It’s that time of year again! As we approach fall harvest, one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for many working in agriculture, we recognize National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW). This year, NFSHW will take place during the week of September 18-24, 2022 with daily topics of interest, listed below. [Read more…]
August 16, 2022 Kate Brown
Upcoming Research Field Tour in Burlington County
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County will host a research and demonstration plot field tour at the Burlington County Agricultural Center on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Pesticide recertification credits will be available: CORE (2) plus categories 1A (3), 10 (3), and PP2 (3).
Space is limited and REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Please contact Sandra Trossbach at 609-265-5051 or strossbach@co.burlington.nj.us to register by Wednesday, September 7.
Soybeans in research plot at Burlington County Agricultural Center.
PROGRAM AGENDA
5:15 p.m. Meal and Registration (in the red market barn)
6:00 p.m. Walk to demonstration plots
6:15 p.m. How low can you go? Impact of soybean planting population on yield efficiency and crop management.
- Bill Bamka, Agricultural Agent, RCE-Burlington County
6:45 p.m. Off-target herbicide movement and response of economically important vegetable crops to sub-lethal rates of dicamba
- Thierry Besançon, Extension Specialist in Weed Science – Specialty Crops, Rutgers NJAES
7:15 p.m. Walk back to market barn
7:30 p.m. Beyond the active ingredient: Additives to the pesticide spray tank
- Kate Brown, Program Associate, RCE-Burlington County
8:00 p.m. Pesticide Recertification Credits and Adjourn
The flyer for this event is available at https://events.rutgers.edu/pdfs/Flyer_Research-Tour-at-Ag-Center-2022.pdf.
August 15, 2022 Kate Brown
AgrAbility Webinar on Farmworker Stress and Well-Being
Farm managers may be interested in an upcoming webinar to be offered by AgrAbility: “Convivencia y conversación: Tools for reducing stress and fostering emotional well-being among Latino farmworkers”. The webinar will be held on Monday, August 29, 2022 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. EST. For more details and registration information, visit the AgrAbility website.
Note that participants must register by Thursday, August 25.
August 5, 2022 Kate Brown
Upcoming Webinars on Sun Protective Products
On these hot and dry days we are reminded that farmers, farm workers, landscapers, and gardeners are at a high risk for UV exposure and skin cancer. Effective sunscreen and ultraviolet protective clothing are important tools to help you stay safe while working outdoors, as we shared in a recent Plant & Pest Advisory article.
To learn more about sun protection products and The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) Seal of Recommendation, check out the upcoming educational webinar series to be hosted by SCF. Details and registration information for these 30-minute, once monthly webinars can be found at https://webinar.skincancer.org/.
July 20, 2022 Kate Brown
Quick Tips to Beat the Heat
Daily high temperatures over the next 10 days will soar above 90 degrees each day, with the real feel exceeding 100 degrees at times. It’s important to take precautions to keep you and your workers safe from heat stress and other heat-related illnesses. Check out these 5 quick tips you can implement today to safeguard everyone on your farm during this extreme heat.
USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
- Stay hydrated. The CDC recommends drinking at least 1 cup of water every 15-20 minutes during moderate activity. For more on hydration, see this factsheet from NIOSH.
- Dress appropriately. Choose light-colored, loose-fitting clothing made of cotton or linen. Protect yourself from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
- Acclimatize employees to working in the heat. Gradual exposure to work in a hot environment is critical for both new and experienced employees. To learn more about acclimatization, check out this factsheet from NIOSH.
- Adjust workload. Plan strenuous tasks for cooler parts of the day, increase the number of workers per task to lighten workload, and shorten work periods to allow for breaks in the shade (at least) hourly. NIOSH offers recommendations for work/rest schedules to decrease risk of heat illness in this factsheet.
- Train employees to recognize signs of heat stress. Heat-related illnesses can range from heat rash to heat stroke. Review this NIOSH web page on heat-related illnesses to inform employees about symptoms and first aid response to each illness.
July 5, 2022 Kate Brown
REMINDER: In-Person CORE Meetings in Burlington County
The second ‘CORE Extravaganza’ meeting hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County will be held Thursday, July 14, 2022. This is an in-person opportunity for licensed pesticide applicators to earn CORE and recertification credits. The July meeting also offers one (1) category credit for 1A, 10, and PP2. See details below. [Read more…]
