August 21, 2023 and

Snyder Farm Twilight Tour & Meeting, Wed. August 23, 2023

collage of hemp, a drone and agrivoltaic installation at Rutgers Snyder Farm

Twilight Tour and Meeting*
Fiber Hemp Production
Drones in Agriculture
Agrivoltaics Research

Date/Time:
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
6:00 – 8:00 PM

Location:
Snyder Research and Extension Farm
140 Locust Grove Rd.
Pittstown, NJ 08867

This program is offered to assist producers, and anyone interested in learning more about Fiber Hemp Production and current Agrivoltaics research in NJ.

Topics Include:

  • Tour of Rutgers Fiber Hemp Plots
    See what the hemp is going on with production and management. Is hemp viable in NJ?
  • Drone sprayers and ground driven sprayers in agriculture
    Learn how drones can be used in agricultural production. Learn the requirements for applying pesticides using drones.
  • Tour of Rutgers Agrivoltaics Research Plot
    Learn about current and planned agrivoltaics research at Rutgers. Are agriculture and solar energy production compatible?

For more information contact:  RCE, Sussex County  973-948-3040

*Pesticide credits pending

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,
August 14, 2023

Canadian Government Sets New Rules For Importing Romaine Lettuce From US This Fall

As reported in The Produce Reporter by Blue Book Services on August 1, 2023, the Canadian government has released new temporary licensing rules for importers of US romaine lettuce beginning September 28 and running through December 20, 2023.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CA FIA) summarized these new requirements in their statement outlining the rules:

“To decrease the risk associated with E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is implementing temporary Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) license conditions for the importation of romaine lettuce originating from the U.S. Between September 28 and December 20, 2023, importers of romaine lettuce and/or salad mixes containing romaine lettuce from the U.S. must:

    • declare that the product does not originate from counties of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito and Monterey in the Salinas Valley, California, U.S., or
    • submit an attestation form and Certificates of Analysis for each shipment to demonstrate that the romaine lettuce does not contain detectable levels of E. coli O157:H7

Shippers sending romaine lettuce from other production regions to Canada during this time should expect to “provide a Proof of Origin indicating the state and county where the romaine lettuce was harvested”. Lack of proof of origin will require significant sampling and testing to assure lack of contamination before it will be allowed to be imported. Full details of this new rule are available on the CA FIA website at https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/food-imports/food-specific-requirements/romaine-lettuce-from-the-united-states/eng/1601488215302/1601488215678.

 

 

Filed Under: Food Safety, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,
July 18, 2023

Farm Credit East Report on Grants & Incentives Available for Northeast Agriculture Businesses

One of the most frequent calls over the past few years has been, “I want to start a farm/business/value-added product (etc.).”

That is usually followed up with, “What grants/funding sources are available?”

After rattling off a list of a few common sources of funding for new farmers there’s an added caveat that I don’t know the current status of those programs or what restrictions they have regarding new farming ventures. There are more programs out there with available funding, but there’s no comprehensive list of all grant programs supporting agricultural businesses, until now.

Farm Credit East has just released a report “identifying federal, regional and state grants, loan guarantees, and other incentives available to assist Northeast producers of all types and sizes.”

“Grants can be a great resource to provide additional funds needed to take on larger projects,” said Chris Laughton, Farm Credit East Director of Knowledge Exchange. “Unfortunately, they’re often under-utilized because they can be time consuming and involve quite a bit of paperwork.”

The report, from Farm Credit East Knowledge Exchange, includes funding opportunities available in the eight states served by Farm Credit East. Programs are categorized by their main focus:  beginning farmers; conservation, environment and forestry; energy; fisheries and aquaculture; organic; rural business development; and research, education and promotion.

The report titled Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture is available at FarmCreditEast.com or by contacting Chris Laughton at (800) 562-2235 or Chris.Laughton@farmcrediteast.com for more information.

Farm Credit East also has grant writing assistance services. Information is available on their grant writing page.

[Source:  https://www.farmcrediteast.com/en/about/NewsRoom/press-releases/230717FundingforNortheastAgriculturalProducers]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , ,
April 6, 2023

NJ Dept of Health Scheduled Training for Farmers Participating in the NJ Farmers Market Nutrition Program

A MESSAGE FROM NJ SECRETARY of AGRICULTURE DOUGLAS FISHER:

The New Jersey Department of Health will be hosting three face-to-face and one virtual mandatory training sessions for farmers who participate in the New Jersey Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The three regional trainings, one each in the Northern, Central and Southern sections of the state, will take place April 24, May 1, and May 3, and there will be a virtual training on May 10. Go to https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/md/prog/wic.html to see the complete schedule as well as the farmer/grower vendor agreement and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Application. [or you may download the attached official notice and application forms here:]

Letter from Secretary Fisher

DOH Farmer/Grower Vender Agreement

DOH Application for Participation

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,
January 9, 2023

‘Annie’s Project’ Online Course for NJ Farmers Begins This Week – Still Time to Register

Offering important farm management lessons to help women* farmers succeed

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) will present a new online version of the popular Annie’s Project, over the course of six weeks, one evening per week, starting this Wednesday, January 11. Registration (click here) is still open at the $100 price until the program begins and includes workshop study materials, and admission to the NJACTS (February 7~9). “Annie Goes Online: Risk Management On Your Kitchen Table,” will be offered virtually via Zoom on January 11, 18, and 25; February 15 and 22; and March 1 from 6 – 9 p.m.

