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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June 29, 2020

Update on NJ MVC Openings: Date Changed to July 7th for Most Services

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission announced on Friday most in-person transactions scheduled to start on June 29 will be delayed until July 7, while the text notification system undergoes final testing.

• Vehicle Centers and Licensing Centers will open to the public Tuesday, July 7 (this is a change from the previous date of 6/29/20). Dealer drop-offs, driving school drop-offs, and license plate surrenders were available starting June 15.

• Road testing will re-started on June 29. If your road test appointment was canceled during the COVID emergency, you should have received a letter from MVC to reschedule. Otherwise, make an appointment via the website (available soon) .

• Inspections will re-start on June 29.

• Many transactions can now be conducted online. Check the NJMVC online services page to see if you can “Skip the Trip” to the agency.

• Some NJMVC agency locations are now designated as Licensing Centers and some as Vehicle Centers. This means certain transactions can only be conducted at certain agencies. Licensing centers offer license and ID transactions as well as driver testing. Vehicle Centers offer registration, title, and license plate transactions. Check out this guide to determine which agency you should visit to conduct your transaction.

• While at the agency location, you may need to text and be brought into the facility with a text alert while waiting outside in your vehicle.

• If you do plan on visiting an agency, please remember to bring a face covering. All customers are required to wear face coverings when visiting an agency.

Most licenses, IDs, registrations, and other documents scheduled to expire after March 13 have been extended to July 31 or later (more info at NJMVC.gov).

Starting July 7, designated Licensing Centers will be processing new licenses and permits, out-of-state transfers, and REAL ID for those whose appointments were canceled.

Starting July 7, designated Vehicle Centers will be adding individual registration and title transactions.

Transactions that can be done online will not be available in person until further notice.

The Commission continues to urge customers to use NJMVC.gov to renew or replace licenses, renew or replace registrations, or change their address.

For Farm Vehicle Certificates call your local county Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office. Check with your local county Rutgers Cooperative Extension office to see if walk-in clients are being accepted, as status of offices differs throughout the state. Prior to receiving your certificate, an annual application form must be submitted. To save time you can print the 2020 application form yourself and mail into your county office. Please call your County Agricultural Agent for more information.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
June 26, 2020

Livestock Risk Protection Insurance Program

News Release

USDA Announces Improvements to the Livestock Risk

Protection Insurance Program This Summer

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2020 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced changes to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance program for feeder cattle, fed cattle and swine starting this summer with the 2021 crop year. Changes include moving premium due dates to the end of the endorsement period and increasing premium subsidies to assist producers.

“These changes will make these policies more usable and affordable for livestock producers,” RMA Administrator Martin Barbre said. “We are working to ensure these improvements can be implemented by July 1 so producers can take advantage of these changes.”

Specifically, the changes:

  • Allow premiums to be paid at the end of the endorsement period, putting it in line with other policies.
  • Increase the premium subsidy for coverage levels above 80 percent. Those with an 80 percent or higher coverage level will get a 5-percentage point subsidy increase.

Producers may buy LRP insurance throughout the year from Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs), with coverage prices ranging from 70 to 100 percent of the expected ending value of their animals. At the end of the insurance period, if the actual ending value is below the coverage price, producers will be paid an indemnity for the difference. Premium rates, coverage prices and actual ending values are posted online daily.

RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through AIPs to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and electronically to continue supporting livestock insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with livestock insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Livestock insurance is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. A list of insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about livestock insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock
June 25, 2020

Azalea Leafminer: A Commonly Unrecognized Azalea Pest Problem

The Azalea Leafminer (Caloptilia azaleella) produces plant symptoms that are typically subtle & can often be overlooked. Symptoms from this caterpillar can also confuse people by having both leafminer & leafroller stages. The early instar stages are leafminers, while the later instar stages are leafrollers or leaftiers. Commercial nurseries generally have more concerns with this pest, while they often receive little attention in the landscape. Although the Azalea Leafminer has 2+ generations per year, the azalea (Rhododendron genus) is the only known host of this native caterpillar having the unique one-two punch.

Symptom of Azalea Leafminers

Azalea Leafminers: Symptom stages from 3 leafmines & a single leafroller (Photo Credit: Steven Rettke of RCE)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab
June 25, 2020

Free Webinar: Agricultural Health and Safety Course for Medical and Safety Professionals

This information is being provided in the Rutgers Plant and Pest Advisory newsletter to get the word out about free training for medical and safety professionals in your communities. With less and less people in our communities understanding the agricultural industry, this training can be helpful in responding to agricultural emergencies. Please help get the word out to your county and local emergency management and health officials who may wish to participate. However, everyone is welcome to attend and register.

A nationwide, no-cost online webinar starting July 14-17, 2020 is being hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Registration is required and continuing education credits will be offered for physicians, nurses and EMS personnel. Registration is due July 7, 2020.

The Agricultural Health and Safety Course for Medical and Safety Professionals is designed to examine key health and safety issues specific to rural and agricultural workers. Experts will present course material relevant to those working in health care, public health, education, and safety professions.

This course is intended for professionals who work with or have an interest in agricultural health and safety including physicians, nurses, emergency medical responders, physician assistants, health educators, advanced practice nurses, Ag extension, migrant health clinicians, physical therapists, insurance specialists, veterinarians, safety professionals, and students.

This course is going to be provided via Zoom and supplemented with online modules.
•Session A: Agricultural Health — July 14-15, 2020
•Session B: Agricultural Safety and Prevention — July 16-17, 2020
•Session C: Special Topics — Online modules will be available starting July 14, 2020

Course Objectives:

At the completion of the course, the participant should be better able to:
1.  Evaluate the core elements of agricultural medicine
2.  Integrate the anticipation, recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of occupational and environmental illnesses and injuries within rural and agricultural communities
3.  Qualify to become an AgriSafe Provider in order to develop sustainable agricultural occupational health and safety delivery programs within their regions

Even if this program saves one life, it will be worth attending.
Agriculture Organization logos

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,
June 23, 2020

Recorded Webinar Posted – COVID-19 Guidance for Ag Workers/Employers

Cover 5-20-2020 NJ DOH Interim Guidance for Migrant-Seasonal Farmworkers
The webinar for Ag Employers regarding Understanding & Implementing NJ’s COVID-19 Guidance For Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers, Employers & Housing Providers* held on Tue June 16, 2020 has been posted on the Rutgers NJAES On-Farm Food Safety team’s YouTube page.
 
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who discussed expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
The agenda included introductory remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher, followed by a detailed overview of the guidance document by Amanda Medina-Forrester, Executive Director of the Office of Minority & Multicultural Health, and Siobhan Pappas, Coordinator of the Childhood Lead Program of the NJ Dept. of Health; Christine Blumauer, Policy Advisor in the Office of the Commissioner of the NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development; along with comments from Michelle Blanchfield, MPH, Zufall Health, and Bridget Hogan, Ocean Health Initiatives representing  Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) charged with assisting farmers with testing and education of farmworkers. Pete Furey and Ben Cassella of NJ Farm Bureau provided follow-up comments after a few questions were discussed.
  • There have been no changes to the document since it was published, but one major point of discussion that you will hear in the recording was a comment made by a presenter that temperature monitoring should use a 99oF threshold instead of the 100.4oF threshold that was published in the guideline. Monique Purcell, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, who had worked closely with the NJDOH and NJDOL reps in development of the guidance document received clarification from them the next day that confirmed that the threshold remains 100.4oF.
  • The other point addressed by several speakers was the need to work with and invite the FQHCs to your farm. They are charged with helping to educate your farm workers to understand this disease, how it spreads, and how to protect themselves (the importance of physical distancing and wearing face masks), as well as to provide testing for all employees on your farm, including the owner and family members working on the farm, free of charge.

*The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar reviews these guidelines.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
June 17, 2020

Small Business Administration Continues to Accept New EIDL Applications on June 15th

In continued response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners – including agricultural businesses, in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are able to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000. This advance is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. This loan advance will not have to be repaid. Recipients do not have to be approved for a loan in order to receive the advance, but the amount of the loan advance will be deducted from total loan eligibility. SBA will begin accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance applications starting on June 15 to qualified small businesses and U.S. agricultural businesses.

Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. For agricultural businesses that submitted an EIDL application through the streamlined application portal prior to the legislative change, SBA will process these applications without the need for re-applying.
Eligible small businesses and agricultural businesses may apply for the Loan Advance here.

For more information see the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) website.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,