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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April 8, 2021

Wild garlic overly adundant plan now to prevent dockage

Wild garlic

Wild garlic in soybean stubble planted to a late fall grain covercrop

Wild garlic dominates cropland and pastures throughout Salem County this spring. A few observations of star-of-bethlehem are also noted.

Due to the excessive rainfall last year, assume abundance of wild garlic bulbs are sprouting in small grains in fields known to have an infestation. Due to crop height and density, garlic leaves are difficult to discern as the grain crop canopies.

The window to manage wild garlic in small grains is dependent on crop stage and choices are limited to the growth regulator 2, 4-D, and the acetolactate synthase inhibitors chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron which inhibit cell division in growing tips of roots and shoots.

If uncontrolled and allowed to produce aerial bulblets, the ‘garlic’ smell taints harvest loads resulting in cents on the bushel dockage at the grain elevator. This is especially true of harvest intended for bread milling (know your contract).

In pastures, yards and other areas where livestock or children venture, it is important to note if the infestation is star-of-bethelehem, as this weed is very toxic to horses. Children, especially young children under the age of six should not be allowed to handle star-of-bethelem due to its toxicity if ingested. Ornithogalum umbellatum and others in this genus have a distinct white mid-rib, mostly white star-shaped flowers, and do not smell like onion or garlic.

If harvesting your crop to sell as seed lots, know that wild garlic, (Allium vineale) and wild onion (Allium canadense) are restricted weed seeds in seedlots sold in New Jersey. “The following seeds may be present in a seed lot, but shall be listed on the label under the heading “Noxious Weed Seed.” The name and number per pound must be declared. The terms “free” and ” none” shall mean that no noxious weed seed was found in a test conducted using the Association of Seed Analysts (AOSA) established methods” – NJ Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Seed Regulations https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/noxious.html

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock
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