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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August 11, 2020

Free Farm Succession Planning Webinar: August 26th – Pre-Register by August 24th

AgrAbility WebinarRoots of the Soil: Strategies and Resources for Succession Planning
A LIFE Project Webinar
Wednesday, August 26
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET

This webinar notification was made available by the National AgrAbility Project. It will focus on basic strategies and first steps for succession. Succession planning begins with conversations; communication in the succession process is crucial to its success. Presenters will discuss the importance of open communication, aligning goals, documenting the plan, and collaborating with stakeholders. Resources to aid in the succession process as well as steps to take along the way will also be discussed.

Presenters:

Maria Marshall conducts an applied research, teaching, and Extension program in small and family business management, food marketing, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Marshall is the Director of the Purdue Institute for Family Business (PIFB). Her research focuses on small business development and family business management. Her small and family business research is focused on areas such as the resource exchange between the household and the business, family business management, and marketing. She is particularly focused on the resource exchange between household and business when each system experiences a normative and non-normative shock. Dr. Marshall’s outreach and teaching programs seek to increase economic development through entrepreneurship.

Renee Wiatt serves as the Family Business Management Specialist for the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, namely for the Purdue Institute for Family Business (PIFB). She works on extension and applied research in family business management and collaborates with partners such as centers focused on agriculture and families, Extension teams focused on agriculture and farm management, and researchers to develop funded programming focused on family business management. She is a team member of the Purdue Succession Planning Team and serves as the department representative for the Purdue Cooperative Extension Specialists’ Association (PUCESA).

A question & answer period will follow the presentation.
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To participate in this free webinar, click here to access the online registration form by Monday, August 24. Instructions for accessing the session will be sent to registrants by Tuesday, August 25. Please pass on this invitation to others you believe may be interested. Contact AgrAbility at 800-825-4264 or email agrability@agrability.org if you have questions.
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The National AgrAbility Project is supported by USDA/NIFA Special Project 2016-41590-25880. This webinar also supported by USDA award number A0192501X443G013.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
August 9, 2020

The Show Must Go On(line) – 2020 Ag Progress Days Virtual Experience

Continuing a 50-year tradition, Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, brought to you by their College of Agricultural Sciences, is a one-stop shop this week, August 9-12, 2020, for the latest research, management practices, and regulations in agriculture.

This year, Penn State Extension educators and faculty have come together to provide a FREE virtual learning program filled with the latest in Ag research and best practices. This event is being offered at no charge to participants, but registration is required to receive the link to access a webinar. Even if you missed a day or a session, all registrants will receive access to the webinar recordings.

Online registrants can choose from more than 46 live webinars and get questions answered by the experts. Just check out the the live webinar schedule and register online. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , ,
August 7, 2020

Farmland Assessment for Woodland Owners Webinar

On Thursday, August 20th at 7pm, a free webinar entitled “Farmland Assessment on Woodlands: Multiple Benefit Activities” will be presented as part of the “Backyard Forestry in 90 Minutes” online program. The presenter, Andrew Kimm, is the President of New Jersey Forestry Association (NJFA). This session discusses the implementation of Farmland Assessment on woodlands and the many benefits derived from the active devotion practiced on those lands. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,
July 28, 2020

USDA Farmers To Families Food Box Program – New Round Solicitation

Listening in USDA’s webinar reveals major changes in this latest solicitation for the third round of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. This time they only want multi-commodity ‘combination boxes’, i.e. produce plus meat/dairy plus optional eggs! — check out the specs on page 4 of the solicitation here – https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/FFFB_solicitationRound3.pdf). They are much more specific on items (weights/types) to be included in box.
There is also new emphasis on not passing on costs to food banks/NGOs – the contracted vendor now responsible for covering the cost of delivery from foodbank to individual (the last mile of distribution!?) so that needs to be included in the proposed box price.
There is no deadline for submission and proposals can be submitted immediately. This time the govt will review the proposal and then return for revision if there are questions or missing items (not done in first 2 rounds). They will help identify what is missing or needing revision! This solicitation will close when the Government has enough awardees in each region so it means the faster a complete proposal is submitted, the more likely of receiving a contract. Awards will begin on approval and last through Aug. 15, 2022.
As soon as it’s available a recording of the webinar will be made available.
Key Takeaways:
  • Read the solicitation completely (this is completely different from earlier program so need to reapply)
  • Important to get the most up-to-date information from USDA’s acquisition staff.
  • Two key submissions
    • Adobe pdf
    • Excel spreadsheet (don’t modify the template!)
  • Submit questions to FFFBQuestions@usda.gov
Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
July 28, 2020

Unsolicited Seeds From Foreign Sources

Several states are now reporting and you may have read or heard news reports of packets of seeds arriving in the mail from foreign shipping addresses that were not ordered. If you receive such a packet, DO NOT open or discard them. Rather, follow these directions from the NJ Dept of Agriculture:

UPDATED NJDA ALERT (https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/hottopics/topics200727.html)

We have been receiving reports of people receiving seeds in the mail from China that they did not order. Sometimes the seeds are sent in packages stating that the contents are jewelry. Unsolicited seeds could be invasive, introduce diseases to local plants, or be harmful to livestock.

Here’s what to do if you receive unsolicited seeds from another country:

This is known as agricultural smuggling. Report it to the USDA!

  1. DO NOT plant them and if they are in sealed packaging don’t open the sealed package.
  2. Take a photo of the package and seeds and send the photos to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Joseph.zoltowski@ag.nj.gov and USDA SITC at  SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov
  3. Maintain the seeds and packaging and send to the USDA Office located at 1500 Lower Rd, Linden NJ 07036 for evidence. 

If individuals are aware of the potential smuggling of prohibited exotic fruits, vegetables, or meat products into or through the USA, they can help APHIS by contacting the confidential Anti-smuggling Hotline number at 800-877-3835 or by sending an Email to SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov. USDA will make every attempt to protect the confidentiality of any information sources during an investigation within the extent of the law.

One-line email signature graphic: We R Here When You Need Us.

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Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
July 22, 2020

NYCAMH/NEC Farmworker Needs Assessment Survey

The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine & Health/Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing based in Cooperstown, NY is conducting a farm worker health needs assessment to help them better address worker health and safety needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,