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.

April 7, 2021

Beef Cattle Management 101-Webinar Series

Session 1: April 19th -7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

  • Changes and Updates to Relief Programs that Impact Farmers
  • What Farmers Need to Know about Changes and Updates to the Latest Relief Bills
  • Checklist for Calving Success.

Presenters include:

  1. Dr. Robin Brumfield, Extension Specialist in Farm Management at Rutgers University
  2. Melissa Bravo, M.S. Assistant Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agronomy and Livestock Agent, Salem County

Register for this event: https://go.rutgers.edu/RUBeef1

 

Session 2: April 26th -7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

  • Forage Quality and Nutritional Requirements
  • Handling Facilities and Safety
  • Manure Management Plans

Presenters include:

  1. Dr. Mike Westendorf, Animal Science Extension Specialist/Professor of Rutgers University
  2. Hank Bignell, Sr. Program Coordinator for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Warren County
  1. Sandra Howland and Kelly Steimle, Research Scientists for NJ Department of Agriculture

Register for this event: https://go.rutgers.edu/RUBeef2

 

Each webinar has a different URL, register for each session separately.

 

For questions about the series or for instructions to access Webex please email Hank Bignell at hdbignell@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock Tagged With: , , , ,
April 2, 2021

This Week’s Changes and Updates to Relief Programs that Impact Farmers

This past week brought several changes and updates to relief programs that impact farmers. This blog from the University of Minnesota is a good summary of changes and announcements by USDA on relief programs that impact farmers and includes links to websites with more information: https://blog-abm-news.extension.umn.edu/2021/03/paycheck-protection-program-extended.html.

The American Rescue Plan Act uses the 2501 definition of “socially disadvantaged”, which includes Black/African American, American Indian or Alaskan native, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian American or Pacific Islander. Gender is not a criteria in and of itself, but of course women are included in these categories.

For the latest CFAP details, visit farmers.gov/cfap.

To find your local service center and learn more about how to access their services during the pandemic, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
March 31, 2021

Attention Tree Fruit Growers!

Ask the Expert Series Orchard Edition

Please Join us for an Interactive Discussion on Tree Fruit Thinning

QR code

April 7: 9AM-10:15 AM

Zoom Link: https://go.rutgers.edu/tdi8pllm

Meeting ID: 974 2422 2622Password: 808726

Join by Phone: 1 646 558 8656

 

 

 

Expert Panelists
Win Cowgill, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University and owner Win Enterprises International, LLC a Pomology and Horticultural Consulting firm
and
Jon Clements, Commercial Tree Fruit Extension Educator at The University of Massachusetts

Topics will include Apple fruit thinning with plant growth regulators, crop load management, return bloom, fruit growth model and Cornell Carbohydrate Models as tools for thinning and update on PGR’s Available for 2021

This will be part presentation followed by an INTERACTIVE discussion.

Prior to Wednesday April 7, Please E-mail ALL of your Tree Fruit Thinning Questions to:
Megan Muehlbauer muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers.edu
or
Hemant Gohil gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu
Prepare to have a lively interactive discussion between the experts and your fellow New Jersey tree fruit growers!

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Tree Fruit
March 30, 2021

On Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRR) Available to Produce Growers

As part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in coordination with Rutgers Cooperative Extension are again offering an OFRR to any operation that has taken the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Training.  The PSA training is required for fresh produce operations to comply with FSMA with sales over $25,000.  We have been doing OFRRs over the last two years (approximately 100) and want to continue this service during 2021.  So, what is the OFRR?  It is a walkthrough of the farm operation to assess where it may need for make changes to comply with FSMA prior to an inspection.  Generally, two individuals will be on the assessment team one from Extension and one from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.  These reviews take approximately 2 hours and is scheduled to fit into the grower’s time.  To schedule a review email Charlotte Muetter at charlotte.muetter@ag.nj.gov.  She will then contact the farm operation to schedule the review.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
March 30, 2021

On-Farm Food Safety Talks for the Busy Grower

The Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Team has developed three video presentations.  Clip on  Three On The Go Webinars For the Busy Grower  to view the three videos listed below.

 Introduction to Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and USDA Audits.  Find out the differences between FSMA inspections and USDA audits. Who do they apply to and who does the inspection or audits?

Building Your One-Way Street: Backflow Prevention and Your Farm.  Learn what backflow is, how to evaluate your operations and how to prevent problems with backflow to protect your packed produce.

How to Use Best Practices for On-Farm Recordkeeping.  Tried and true strategies for organized record keeping that complies with FSMA and will prepare you for USDA audits.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
March 26, 2021

What water test do you need and how often do you need to do it?

FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliance, third party audit standards, and general best practices all include the need for irrigation, harvest, cleaning, sanitation, handwashing, pesticide application, drinking and postharvest water testing.  Not all tests are the same, but all cost money, so make sure what your paying for meets your needs.  
Pond

Here are the questions we commonly get from produce growers and answers that we hope you find helpful:

What water test do I need for a water source that is used only for irrigation of crops and/or pesticide applications?
– This water should be tested for generic E. coli, acceptable results give you a number answer of 126 CFU (colony forming units) or MPN (most probable number) or less. You do not want a presence/absence (P/A) test.  A P/A test would not be sufficient for a third-party audit requirement or the FSMA PSR.
-Most water testing labs on the NJ Water Testing Lab Map (link below) offer the EPA 1603 analysis, which satisfies both the FSMA PSR anticipated requirements and third-party audit requirements.
-Other acceptable analysis methods are described on the
Produce Safety Alliance Water Analysis Method Requirement fact sheet.
-Well water sources used for irrigation should be tested once a year.
-Surface water sources should be tested at least three times during their period of use, ideally when starting irrigation, mid-season, and close to harvest.  Surface water sources include irrigation ponds (spring fed, well fed, or other ponds), streams, rivers, and other bodies of water that are exposed to the surface.
-Municipal water sources used for irrigation should have a copy of the water testing record on file.  These testing records are often found online or are available upon request.  Made sure that generic E. coli is listed on the report.

What water test do I need for a water source that is used during the harvest process? Handwashing water? Cleaning and sanitizing use? Postharvest washing and cooling water? 
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops