The proceedings from the 2025 New Jersey Agricultural Convention educational sessions are now available online. Visit the Vegetable Crops Online website for this year, and previous years, proceedings.
On-Farm Food Safety Section
Keep up with the latest news on this dynamic topic that impacts growers on multiple levels. Developing a farm food safety plan is a good idea for all growers, and may be required as part of food safety audits if you sell to certain buyers.
View NJAES On-Farm Food Safety Essentials
February 17, 2025 Claudia Gil Arroyo
CMC Board of Agriculture’s 2nd Annual Industry Night
If you are in Atlantic, Cumberland or Cape May County, you are invited to the 2nd Annual Industry Night:
Janine Spies, State IPM Program Coordinator for New Jersey will provide an overview of Integrated Pest Management and Pesticide Safety for New Jersey Agriculture. Spies’ talk has been approved for Pesticide Credits for CORE (2) and PP2 (2).
From 6 to 8 p.m. visit the Lockwood 4-H Youth Center for networking, food, and vendors. The Center is located on the Cape May County 4-H Fairgrounds, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, CMCH, NJ 08210.
Additionally, a complimentary dinner, catered by Matt’s Family, Taste the Love!, is being provided by the Cape May County Board of Agriculture.
Industry Night is free, however, those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by February 26 to 609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or to capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Advanced Audit Training For Growers
Monday, March 3
9am – 12pm EDT
Cost: $10.00 per person
Location: Online, Zoom
You will receive the Zoom link by email approximately 1 week before class and a reminder email the morning of class
Registration Deadline & Refunds:
Deadline to register is Friday February 28, 2025
Refunds up to 7 days before event, online service fee is nonrefundable.
This online program offers growers a deeper dive into audit standards and on farm food safety issues they face on their farms. Compliance hot topics and recurring issues will be discussed as well as a timely update on traceability. This program is for growers who have already taken the Introduction to Audits Class, either online or in person.
Topics Covered Include:
- Hot Topics in Food Safety
- Cleaning and Sanitizing
- Hazards v. Risks
Any questions email Jennifer Matthews at jmatthews@njaes.rutgers.edu, 609-675-4221
A minimum of 10 people required to hold the class.
Growers who complete this training will receive a certificate.
To register go to https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9KygQyXTbRlVOLk
Don’t Forget Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training Available
This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on their farms.
For 2025:
- Application is due between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026
- Eligible expenses must be between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025
Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) by working directly with the Farm Service Agency offices at your local FSA office for details. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.
How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works
The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in 2025. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.
Program Eligibility
Eligibility requirements for FSCSC applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your FSCSC application.
To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:
- Have obtained or renewed: 2025 food safety certification issued during the calendar year.
- Be a specialty crop operation (growing fresh fruits and vegetables); and meet the definition of a small business or medium size business.
- A small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000.
- A medium (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
| Category of Eligible Expenses | Payment Amount of Eligible Costs |
| Developing a Food Safety Plan for First Time Certification | 75% (no maximum) |
| Maintaining or Updating a Food Safety Plan | 75% up to $675 |
| Food Safety Certification | 75% up to $2,000 |
| Certification Upload Fees | 75% up to $375 |
| Microbiological Testing of Produce | 75% up to 5 tests |
| Microbiological Testing of Soil Amendments | 75% up to 5 tests |
| Microbiological Testing of Water | 75% up to 5 tests |
| Training Expenses | 100% up to $500 |
FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts. The FSCSC application and associated forms are available online at farmers.gov/food-safety.
You are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency office about FSCSC, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.
For food safety resources, information on the Food Safety Modernization Act and third party audits go to Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety
February 6, 2025 Megan Muehlbauer
North Jersey Commercial Vegetable Growers Meeting Program and Registration
NORTH JERSEY COMMERCIAL
VEGETABLE GROWERS MEETING
February 19, 2025
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Hunterdon County Complex
314 State Route 12, Bldg. 1
Flemington, NJ
Program
Program Chair
Peter Nitzsche, Agriculture and Resource Management Agent
Cooperative Extension of Morris County
8:30 – Registration
Coffee and pastry compliments of industry sponsors
9:00 – Welcome and Introductions
9:10 – Vegetable IPM Update
Amanda Quadrel, Senior Program Coordinator – Vegetable IPM, Cooperative Extension
9:40 – Small Pumpkin Variety Trial and Nutrient Management
Michelle Infante-Casella, ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County
10:10 – Beyond Butternut and Zucchini, Other Varieties of Squash & Pumpkin for NJ
Thomas Andreas, Independent Researcher
10:30 – Update on Farm Service Programs
Laura LaFevre, County Executive Director, Hunterdon/Somerset Office, Farm Service Agency
10:40 – Biodegradable Plasticulture in Habanero Peppers
William Sciarappa, ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension
11:00 – What is New from Industry
11:20 – Updates on Disease Control in Vegetable Crops
Andrew Wyenandt, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Cooperative Extension
11:50 – Drones in Agriculture: Evaluating the Potential
Stephen Komar ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension of Sussex County
Adam Kyle, Teaching Administrator – Precision Agriculture, Warren County Community College
12:10 – LUNCHEON (pre-registration required)
1:00 – Sweet Corn Weed Control
Mark VanGessel Weed Specialist, University of Delaware
1:30 – Thrips Parvispinus: An Emerging Pest in Horticulture
Patricia Prade, Extension Entomologist, Penn State Extension
2:00 – Proper Pesticide Procedures Precautions and Protocols
Spencer Kerkhof, Pesticide Control Program Outreach Representative, NJDEP
2:30- Update on Agrivoltaics Research and the BPU Dual-Use Solar Pilot Program
David Specca, Assistant Director, Rutgers EcoComplex, NJAES
2:50- Food Safety Modernization Act, Produce Safety Rule Agriculture Water Update
TBD, Cooperative Extension
3:00 – Pesticide Recertification Credits and Adjourn. Attendees must be present for the entire program in order to apply for NJDEP credits
NJDEP PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS ARE ANTICIPATED
Click here and fill out this form to register for the meeting then fax or email to:
Fax: (908) 806-4735
E-mail: kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us
If you have any question please call Kim Crommelin: (908)-788-1338
February 6, 2025 Claudia Gil Arroyo
CMC Board of Agriculture’s 2nd Annual Industry Night
If you are in Atlantic, Cumberland or Cape May County, you are invited to the 2nd Annual Industry Night:
Janine Spies, State IPM Program Coordinator for New Jersey will provide an overview of Integrated Pest Management and Pesticide Safety for New Jersey Agriculture. Spies’ talk has been approved for Pesticide Credits for CORE (2) and PP2 (2).
From 6 to 8 p.m. visit the Lockwood 4-H Youth Center for networking, food, and vendors. The Center is located on the Cape May County 4-H Fairgrounds, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, CMCH, NJ 08210.
Additionally, a complimentary dinner, catered by Matt’s Family, Taste the Love!, is being provided by the Cape May County Board of Agriculture.
Industry Night is free, however, those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by February 26 to 609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or to capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.
