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.

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September 30, 2024

October Twilight Meeting

October Twilight Meeting

October 17, 2024
7:00PM – 9:00 PM
Cape May Winery
711 Townbank Road. Cape May, NJ  08204

Program

6:45 PM:  Registration / Light Refreshments

7:00 PM: Welcome – Claudia Gil Arroyo, Cape May County Agent III; Rutgers NJAES

 7:10 PM: Soil Health is Always a Good Investment
William Errickson, Monmouth County Agent III; Rutgers NJAES

7:40 PM:  IPM for specialty crops in New Jersey including tree fruit crops, small fruits, and vegetables.
Janine Spies, Statewide Program Leader in Fruit IPM, County Agent III; Rutgers NJAES

8:10 PM:  Pesticide safety, non-hazardous pest control methods, label literacy and how to avoid the 3 most common violations.
Spencer Kerkhof, Environmental Specialist I, Pesticide Compliance & Enforcement; NJDEP

8:45 PM:  Labor availability and Labor regulations that impact agriculture
Ben Casella, New Jersey Farm Bureau

 

Light refreshments will be served.

The following pesticide recertification credits will be awarded: CORE (1), 1A (1), 10 (1), PP2 (1)

Please RSVP by October 15, 2024:
Jocelyn Shillingford
609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, pesticide credits, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
September 16, 2024

Agri-Technology and Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC

Agri-Technology and Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC
Thursday September 19th, 2024
4 pm until dark

Location: Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC)
121 Northville Road
Bridgeton, New Jersey 08302

This year’s twilight meeting at RAREC will continue to showcase new agricultural technologies for stakeholders in the state. We will showcase the newly operating agrivoltaics system with specialty crops (fresh-market tomatoes, bell pepper, and eggplant) and soybeans growing beneath them and discuss new technologies for autonomous weeding. Specialists will also discuss their research and provide updates on fiber hemp, Christmas trees, native plants, invasive fruit pests, and vegetable disease.

Speakers:

Tim Waller, Cumberland County RCE Nursery Agent. “Nursery and Ornamental Research: Christmas Tree Pathology Studies and Native Plant Demonstrations”

Dan Ward, Director, RAREC. “Agrivoltaics for NJ: Progress and Promise”

Raul Cabrera, Extension Specialist in Nursery Production and Management. “Fiber Hemp and Weeds”

Ann Nielsen, Extension Specialist in Entomology. “Incorporating Insect Behavior into Management of Invasive Fruit Pests”

Thierry Besancon, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops. “Update on new technologies for weed management in sweet corn”

Andy Wyenandt, Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology. “Updates on vegetable disease control”

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
September 6, 2024

The Public and their Animals on Your Farm: What Can You and Can’t You Ask?

As we head into the fall agritourism season you may want to revisit the types of questions you can and can’t ask the public when they arrive at your farm with a service animals, pets, and comfort animals. For more suggestions on how to legally handle communications and guidance for customers with animals on your farm visit our previous PPA post on the topic.

What questions can you legally ask?
If you find yourself in a situation where would like to determine if the animal is a true service animal, you may ask just two questions.
1) Is the service animal required because of a disability?
2) What work or task has the service animal been trained to perform?

What questions are you legally prevented from asking?
1) You may not ask about the persons disability.
2) You may not ask for proof of the persons disability.
3) You may not ask for documentation or proof that the service animal is trained.
4) You may not ask for an animal health certificate.

The Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety team developed a Q&A factsheet as well as signage that can be posted at the farm or presented to your customers.

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety
September 4, 2024

Agri-Technology and Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC

Agri-Technology and Research Twilight Meeting at RAREC
Thursday September 19th, 2024
4 pm until dark

Location: Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC)
121 Northville Road
Bridgeton, New Jersey 08302

This year’s twilight meeting at RAREC will continue to showcase new agricultural technologies for stakeholders in the state. We will showcase the newly operating agrivoltaics system with specialty crops (fresh-market tomatoes, bell pepper, and eggplant) and soybeans growing beneath them and discuss new technologies for autonomous weeding. Specialists will also discuss their research and provide updates on fiber hemp, Christmas trees, native plants, invasive fruit pests, and vegetable disease.

Speakers:

Tim Waller, Cumberland County RCE Nursery Agent. “Nursery and Ornamental Research: Christmas Tree Pathology Studies and Native Plant Demonstrations”

Dan Ward, Director, RAREC. “Agrivoltaics for NJ: Progress and Promise”

Raul Cabrera, Extension Specialist in Nursery Production and Management. “Fiber Hemp and Weeds”

Ann Nielsen, Extension Specialist in Entomology. “Incorporating Insect Behavior into Management of Invasive Fruit Pests”

Thierry Besancon, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops. “Update on new technologies for weed management in sweet corn”

Andy Wyenandt, Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology. “Updates on vegetable disease control”

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
September 2, 2024

Beat the Heat: Companies for Farmers to Source Heat Stress Prevention Supplies

“Beat the Heat” Plant and Pest Advisory articles are provided by the Agricultural Agents on the Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team: Kate Brown, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and William Bamka

Protecting yourself and other workers from heat stress may involve purchasing some supplies for your farm operation. Some suggestions for items that may be used to “Beat the Heat” include water coolers, shade structures, fans for air movement in packing facilities, head coverings, sunscreen, and other things to help make a person cooler and more comfortable when working during high temperatures and/or in intense sunlight. Also, some companies listed also offer weather measuring devices to monitor environmental conditions for considering heat stress management decisions.

Below are some companies who offer supplies that may be useful for agricultural operations.  

Grainger https://www.grainger.com/ Active NJ Farm Bureau members receive discounts on most products from Grainger. NJFB members also receive free standard parcel shipping on all standard Grainger products. You can visit any of 12 Grainger stores within NJ, or order online. Grainer offers many safety products for agricultural operations and other industries.

Gempler’s https://gemplers.com/
Gempler’s has an online tab on their website specifically for Heat Relief and Hydration supplies at https://gemplers.com/collections/heat-relief-hydration

Uline https://www.uline.com/
Uline offers personal protective equipment, water coolers, fans and other safety supplies.

Forestry Suppliers https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/
Forestry Suppliers sells personal protective equipment, wet bulb globe temperature meters and other supplies.

Tractor Supply https://www.tractorsupply.com/
Tractor Supply sells water coolers, hats, fans, and other supplies.

Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/
Home Depot sells a variety of supplies like coolers, fans, and other supplies.

Lowes https://www.lowes.com/
Lowes sells a variety of supplies like coolers, fans, and other supplies.

Businesses listed and products from these companies are not endorsed by Rutgers Cooperative Extension or Rutgers University.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
August 27, 2024 , and

Produce Safety Classes this Fall

Hands-on Produce Safety Workshop: Wednesday, October 2nd from 10 am-2 pm EST. This hands-on produce safety class in Cream Ridge, NJ is for farm owners, farm employees, farm managers, and those thinking about starting a farm. The class is focused on the various actions that can be part of a strong produce safety plan whether you have one or are just getting started. These activities include building a DIY hand-washing station, assessing wildlife risks in the field and developing an action plan, interactive cleaning and sanitizing demonstrations, and more.

Online Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop:  Wednesday, October 16 from 6-8pm EDT. Work through the components of a food safety plan with our help from your home office! By the end of this class you will have a draft plan and a more robust food safety program for your farm. This is an interactive class so please be prepared to have your cameras on and microphones for discussions.

Who is this program for?

  • New and Beginning Growers
  • Growers who want to improve produce safety practices on their farms
  • Growers who want to work to develop a food safety culture on their farm
  • Growers who want to develop more robust food safety practices and worker training programs
  • Next-generation growers taking over a family farm
  • Anyone thinking about starting a farm
  • Anyone who may be getting an audit and does not have a food safety plan

For more details or to register for the classes go to https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/trainings/ or email Jenn Matthews at jmatthews@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops