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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May 25, 2021

Keep Up the Customer Communication!

Now that the dates have been set for the lifting of the face covering requirements indoors and social distancing requirements indoors and out (May 28th) farms have decisions to make. What will you require of your customers while on your property? How will you handle customers who expect more or less when it comes to COVID protections?  The CDC recommends that those not fully vaccinated should continue to socially distance themselves from others and wear a mask, but these are no longer requirements under state Executive Orders.  Here are some suggestions on how to prepare your employees and customers for their experiences on your farm this season.

1. Communicate your farm policies regarding COVID protections clearly online and on the farm.
2. If you choose to no longer require masks indoors at the farm be understanding of customers who may choose to wear a mask.  “Mask-free” environments are not enforceable, those who wish to wear masks must be allowed to do so.
3. When possible continue to provide order ahead and pick-up of items sold at your farm. This allows those who are unvaccinated or wary of those who are unmasked to still be able to shop at your farm.
4. Prepare your staff on how to handle disgruntled customers. Who is the right person at the farm to handle these situations? Have a plan on who and how you will respond to these situations.
5. Realize that you will not make everyone happy. The best you can do is decide what your masking and social distancing policies are, stick to them, and communicate the heck out of them.

Important dates:
May 28th – Indoor mask mandate lifted. Businesses may require customers to wear masks indoors, but it is no longer mandated. 6’ social distancing required indoors lifted. Businesses may still enforce 6’ of social distancing.  This does not apply to summer camp settings with children.

June 4th – Indoor gathering limits lifted.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
May 25, 2021

Do you have Phytophthora at your conifer nursery / Christmas tree farm? We are still looking for a few more participants in a statewide study – aimed at better RECS.

Update: We are still looking for a few more participants in a state-wide Phytophthora sampling project. If you would like to participate please please respond via this brief survey (click here) 

Tim Waller (Cumberland Co.) and Bill Errickson (Monmouth Co.) of Rutgers Cooperative Extension are looking for 30 conifer producers to collaborate in a statewide Phytophthora sampling project, as part of a Specialty Crop Block Grant. This study will focus on identifying the species of Phytophthora limiting conifer production in New Jersey.

  • If your operation is selected, the agents will schedule one to three visits this growing season to collect samples from roots, bark, soil, irrigation systems, and will perform soil testing (Year 1).
  • During years 2 and 3, we will be performing chemical, biological, and cultural disease management trials in addition to conifer variety trials, at Rutgers-NJAES experiment stations. The aim is to generate local data – using local isolates in order to develop a more wholistic set of recommendations when targeting this disease in our NJ nurseries.

The agents also look forward to developing stronger relationships throughout New Jersey in the post-COVID19 era

This project is open to nurseries and Christmas tree farms producing conifers in NJ 

If you are interested in this project – please respond via this brief survey (click here) 

Please print and share this PDF survey with anyone not online (click here)

 

Please contact Tim Waller – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu – (856-451-2800) – for more information

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , ,
May 25, 2021

USDA Spanish Language Resources Now Available for Organic Stakeholders

The USDA has translated its organic regulations and resources into Spanish.  Available online are:

USDA Organic Regulations
Organic Foods Production Act
NOP Handbook
Organic Integrity in the Supply Chain
Training materials
Video resources on certified organic FAQ, preventive practices, and recordkeeping
Tip/Fact sheets on topics ranging from soil assessments, composting, manures, orchards, livestock, dairy, meat, and others

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops
May 24, 2021

June 16 Webinar – Creating Healthy Resilient Food Systems in NJ Through Food Policy Councils

The COVID-19 pandemic has people around the world, and right here in NJ, talking about the Food System, and in many, concerned about what they perceive to be broken. Agriculture often considers itself the food system, but in considering the complexity of today’s farm-to-fork movement of food, agricultural production has become a small, albeit indispensable (unless you consider the movement to cell-based culture of food materials), cog on the wheel.

Building our Table WebinarFood Policy Councils are forming around the country and there are at least two or three here in NJ. The NJ Food Democracy Collaborative is one focusing on the shore counties and much of southern NJ. In collaboration with Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension and several other co-sponsors, they are hosting this webinar on June 16 to bring national experts in the roles and activities of food policy councils to discuss “Building our table: Making food more Affordable, Accessible, and Available in NJ through Local Food Policy Councils.”

They are inviting anyone involved in the food system, from production to processing, distribution, preparation and consumption (that’s everyone) to learn more about getting involved to make a sustainable food system capable of feeding our residents, visitors and beyond the Garden State. Register for the webinar at

https://go.rutgers.edu/g4m9ukqm

or by clicking on the poster.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
May 17, 2021

Soil residual herbicides and lack of precipitation

May 17, 2021

Dry surface soil conditions

Soil residual herbicides require precipitation to activate

Salem County. Surface soil conditions are quite dry across much of the acreage planted in the last two weeks. While their is adequate moisture in the rooting zone for corn and soybean germination, without a half inch to inch of precipitation or irrigation, soil residual herbicides applied to manage herbicide resistant weeds and other annuals will be slow to activate. Monitor fields for signs of common lambsquarters and amaranth as air temperatures rise this week into the 80’s.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock
May 14, 2021

USDA Expands Disaster Assistance to Include Fish Raised for Food

In response to catastrophic aquaculture losses due to major winter storms that hit states along the U.S. Gulf Coast in February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced a policy change that makes food fish and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). Previously, only farm-raised game and bait fish were eligible for death loss ELAP benefits. Beginning June 1, eligible aquaculture producers can request ELAP assistance for 2021 losses. This policy change is for the 2021 and subsequent program years.

ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary.

To be eligible, losses must have occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2021. For farm-raised fish and other aquatic species death losses only that occurred prior to June 1, 2021, FSA is waiving the requirement to file a notice of loss within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent. An aquaculture producer will still need to be able to provide contemporaneous records upon request to document the eligible loss event and demonstrate the beginning and ending inventory. The deadline to file an application for payment for the 2021 program year is Jan. 31, 2022.

USDA offers a comprehensive portfolio of disaster assistance programs. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine all program or loan options available for disaster recovery assistance. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, please contact your local USDA Service Center.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit Tagged With: , , ,