsequent use of those cover crops for forage.”

Background: For frequently asked questions regarding the USDA Risk Management Agency’s prevented planting policy and losses resulting from floods, please visit, here. For several frequently asked questions regarding how USDA will treat prevented planting acres with regard to the recently announced 2019 Market Facilitation Program and 2018/2019 disaster relief legislation, see below.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
May 23, 2019

Does My Business Need A Spotted Lanternfly Permit?

With the closing of the Purdue grain facility in Bordontown, field crops growers are sending trucks to southeastern PA to deliver grain, and produce shippers and others may be working/delivering to warehouses there too. Burlington County Agricultural Agent Bill Bamka shares the following information about shipping into or out of Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) quarantine zones (including some northwestern NJ counties):

Spotted Lanternfly adult

Spotted Lanternfly adult with wings spread. Adults are about 1″ long

Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive insect recognized as a threat to agriculture in New Jersey and the United States. Multiple states in the Mid-Atlantic area have SLF populations and/or quarantines in place. Currently New Jersey has quarantines in Warren, Hunterdon, and Mercer counties. Pennsylvania has a quarantine area of 14 counties across the southeastern portion of the state. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops