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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July 17, 2020

Hackettstown Livestock Auction Results for July 14, 2020

This auction sells: lambs, sheep, goats, calves, beef cattle, pigs, rabbits, and all types of heavy fowl. Auctions are held every Tuesday with the first sale beginning at 10:30 am and ending with the last sale at 5:30 pm. Hay, straw, grain, and firewood are also for sale.

Hackettstown Livestock Auction

Farm Fresh Eggs available for purchase by the case (30 doz.) or by the flat (2&1/2 doz.) in the main office Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Also available some Monday’s and Friday’s but please call office first (908)-852-0444.

Click for auction results:

Hackettstown Livestock Auction Results for July 14, 2020

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock
July 17, 2020

NJ Ag & Health Urge Use of Free COVID-19 Testing For Farm Workers

Earlier this week, NJ Secretary of Ag Douglas Fisher released this attached letter, co-signed by Dept of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, urging all growers with farm labor to take advantage of opportunities to help protect your employees from COVID-19.

As the letter states,

“One program that is being implemented FREE OF CHARGE for all farms is a COVID-19 testing and education program through Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and local health departments. Along with free testing, the program provides education and other related support services. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , ,
July 10, 2020

UPDATE – NJ Motor Vehicle Commission: Changes and Extensions, Effective July 9th

With all the difficulties customers faced with NJMVC service centers opening on July 7th, changes have been made in the processes when visiting facilities. Also, note some centers will have Saturday hours and the state has taken some NJMVC employees of furloughs to service the public. Check the NJMVC website for hours, what services are offered at certain centers, and updated information. Below are some changes and further extensions:

1. Each morning, when opening, the NJMVC facilities will establish the total number of customers that each agency can serve that day, based on that agency’s size, staffing, and previous day’s performance. Tickets will be given out up to that number (and based on priority reason for coming to MVC – SEE NUMBER 3 below), then remaining customers not given a ticket will be required to leave the premises. As soon as capacity is met at a facility, MVC will publish if the site is filled to capacity on their website and social media.

2. People will not be allowed to sign up to wait on MVC property after capacity is reached until the next morning at 7:00 AM.

3. New drivers will be given preference at Licensing Centers. When staff go out to distribute tickets, the first tickets will be given to those who have completed requirements for a new permit or license. Already-licensed drivers (who will be able to drive under the extension) will be served after all new drivers have been served.

The following documents, if expiring between March 1 and May 31, have been extended to September 30, 2020. If expiring between June 1 and August 31, they have been extended to December 31, 2020.

• All standard driver licenses (including permits)
• Standard non-driver IDs
• Vehicle registrations
• Inspections
• Temporary tags

CDL Extensions
Expiration dates on commercial driver licenses (CDLs), commercial learner’s permits, and HAZMAT endorsements have been extended a second time, to September 30, 2020. This means expirations that were previously extended to June 30 have been extended for another three months. The extensions do not apply to documents that expired before March 1.

The extension also includes the Medical Certifications of CDL holders, as long as the medical certificates were for 90 days or more and expired after March 1.

The extensions mirror those issued recently by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees CDLs, and the federal Transportation Security Administration, which oversees Hazardous Materials endorsements (HAZMAT).

Many transactions can now be conducted online. Check out the NJMVC online services to see if you need to conduct business with NJMVC online.

All customers are required to wear face coverings when visiting an agency.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,
July 8, 2020

Gov. Murphy to Sign Order Requiring Outdoor Face Coverings

As reported at njbiz.com Wednesday morning, NJ Governor Phil Murphy has indicated he will be signing “an executive order mandating that masks or other face coverings be worn outdoors, as the COVID-19 virus surges across the country and the transmission rate creeps up in New Jersey.”

The state currently requires the use of face coverings indoors and at many outdoor businesses, and strongly encourages their use when in crowded public spaces, such as at the beach. The new order will require that masks will have to be worn outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

There are many outdoor operations around the farm. Be sure to plan accordingly with supplies of masks/face coverings for all agricultural workers and harvesters, in addition to planning all field work with adequate space for individuals to keep socially distanced.

For more information on keeping you, your workers and your family safe, be sure to read and implement the recommendations in NJ’s “INTERIM CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) GUIDANCE FOR MIGRANT AND SEASONAL FARMWORKERS, THEIR EMPLOYERS, AND HOUSING PROVIDERS.”

 

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

Hackettstown Livestock Auction Results for July 7, 2020

This auction sells: lambs, sheep, goats, calves, beef cattle, pigs, rabbits, and all types of heavy fowl. Auctions are held every Tuesday with the first sale beginning at 10:30 am and ending with the last sale at 5:30 pm. Hay, straw, grain, and firewood are also for sale.

Hackettstown Livestock Auction

Farm Fresh Eggs available for purchase by the case (30 doz.) or by the flat (2&1/2 doz.) in the main office Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Also available some Monday’s and Friday’s but please call office first (908)-852-0444.

Click on link for July 7, 2020 sale results:

Hackettstown Livestock Auction; 7-7-2020

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock
July 7, 2020

RCE Agents Offer Marketing Tips With Del State U & USDA Northeast Climate Hub

Webinar Postponed ’til Fall!

Due to technical issues and low enrollment, this webinar has been postponed by the organizers and will be rescheduled for the fall.

Register here today (7/7/20) by 11pm!

Webinar: Part 2 in a series

Emergency Preparation & Dealing with COVID-19 on Farms: Alternative Marketing Strategies to Stay in Business

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Time: 12 – 1:15 PM

Use the link below to register by July 7, 2020, 11 PM EST. The Zoom link to the webinar will be e-mailed to all registered attendees prior to the webinar.

[link removed]

Small farmers and extension agents working with small farmers will learn best practices for communicating with consumers and meeting their demands.

Participants will learn how to:

  • Use available resources to market your products
  • Reach out to consumers online
  • Use alternative marketing strategies to sustain and grow businesses
  • Use online business opportunities for farm sales

Attendees will learn about available resources to help them manage logistics of the Covid-19 health crisis on their farms. Presenters will share information and solutions from the experts and answer questions from participants. Like the first webinar in this series, this meeting will address common problems most farmers are facing, what they are planning to do to stay in business and how well their plans are working. The webinar series also summarizes how extension programs can assist farmers through this difficult time.

Agenda (Q&A session after each presentation)

12 – 12:05 PM Welcome & Introduction Gulnihal Ozbay & Jason Challandes, DSU; Erin Lane, USDA Northeast Climate HUB
12:05 – 12:25 PM “Know Your Customers
Know Your Prices”		 Richard VanVranken, Professor & County Extension Department Head (Small Farms & Farm Marketing), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County, New Jersey
12:25 – 12:45 PM “Meeting Customer Demands for Agricultural Products In response
to the Covid-19 Pandemic”		 Stephen Komar, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head (Plant and Animal Agriculture), Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County, New Jersey
12:45 – 1:05 PM “Online logistics and considerations with Direct Sales Models during Covid-19” William J. Bamka, Associate Professor & Agriculture & Natural Resources County Agent II, County Extension Department Head of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County in New Jersey, Crop Production and Agritourism
1:05 – 1:15 PM Closing Remarks & Information
on Webinar Evaluation		 Dr. Ozbay and Ms. Lane
This webinar series is moderated by Delaware State University Cooperative Extension (Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay) & USDA Northeast Climate Hub  (Erin Lane). Webinar hosts are Ms. Megan Pleasanton & Mr. Jason Challandes (DSU Cooperative Extension).
Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops