Field, Forage & Livestock — Plant & Pest Advisory

January 2, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

Wednesday Luncheon at the NE Ag Expo 1/21/26 – Sign Up Today

All are welcome to the 2026 Celebration of the International Year of the Female Farmer on Wednesday, January 21st at the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Your $25 ticket includes access to the luncheon and keynote speakers – Carrie Edsall from New York and NJ Dairy Princess – Dakota Meys. Lunch is a full hot food buffet and dessert. This event will be inspirational and is also a very affordable way to have lunch while at the expo. Spend this time to network with fellow farmers and support women in agriculture. To register for the Expo and the Wednesday Luncheon go to https://vganj.com/convention-tickets

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, work shop Tagged With: Ag Expo, lunch event, women in agriculture

December 9, 2025 Claudia Gil Arroyo

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

As agriculture continues to evolve, so do the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers—especially women and beginning farmers. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of the Annie’s Project 101 Course, a comprehensive farm business management training series kicking off in January 2026.

Hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension and supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Project, this six-week webinar series is designed to equip farmers with the tools they need to thrive in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.

📅 Course Overview

Dates: Wednesdays, January 7 – February 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Format: Live webinars + asynchronous learning
Fee: $45
Registration: Click here to register

🎓 What You’ll Learn

Each session focuses on a key area of farm risk management, featuring expert-led presentations and practical strategies:

Legal Risk (Jan 7): Lease agreements and legal foundations for farm operations
Financial Risk (Jan 14): Agritourism pricing and profitability analysis
Market Risk (Jan 28): Marketing plans and niche development
Human Resource Risk (Feb 4): Farm crew management and wellness strategies
Production Risk (Feb 11): Food safety and equipment selection
Legal & Financial Risk Wrap-Up (Feb 18): Insurance and business planning essentials

🧭 Special Note

There will be no webinar on January 21 to allow participants to attend the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.

Whether you’re a beginning farmer, a seasoned producer, or someone exploring agribusiness, Annie’s Project 101 offers valuable insights and connections to help you grow your farm with confidence.

📌 Don’t miss out—register today and invest in your farm’s future!
#AnnieProject101 #FarmBusiness #WomenInAg #RutgersExtension #AgWebinarSeries #FarmSmart

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: annie's project, risk management, training, webinar

November 13, 2025 Tess Stahl

FREE Tick Disease Testing for NJ Cattle Available Through 2025

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) Division of Animal Health has launched a free testing program to partner with cattle producers and veterinarians to track and manage the emerging Theileria orientalis Ikeda parasite in New Jersey herds. Free testing is available until the end of the year (2025) to identify infected animals and guide response strategies. Producers are encouraged to contact their herd veterinarian or the NJDA Division of Animal Health (609-671-6400) for more information.

One-page flyer to alert NJ cattle producers of the free tick testing that is being offered through NJDA. Also has a QR code which directs to the link for a Theileria orientalis Producer Handout.

They also have released more information explaining the parasite Theileria orientalis Ikeda and signs/treatments available. This information can be found by scanning the QR code above or clicking the link below:

Click to access T_orientalis_Producer_Handout.pdf

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock

October 31, 2025 Tess Stahl

North Jersey Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Regenerative Farm Network Grazing School

Calling NJ Grazers!

Looking to improve pasture productivity, resilience, and farm profitability through better grazing and pasture management? Join the North Jersey RC&D for their 2026 Grazing School.

Whether you’re new or experienced, this program can help you gain practical tools, proven techniques, and valuable connections to improve your grazing system.

About the event:
This two-day, hands-on workshop is designed for farmers and grazers of all experience levels who want to make the most of their pastures through adaptive grazing. Participants will gain practical tools and techniques to take their grazing management to the next level. More than just a class, Grazing School opens the door to ongoing, one-on-one farm support that continues well beyond the workshop. It’s an unbeatable mix of expert instruction, field-based learning, and extended technical assistance tailored to each farm.

More information on the program, including dates/location and registration details, can be found at: https://www.northjerseyrcd.org/grazing-school

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock

October 30, 2025 Kate Brown

Workshops on Taxes, Estate, and Succession Planning

The NJ Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) has two upcoming workshops on ‘Taxes, Estate, and Succession Planning’ as they relate to farmland preservation. These in-person workshops are best suited for farmers, farm owners, and their professional advisors. This is not a series – select the workshop location closest to you. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: Estate Planning, farmland preservation, Succession Planning, taxes

October 27, 2025 Michelle Infante-Casella

South Jersey Farmers – Stop the Bleed Training – February 2, 2026

STOP THE BLEED TRAINING
FOR FARMERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
REGISTRATION REQUIRED – NO COST

REGISTER USING THIS LINK OR QR CODE:
https://go.rutgers.edu/stopthebleed

DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 TIME: 9:00AM
LOCATION: GLOUCESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
1200 N. DELSEA DR., CLAYTON, NJ

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’ Farm Health and Safety Team has partnered with the Gloucester County Emergency Services to provide “Stop the Bleed” training for the farming community.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the life-saving skills of pressure application, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. The first 25 registrants will also receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Space is limited, register today.

If you have questions contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County 856-224-8040 ext. 1 or email minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu

Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team:
Agricultural Agents: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, William Bamka, and Stephen Komar

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, training, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: Farm Health, Farm Safety, Stop the Bleed