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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January 5, 2018

Rutgers Ultra-Niche Crop Series: Farming Roselle

Rutgers Cooperative Extension continues its Ultra-Niche Crop Series with the upcoming workshop “Farming Roselle.” This workshop, the ninth class in the Ultra-Niche educational series for farmers seeking new crop opportunities, will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Rutgers Eco Complex in Bordentown, New Jersey.

This workshop will feature a 20-minute “Virtual Field Trip” video on the production and marketing of roselle. In this session, farmers will learn how to grow, market and sell roselle and other ethnic crops and how to make practical decisions on marketing and crop production. This potentially lucrative market for farmers will require a marketing plan to determine what buyers want. Dr. Ramu Govindasamy, Extension Specialist from Rutgers University, will present on marketing ethnic crops and Dr. Albert Ayeni, Ethnic Crop Specialist at Rutgers University, will be answering questions related to crop production of roselle.

Participants at the Farming Roselle class will be led through worksheets to help them determine whether or not growing this crop is right for them, their acreage, and their situation. The cost for this workshop is $20 and includes a dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program at 6 p.m. Additionally, pesticide recertification credits are available:
1A (Ag plant) 3 credits
PP2 (Private Applicator) 3 credits

For more information, contact Jenny Carleo at (609) 465-5115 or email Jennifer Matthews at JLM479@njaes.rutgers.edu.

To register by January 19, 2018, go to Eventbrite: https://rutgerscmcag.eventbrite.com

To find out more about the Rutgers Ultra-Niche Crops Project, please go to https://njaes.rutgers.edu/ultra-niche-crops/.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates
December 27, 2017

New Tax Law’s Impact on Agriculture

Distinguished Professor and Rutgers Cooperative Extension Specialist in Financial Resource Management Dr. Barbara O’Neill spent the last week before the holiday break analyzing the newly passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). In the process, she found some information about the law’s impact on farmers. She says basically there are 4 key impacts for agriculture:

  • Increased (doubled) federal estate tax exemption:  $11.2 million for individuals and $22.4 million for a couple (2018 figures), with proper estate planning.
  • 20% deduction on co-op payments to farmer members.
  • Lower tax rates for pass-through business income (new Section 199A deduction); “pass through” businesses include partnerships, LLCs, S corps, and sole proprietorships.
  • New farm equipment depreciation schedule: five years instead of seven.

Many of these changes are complex so first and foremost, she advises consulting your professional tax advisor to determine how they affect you personally.

There was also much debate among her peers about prepaying state and local taxes in 2017 in case they are eliminated or capped in the new law. The final conclusion is that if your municipality is able to collect property  taxes, prepayments are allowed and will be deductible on your 2017 tax bill. However, state and local income taxes are specifically excluded in the new law, so prepayment of 2018 income taxes are NOT deductible on your 2017 tax bill. Again, consult your professional tax advisor to determine if prepayments will benefit you.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
December 19, 2017

Worker Health and Hygiene Translated into Spanish, Creole, Khmer, Chinese, Korean

The Rutgers fact sheet focusing on Worker Health and Hygiene is now available in multiple languages appropriate for farm workers.  These fact sheets can be used to educate farm workers on the basic principles of human health and hygiene to prevent human pathogen contamination of fresh produce.  Visit the Rutgers NJAES publications webpage to access these versions.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety
November 16, 2017

Ultra Niche Crops: Asparagus

Learn how to grow, market and sell asparagus and make more money on less land!

Join us on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 for a two and a half hour class that will include:
• Virtual Fieldtrip
• Crop Profile
• Q & A Session with a specialist, farmer and buyer of the product.
• Networking
• Dinner
By the end of the class you will know if growing asparagus is right for you. Dinner will be served at 5:30.

Pesticide recertification credits available for all Ultra-Niche Classes.
1A (Ag plant): 3 credits
PP2 (Private Applicator): 3 credits

Three locations available: Please select location of choice when buying tickets.
• Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ 08302-5919
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Somerset County, 310 Milltown Rd., Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3587
• Rutgers EcoComplex, 1200 Florence Columbus Road, Bordentown, NJ 08505

For more information call Jenny Carleo, Agricultural Agent at (609) 465-5115 or email Jennifer Matthews at jmatthews@aesop.rutgers.edu.
Deadline to register is December 8, 2017 at 5:00 pm.

Register online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ultra-niche-crops-asparagus-tickets-38005402181

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates
November 14, 2017

Workshops to Meet Your Food Safety Training Requirements

Do you need the FSMA Produce Safety Rule training? Third Party Audit training?  Choose one or both days of our upcoming workshops.  Remember, the FSMA Produce Safety Rule does not require training each year for compliance, but your third party auditor may require it!  Register online at rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com or call Tammy Commander at (856) 451-2800, ext. 1 or email commander@njaes.rutgers.edu

 

2017/2018 Farm Food Safety Certificate Trainings
Registration required!

2017
November 29 and 30
FSMA-Produce Rule Training and Third Party Audits, Rutgers Snyder Research Farm, 140 Locust Grove Rd, Pittstown, NJ 08867. $50.00 for day 1 or $75.00 for both days, 9am-4pm. Lunch included.

December 13 and 14
FSMA-Produce Rule Training and Third Party Audits, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County, 291 Morton Avenue, Millville, NJ 08332. $50.00 for day 1 or $75.00 for both days,9am-4pm. Lunch included.

2018
February 8th
FSMA- Produce Rule Training ,NJ Agricultural Convention & Trade Show, 777 Harrahs Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. $35.00 per person, register online or at the door. 9am-4pm. Lunch not included

February 20 and 21
FSMA- Produce Rule Training and Third Party Audits, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, 930 Spruce Street, Trenton, NJ 08648. $50.00 for day 1 or $75.00 for both days,9am-4pm. Lunch included.

February 28 and March 1
FSMA- Produce Rule Training and Third Party Audits, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County, 291 Morton Avenue, Millville, NJ 08332 . $50.00 for day 1 or $75.00 for both days,9am- 4pm. Lunch included.

March 14th
FSMA- Produce Rule Training for Blueberry Growers, Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research, 125a Lake Oswego, Chatsworth, NJ 08019. $50.00 per person, 9am-4pm. Lunch included.

Register online at rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com or call Tammy Commander at (856) 451-2800, ext. 1 or email commander@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety
November 3, 2017

Rutgers Center for Remote Sensing & Spacial Analysis Presents DIY GPS & Drone Workshops

Wondering if/how you can use drones and GPS data on your farms/business? Workshops at Rutgers University Inn/Conference Center in New Brunswick will help you decide if you want to try it yourself –
Dec 11 – Use your Smartphone/Tablet for High-Precision GPS Data Collection
Dec 12 – Learn to Do-it-Yourself – Accurate Drone Mapping Made Easy
Register for one or both days here (preregistration discount ends Nov 15). Detailed agendas are online here or download the Workshop Brochure & Agenda (pdf).

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops