Christmas Trees Edition

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Seasonal pest alerts and news about insects, diseases, and weeds impacting Christmas Tree production including Commercial Ag Updates (meetings and marketing); and Pesticide Program updates from the Rutgers Pest Management Office News Blog.

Companion Website Links:

Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.

Nursery IPM.

January 8, 2026

NEED PESTCIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS? REGISTER TODAY

4 CORE Credits – Pesticide Safety Workshop

A Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Workshop for Pesticide Applicators to gain CORE Credits towards their license will be held at the NE Agriculture Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City to start of this year’s event. This workshop will take place from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Licensed applicators must accumulate 8 CORE Credits over a 5-year period to maintain their NJDEP Pesticide Applicators License. This workshop will offer 4 CORE Credits. Pre-registration is requested and can be found on the VGANJ website at https://vganj.com“>https://vganj.com. Registration cost is $25 per person and non-refundable. Registration for this workshop is separate from the convention registration and attendees must also register for the expo at https://vganj.com/convention-tickets. The topics include: Pesticide Safety – Personal Protection Equipment for the Pesticide Applicator; Update on US EPA Worker Protection Standards; Storage, Tank Mixing, Tank Cleaning, and Disposal; Pesticide Record Keeping and Notification. For more information contact Bill Bamka (bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu) or Michelle Infante-Casella (minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu).

For the full program (January 20-22nd) of Rutgers Educational Workshops and Sessions that offer more credits and diverse topics, see https://go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: , ,
January 5, 2026

2 “Stop the Bleed” Trainings North and South Jersey

2 STOP THE BLEED TRAININGS SCHEDULED
FOR FARMERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
REGISTRATION REQUIRED – NO COST

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH IN SUSSEX COUNTY STARTING AT 10:00AM

& 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY  STARTING AT 9:00AM

FOR SUSSEX COUNTY ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH AT 10:00AM – CALL TO REGISTER: 973-948-3040

LOCATION: RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF SUSSEX COUNTY, 130 MORRIS TNPK, NEWTON, NJ

-OR-

FOR GLOUCESTER COUNTY ON FEBRUARY 2ND AT 9:00AM – REGISTER USING THIS LINK OR QR CODE:
https://go.rutgers.edu/stopthebleed

LOCATION: GLOUCESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
1200 N. DELSEA DR., CLAYTON, NJ

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’ Farm Health and Safety Team has 2 scheduled events for  “Stop the Bleed” training for the farming community.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the life-saving skills of pressure application, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. The first 25 registrants at each location, will also receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Space is limited, register today.

If you have questions contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County (973-948-3040) or Gloucester County (856-224-8040 ext. 1)

Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team:
Agricultural Agents: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, William Bamka, and Stephen Komar

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
January 2, 2026

Wednesday Luncheon at the NE Ag Expo 1/21/26 – Sign Up Today

All are welcome to the 2026 Celebration of the International Year of the Female Farmer on Wednesday, January 21st at the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Your $25 ticket includes access to the luncheon and keynote speakers – Carrie Edsall from New York and NJ Dairy Princess – Dakota Meys. Lunch is a full hot food buffet and dessert. This event will be inspirational and is also a very affordable way to have lunch while at the expo. Spend this time to network with fellow farmers and support women in agriculture. To register for the Expo and the Wednesday Luncheon go to https://vganj.com/convention-tickets

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, work shop Tagged With: , ,
December 23, 2025

New Jersey Agritourism Grant Program Opportunity

Purpose: 

The purpose of the New Jersey Agritourism Grant Program is to provide funding to support New Jersey agritourism businesses in their efforts to attract, entertain, and educate visitors.

Eligible Applicants:

Agricultural entities operating in the State of New Jersey are eligible to apply for grant funding. Eligible entities include:

  • Farms
  • Ranches
  • On-Farm Wineries
  • On-Farm Breweries
  • On-Farm Distilleries
  • Non-Farm Brewery/Distillery/Wineries
  • Other Agricultural Businesses that pursue funding to support eligible activities.

Funding Available:

A total of $5 million dollars ($5,000,000) available for funding through the NJATP. Applicants may request up to $100,000 in grant funding and must submit documentation to substantiate all proposed grant expenses.

How to Apply:

All interested parties should submit completed NJATP applications, and all supplemental application materials to NJATP@ag.nj.gov or before January 30th, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST. Applications received after this deadline will be considered on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability, which will be determined following the conclusion of the initial application period.

Program Webpage:  New Jersey Agritourism Grant Program (NJATP)

Contact: 

William Conners, Grants Coordinator

609-913-6620

william.conners@ag.nj.gov.

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
December 9, 2025

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

As agriculture continues to evolve, so do the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers—especially women and beginning farmers. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of the Annie’s Project 101 Course, a comprehensive farm business management training series kicking off in January 2026.

Hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension and supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Project, this six-week webinar series is designed to equip farmers with the tools they need to thrive in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.

📅 Course Overview

  • Dates: Wednesdays, January 7 – February 18, 2026
  • Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Format: Live webinars + asynchronous learning
  • Fee: $45
  • Registration: Click here to register

🎓 What You’ll Learn

Each session focuses on a key area of farm risk management, featuring expert-led presentations and practical strategies:

  • Legal Risk (Jan 7): Lease agreements and legal foundations for farm operations
  • Financial Risk (Jan 14): Agritourism pricing and profitability analysis
  • Market Risk (Jan 28): Marketing plans and niche development
  • Human Resource Risk (Feb 4): Farm crew management and wellness strategies
  • Production Risk (Feb 11): Food safety and equipment selection
  • Legal & Financial Risk Wrap-Up (Feb 18): Insurance and business planning essentials

🧭 Special Note

There will be no webinar on January 21 to allow participants to attend the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.

Whether you’re a beginning farmer, a seasoned producer, or someone exploring agribusiness, Annie’s Project 101 offers valuable insights and connections to help you grow your farm with confidence.

📌 Don’t miss out—register today and invest in your farm’s future!
#AnnieProject101 #FarmBusiness #WomenInAg #RutgersExtension #AgWebinarSeries #FarmSmart

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,
October 30, 2025

Workshops on Taxes, Estate, and Succession Planning

A flyer promoting workshops on taxes, estate, and succession planningThe NJ Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) has two upcoming workshops on ‘Taxes, Estate, and Succession Planning’ as they relate to farmland preservation. These in-person workshops are best suited for farmers, farm owners, and their professional advisors. This is not a series – select the workshop location closest to you. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,