The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey, beginning in January 2021. First conducted in 2015, this Census of Agriculture special study will look at local and regional food systems and provide new data on how locally grown and sold foods in the United States are marketed. The results will be available in November 2021. [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.
USDA Extends Crop Insurance Flexibilities Amid Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic
Through today’s announcement, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is extending crop insurance flexibilities for producers amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, relief provided for electronic notifications and signatures is extended through July 15, 2021; organic certification, replant self-certification and assignment of indemnity are extended through June 30, 2021. [Read more…]
Creating Virtual Farm & Food Experiences Webinar Wed, Dec 9 at noon
The University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Tourism Research Center is hosting a webinar on
Creating Virtual Farm and Food Experiences
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
9am Pacific time; 12pm Eastern time; 6pm Central European time; 10:30 Indian time
Whether it’s farm tours, private tastings, or conferences, we are all figuring out new ways to connect digitally with customers and colleagues. During this period of limited travel, farm and food businesses around the world are experimenting with innovative online formats to share their agricultural experiences and products. Join us to learn about lambing tours in Scotland and cider tastings in Vermont. Presenters will share their challenges, successes, and lessons learned as they have transitioned to virtual events during the pandemic.
Moderator: Lisa Chase, University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Tourism Research Center
Speakers: Eleanor Leger, Eden Specialty Ciders, Vermont, USA; Caroline Millar, Balkello Farm and Go Rural, Dundee, Scotland.
To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Becky Bartlett at 802-257-7967 or Rebecca.Bartlett@uvm.edu so we may assist you.
Yonder, a new nature tourism platform, invites travelers to connect with the natural world and the people who steward it. Through the Yonder site and app, guests can discover and book overnight stays and activities at farms, ranches, vineyards, and other nature immersive escapes.
UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.
Regional Survey Seeks Input from Strawberry Growers
A team of extension educators from the University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, and Cornell University is seeking input from strawberry growers in the region on current practices and challenges faced in strawberry production. As part of the Northeast SARE project “Advancing Strawberry Production in the Northeast,” your feedback will guide research and outreach programs in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada.
The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete and be sure to submit your responses by December 31, 2020. At survey completion, you can also be entered into a drawing for some great prizes. The survey is available here: https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2nlFpEZhejOE0Pr
Sweet Basil Virtual Workshop This Thursday and Friday
Managing Basil Under Increasingly Challenging Conditions, a virtual workshop, will be held this Thursday, Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 11. Hosted by University of Massachusetts in collaboration with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the University of Florida as part of our USDA/SCRI/NIFA supported Sweet Basil Research Initiative, with Drs. Jim Simon and Andy Wyenandt of Rutgers co-coordinating the educational program for growers, Extension workers, researchers and industry reps.
The virtual sessions will be on the Zoom platform. Links and other means of connecting will be shared in another post before the meeting begins after you register here <https://forms.gle/iofJ79idzyG3j48ZA>.
Click here to view the updated agenda. All meeting times are Eastern Standard Time running 9:00am to 5:15pm on Dec. 10, and 9:00am to 12:30pm on Dec. 11. Feel free to join in or leave at any time to learn about the topics that interest you.
Food Safety Training 2021
With the need to social distance and restrictions on the number of individuals allowed at a meeting we are holding all our food safety trainings online for the spring. Below is the list of trainings which are limited to 20 participants for each unless noted.
Produce Safety Alliance Training
The Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration’. This is the only training recognized by the FDA at this time!
Fruit and vegetables growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management of natural resources and food safety should also attend this training.
For the Produce Safety Alliance Training you must follow these requirements. You must have a computer or laptop with audio (microphone) and video (camera) capabilities. Video must be on for the entire course. Before signing up for this training please read the following: (right click on link below to open menu then click open link in new tab or just copy and paste link into your browser) https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/zoom/. Without these requirements you will not receive a certificate of completion.
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
This is approximately a seven-hour course to cover these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module and are included in the grower manual provided. There is time for questions and discussion, so participants are encouraged to share their experiences and produce safety questions.
Benefits of Attending the Course
The course provides a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:
- Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm
- How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
- Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
- Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be online for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to the trainers at the end of the course.
Course Dates:
January 12 – 13 registration deadline December 31 (there is one slot available for these dates)
February 11 – 12 registration deadline January 28
March 9 – 10 registration deadline February 23
Third Party Audit Training
Each year we hold third party audit training for the USDA Harmonized Audit. This year it will be January 19. The deadline for registration is January 5 on Eventbrite. This one-day training will cover all aspects of the Harmonized Audit and any changes for 2021. NJDA will also review problems areas found during 2020 audits.
Blueberry Food Safety Training
The annual food safety training for blueberry growers will be held March 16. There are no restrictions on the number of participants, but you must register through Eventbrite since the training will be virtual. The deadline to register is March 2. Look in the January and February newsletters for more details.
How to Register for Courses
All registration are being handle through Eventbrite, go to https://rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com an signup. If you are unable to register online contact Brandi at (856) 451-2800 x 1 or contact Brandi Williams at BRANDIWI@co.cumberland.nj.us. Each course costs $50.00 to cover the certificate and materials.