All NJ licensed pesticide applicators, as well as dealers, who store pesticides are required by law to send a copy of their storage inventories with an explanatory cover letter to the local fire company by May 1st each year. [Read more…]
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.
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.
Sweet Corn Insects: Underground & Unseen
Early season sweet corn damage from seedling insects is easily underestimated since it happens underground. By the time spotty, inconsistent stands or dying seedlings are observed, it is too late for control. Over the years, I’ve gathered tips especially applicable to the cold, wet spring we are experiencing:
- The cold weather is keeping soil temperature below the desired range for good germination. The longer seed remains in the ground before emerging, the more time seed is susceptible to seed corn maggots and wireworms. In addition, experts are warning us not to count on this winter’s brutal, low temperatures to reduce pests.
- Be wary of planting untreated seed. Using untreated seed in check rows in our Rutgers 2011 sweet corn trials resulted in pitiful 28% stands. Most sweet corn seed is now commercially treated before you receive it. Common treatments may include Cruiser, Gaucho, Poncho (these extend protection to early flea beetles), Lorsban or various other branded combination treatments. If your seed is untreated, you can use a hopper box treatment of Concur or Latitude or, at-planting soil-applied treatments with Counter to help suppress early pests. Consult page F178 in the 2014 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations.
Dig around some emerging sweet corn plants; you might be surprised at what you find!
Veg ICM Twilight Meeting Apr 22, 2014
Vegetable Integrated Crop Management Twilight Meeting
Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: East Vineland Fire Hall, Landis Ave. across from the Savoy Restaurant
(park behind the building and enter conference room door in rear)
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents of Atlantic, Cumberland and Gloucester Counties invite you to the first twilight meeting of the 2014 season to discuss early spring crop pest control, label updates and management topics. Feel free to bring plant, insect, disease, or weed samples to the meeting to have them identified, or perhaps you can stump the experts. Please bring samples in sealed plastic bags. [Read more…]
Herbicide Resistant Weeds in Small Grains
Herbicide-resistant weeds are an ever increasing problem.
When most people hear herbicide-resistant weeds these days they think of glyphosate resistance. However, I think Group 2 resistance (or ALS-resistance) is just as bad, if not worse, for our area. Small grains is a crop that relies heavily on ALS herbicides for weed control, and over the years the products have been used heavily. We now have three weed species that are resistant to this mechanism of action. ALS-resistant common chickweed, annual (Italian) ryegrass, and horseweed (or marestail) are becoming more common. Before I talk about some options to control them, let’s look at how we got here. [Read more…]
Farm Storage Facility Loans & Food Safety Equipment
The USDA has expanded the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, giving growers the opportunity to purchase equipment to enhance food safety. Visit your FSA county office to learn more.
Farm Storage and Facility Loans security requirements have been eased for loans between $50,000 and $100,000. Previously, all loans in excess of $50,000 required a promissory note and additional security, such as a lien on real estate. Now loans up to $100,000 can be secured by only a promissory note.
The low-interest funds can be used to build or upgrade permanent facilities to store commodities. Eligible commodities include grains, oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, hay, honey, renewable biomass commodities, fruits and vegetables. Qualified facilities include grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables.
http://goo.gl/o0OYEI
Upcoming NJDEP Certification Exams:
2014 Locations & Dates
State Pesticide Applicator and Dealer Certification exams are administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Pesticide Control Program (PCP).
Find information about exam prerequisites and application on the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Pest Management Office website. The complete exam application must be received by the PCP at least 14 days before exam dates chosen. Any application received after the 14 day time frame will be scheduled based on the 2nd and 3rd exam site choices; if all exam dates are after the 14 day time frame, the exam will be scheduled in the following month.
Certification Exam Schedule for 2014 [Read more…]