The course starts this week with an insightful session on transition, and managing marketing, financial and human resource risks by keynote speaker Wenfei Uva, co-owner of Seaberry Farm – a 36-acre specialty fruit and flower farm in Federalsburg, Maryland. Uva received her Ph.D. from Cornell University in agricultural economics and was an extension leader for the Cornell Horticultural Business Management and Marketing Program from 1999-2007.

An optional all day in person tax workshop on Thursday, February 9th will be offered at the 2023 New Jersey Agriculture Convention and Trade Show (NJACTS) in Atlantic City.

“As in the previous Annie’s Project programs, this workshop is designed to educate and train new and aspiring farm women on risk management strategies and provide tools for successful business management,” says Robin Brumfield, extension specialist in farm management, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Financial assistance, provided by Farm Credit East, is available to those in need. Funds are available on a first-come-first-served basis to those who apply by filling out a scholarship application.

Course topics include:

  • Labor recruitment and labor laws;
  • business income and cash flow management, as well as personal finances;
  • food safety and water use regulations;
  • insurance and taxes;
  • production relevant risk management related to:
    • soil fertility and soil health;
    • crop/livestock production budgets;
    • controlled environment agriculture;
    • storm water management;
    • livestock-poultry disease biosecurity; and
    • marketing and supply channels.

“New, aspiring, and current women farmers will gain educational training on the essentials of preparing a business plan, considered a vital roadmap to success for any business,” says Brumfield. Participants will also benefit from networking opportunities with their peers and other agricultural professionals.

*While targeting women as primary owners and partners in farm businesses, Annie’s Project training is open to all.

For more information about the program, visit Rutgers Farm Management Website. Material for this program is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021-70027-34693.

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf Tagged With: , , , , , ,
December 9, 2022

Online ‘Annie’s Project’ Course for NJ Farmers Registration Still Open

Offering important farm management lessons to help women* farmers succeed

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) will present a new online version of the popular Annie’s Project, over the course of six weeks, one evening per week, starting this Wednesday, January 11. Registration (click here) is still open at the $100 price until the program begins and includes workshop study materials, and admission to the NJACTS (February 7~9). “Annie Goes Online: Risk Management On Your Kitchen Table,” will be offered virtually via Zoom on January 11, 18, and 25; February 15 and 22; and March 1 from 6 – 9 p.m.

The course starts this week with an insightful session on transition, and managing marketing, financial and human resource risks by keynote speaker Wenfei Uva, co-owner of Seaberry Farm – a 36-acre specialty fruit and flower farm in Federalsburg, Maryland. Uva received her Ph.D. from Cornell University in agricultural economics and was an extension leader for the Cornell Horticultural Business Management and Marketing Program from 1999-2007.

An optional all day in person tax workshop on Thursday, February 9th will be offered at the 2023 New Jersey Agriculture Convention and Trade Show (NJACTS) in Atlantic City.

“As in the previous Annie’s Project programs, this workshop is designed to educate and train new and aspiring farm women on risk management strategies and provide tools for successful business management,” says Robin Brumfield, extension specialist in farm management, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Financial assistance, provided by Farm Credit East, is available to those in need. Funds are available on a first-come-first-served basis to those who apply by filling out a scholarship application.

Course topics include:

  • Labor recruitment and labor laws;
  • business income and cash flow management, as well as personal finances;
  • food safety and water use regulations;
  • insurance and taxes;
  • production relevant risk management related to:
    • soil fertility and soil health;
    • crop/livestock production budgets;
    • controlled environment agriculture;
    • storm water management;
    • livestock-poultry disease biosecurity; and
    • marketing and supply channels.

“New, aspiring, and current women farmers will gain educational training on the essentials of preparing a business plan, considered a vital roadmap to success for any business,” says Brumfield. Participants will also benefit from networking opportunities with their peers and other agricultural professionals.

*While targeting women as primary owners and partners in farm businesses, Annie’s Project training is open to all.

For more information about the program, visit Rutgers Farm Management Website. Material for this program is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021-70027-34693.

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf Tagged With: