Rutgers University | New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Pesticide User Responsibility

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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December 28, 2023

New NJDEP Septic Permit for Farms – Public Comment Period is NOW – aggregate volume of sanitary sewage greater than 2,000 gallons per day

Please be aware that the public comment period for the below draft ENDS on January 19th – 2024. 

If you would like to comment on the proposed draft – please do so before the end of the comment period; contact the NJDEP Ground Water Permitting unit at dwq_groundwater@dep.nj.gov pertaining to the following:

  • Category: GFSD – Discharge to Ground Water – Sanitary Discharges at Farms (GP)
  • NJPDES Permit No.: NJ0347833; Program Interest No.: 50577

as per draft – read full version here – Click here for a PDF copy – New NJDEP Septic Permit for Farms

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf
December 21, 2023

Rutgers Focus on Fiber Hemp Symposium

2024 Rutgers Fiber Hemp Symposium. January 11-12

Register Here

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Uncategorized Tagged With:
December 21, 2023

New NJAES Fact Sheet: FS1355: Reducing Black Bear Damage to Farm Operations

Joseph Paulin, Conservation Expert in Wildlife Management with Rutgers Cooperative Extension and NJAES, has published a new fact sheet FS1355 titled “Reducing Black Bear Damage to Farm Operations.” It is available to download or read online from the NJAES publications page here: <https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS1355>

Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
December 12, 2023

Free webinar: Marketing Planning for Farms

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County will host Marketing Planning for Farms, a free webinar for farmers, on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The informational talk geared to local farmers on the importance of marketing and participants will learn to identify the components of a marketing plan, develop goals and tactics, analyze markets and customers, and evaluate results.

Registration is required for this free program, please, go to https://go.rutgers.edu/xmkjv0n2. For more information, please contact us at 609-465-5115, ext. 3601 or email capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
December 6, 2023

Free Skin Cancer Screenings to be Offered at 2024 NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show

The nature of agricultural work demands farmers spend long hours outdoors in direct sunlight, which increases their risk of developing skin cancer. Prevalence of skin cancer among the agricultural community has prompted Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ to partner with ScreenNJ to offer no-cost skin cancer screenings to farmers who register for the convention and also sign up separately for this screening opportunity.

These screenings will take place at the upcoming New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show at Harrah’s Resort and Waterfront Conference Center located at 777 Harrah’s Blvd. in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Appointments for skin cancer screenings will be available on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Screenings will take place in the ScreenNJ ‘LifeSaver’ Mobile Health Unit RV in the parking lot just outside the trade show.

Advanced registration before the convention is strongly recommended, as time slots are very limited. There may only be a few times available for same-day registration at the convention. Screening time is estimated to be 20 minutes per person, so please keep this in mind as you plan your trip to the convention. As a reminder, the agenda for the educational sessions at the convention and general registration information are available at https://vganj.com/registration. The skin cancer screening opportunity is a separate registration. Follow these steps to register in advance for a skin cancer screening at this event: ·

  1. Visit https://screennj.gomohealth.care/patient/enroll/
  2. Select your preferred language
  3. Click “I would like to register for a mobile health unit event” then select “February 7, 2024 | Agricultural Convention | Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm” from the drop-down menu and click “Next”
  4. Complete the contact and demographic information page then click “Next”
  5. Complete the medical history page then click “Enroll”
  6. After enrolling, a Patient Navigator or Regional Coordinator from ScreenNJ will contact you to schedule your appointment for a time on Wednesday, February 7th

If you have any questions, please contact Kate Brown, Program Associate in Commercial Agriculture with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County, at kbrown@njaes.rutgers.edu.

ScreenNJ Mobile Van

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
December 6, 2023 and

FDA Releases New Tools for the Food Traceability Rule Under Food Safety Modernization Act

On November 30 the Food and Drug Administration rolled out new tools and FAQs that will continue to inform stakeholders about the Food Traceability Rule and help covered entities come into compliance.  The rule is a key component of Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This final rule was issued in November 2022 and will cover most growers who sell fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Food Traceability Rule is designed to facilitate faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and deaths. Foods subject to the final rule’s requirements appear on the Food Traceability List (FTL).

Featured in this update are the following:

  • New webpage about traceability lot codes, including examples of how Key Data Elements (KDEs) could appear on invoices and bills of lading.
  • Video highlighting some technological components of product tracing systems.
  • Examples of a traceability plan
  • New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • New supply chain examples for deli salads
  • Information on how to apply for a waiver or exemption, if eligible

These featured tools are accessible from the FDA’s traceability webpage, along with:

  • Supply chain examples for different commodities
  • Fact sheets
  • Guide to Getting Started with the Food Traceability Rule
  • Translations of the codified portion of the rule as well as many of the supporting materials and tools
  • Interactive tool that explains Critical Tracking Events and Key Data Elements
  • Interactive tool that identifies partial and full exemptions to the rule
  • FAQs

The compliance date for all persons subject to the Food Traceability Rule is January 20, 2026. In September, FDA announced that routine inspections under the Food Traceability Rule will not begin until 2027, to give covered entities additional time to work together and ensure that traceability information is being maintained and shared within supply chains per the requirements of the rule.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops