Late blight (US23) was confirmed on tomato in a small, retail greenhouse operation in western Maryland (Garrett Co.) today. This is the first report of Late blight on tomato or potato this growing season. US23 has been the most prevalent genotype found in the region the last few years and can infect tomato or potato. While the current report not an immediate threat to NJ, all tomato and potato growers should scout fields on a regular basis as long as wet weather pattern continues. At this time, general protectant fungicide programs that have been initiated will help protect against Late blight. Importantly, in order for Late blight to appear this early in our region it must either have survived on an infested potato tuber left in the field or in a cull pile. For more information on the control of late blight please see the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Production Recommendations Guide.
Commercial Ag Updates + Farm Food Safety
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Ag Agents provide updates on what they see in the field, upcoming events, and other important news that affects your operation, such as developments in on-farm Food Safety. Subscribe if you wish to be notified about workshops, meetings, and upcoming commercial ag events.
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Basil downy mildew – 24c’s granted for Subdue Maxx and Heritage use in greenhouse
Special local needs labels (24c) have been granted for the use of Subdue Maxx (mefenoxam, 4) and Heritage (azoxystrobin, 11) for downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) on basil transplants grown for resale to consumers in New Jersey. Micora (mandipropamid, 40) also has a supplemental label for the control of basil downy mildew in the greenhouse. In order to use these fungicide, growers must have in their possession the 24c labels. Please see label for specific rates, REI’s, and PHI’s. Please here click on Subdue Maxx, Heritage, or Micora for links to the 24c label.
Beekeeper Notification for Pesticide Applications
Does a pesticide applicator need to notify beekeepers when applying a pesticide? That depends on these three factors: the specific pesticide being applied, the distance to the bee yard, and whether or not the beeyard is registered with the NJDEP.
The NJ Pesticide Control Regulations, at NJAC 7:30-9.11, require that beekeepers must be notified when pesticides that are labeled as hazardous to bees are applied within three miles of a registered beeyard. Not all pesticide applications require notification. The types of pesticide applications exempt from this notification are spelled out in the regulation.
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On-Farm Food Safety:
The Difference Between an Audit & an Inspection
Over the last 15 years we have talked about third party audits to verify your food safety plan. Now you are hearing about inspections.
What is the difference?
Audits
Audits are voluntary evaluations that growers are doing at the request of their buyers. Some growers may not think that audits are voluntary since some growers have been told if they did not have one, a specific buyer would not purchase their produce. That is true, but you still had the choice to sell to someone else if you did not want to go through the audit process. The audit was verifying what you said you were doing for food safety.
Inspections
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has added the inspection component to food safety. The final FSMA rule went into effect January 2016. As FSMA is implemented over the next two to four years, growers will hear more about inspections and how it may impact their operations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has more authority for fresh produce which adds another layer of compliance for growers. Inspections will be done by a government entity with specific requirements and implies some type of enforcement in the future. FDA is not in any hurry to start an enforcement program. They have made it clear that education is the first priority, but in reality sometime in the future there will be enforcement. Who will do the inspections is still being decided between FDA and the different states. In New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture will probably be the lead agency as it relates to farms and on farm packinghouses.
Coping with New Rules: On-Farm Readiness Review
There is a group of extension personnel from Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and North Carolina working with the National Association State Departments of Agriculture on a grant from the FDA to develop an On Farm Readiness Review. This will be a self-assessment tool for growers, extension personnel and inspectors to help everyone when a farm is inspected. The plan is to have the final version available next year.
Growers will receive training over the next year to help comply with the Produce Rule in FSMA. The good news is growers who have been through a third party audit already meet or exceed most requirements for FSMA. Water testing is the one area where there are differences, but the training will help clarify those differences.
Spring Update for Pesticide Compliance
Plan ahead this Spring for maintaining pesticide compliance: ensure proper pesticide applicator training and licensing; track and report pesticide storage inventory; and document pesticide applications in a central area to notify workers.
Up-to-Date NJDEP Pesticide Applicator Licensing
Pesticide Applicator Certification is designed to demonstrate a certain level of competency by pesticide users on the safe use of pesticides. Users of pesticides are classified as either private applicators or commercial applicators. Consult updated information on the NJDEP Compliance and Enforcement web pages to determine what you and your employees need to do for certification or recertification.
Note that per the Worker Protection Standards (WPS), employees who don’t apply pesticides but do work in areas where pesticides are applied will need appropriate training and will need to carry blue WPS “worker” documentation of that training.
Pesticide Storage Inventory
See Jack Rabin’s reminder, Pesticide Storage Inventory due May 1 to Fire Department, for storage inventory and cover letter forms to help make compliance more convenient.
Record and Post Notification of Pesticide Applications
The “central posting” viewing area is a Worker Protection Standards requirement serving to inform workers that pesticides have been applied. Pesticide applications must be posted within 24 hours of the application and records must be kept for a 3-year period.
Resources
NJDEP Commercial Pesticide Applicator Information
http://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpo-appcom.htmNJDEP Worker Protection Standard Summary Sheet
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpc/wps/inspection.pdf
Pesticide Storage Inventory due May 1 to Fire Department
Licensed pesticide applicators and dealers in New Jersey who store pesticides are required by law to send a copy of their inventory along with a cover letter to their local fire company by May 1st each year. [Read more…]