The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Weed Control Guide for Agronomic Crops is now available!

The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Weed Control Guide: Essentials for Agronomic Crops is now available for purchase from Penn State Extension in print ($10) or as a digital download ($8). A bundle that includes both versions can be purchased for $18. More information about this guide is available at https://extension.psu.edu/weed-guide.

Penn State Extension (Dwight Lingenfelter and Dr. John Wallace) produces this publication in cooperation with the University of Delaware (Dr. Mark VanGessel), the University of Maryland (Dr. Kurt Vollmer), Rutgers University (Dr. Thierry Besancon), Virginia Tech (Drs. Michael Flessner and Vijay Singh) and West Virginia University (Dr. Rakesh Chandran).

The guide contains essential tables about herbicide recommendations and general use guidelines for corn, sorghum, soybean, small grains, forages and farmstead.

It also offers herbicide effectiveness ratings on problem weeds such as henbit, horsenettle, horseweed/marestail, palmer amaranth and waterhemp, common pokeweed, common ragweed, giant ragweed, annual ryegrass, broadleaf and curly dock, johnsongrass and shattercane, lambsquarters, milkweed and hemp dogbane, Canada thistle, and other species.

Featuring updated herbicide tables from the 2023-24 edition of the Penn State Agronomy Guide, this condensed, quick-reference manual highlights basic information about herbicide-use recommendations and herbicide effectiveness on common weed species in the region.

Cape May County Board of Ag Industry Night – March 4, 2024

The Cape May County Board of Agriculture will hold it’s first annual Industry Night!  March 4, 2024 from 6-8pm.

There will be vendors, free dinner, and a 45 minute talk from 6-6:45pm, with Patricia Hastings, Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator for NJ, titled Pesticide Safety & Compliance Tools for New Jersey Growers!  Her talk has been approved for Pesticide credits: 1 unit each CORE; PP2; 1A

It is a great opportunity to network with other farmers/vintners/aquaculturists in Cape May County. Please RSVP by February 28th.

To RSVP or if you have any questions contact Jennifer Sawyer Caraballo at sawyer@njaes.rutgers.edu or at (609) 465 5115 ext. 3615.

Humane Treatment of Domestic Livestock

Call for Public Comment – Humane Treatment of Domestic Livestock

New Jersey State legislation (A-1970/S-1298), signed into law on July 26, 2023, required the State Board of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules and regulations concerning the confinement, care, and treatment of breeding pigs and calves raised for veal. The rules and regulations, which were published in the State Register on February 5, 2024 (Document: 56 N.J.R. 171(a)are open to public comment through April 5, 2024. The bill prohibits confinement in an enclosure that impacts a breeding pig and calf’s ability to freely move in certain ways and properly groom itself and that limits visual contact with other calves, along with specific exceptions to the rule. The link above contains the complete text of the proposed rule and contact information for submitting comments via mail and email.

Submit comments by April 5, 2024, to:

Dr. Amar Patil, DVM, MVSc, Ph.D., Diplomate ACVM
Director and State Veterinarian
Division of Animal Health
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
PO Box 400
Trenton, NJ 08625-0400
Telephone: (609) 671-6400
Email: PR-AnimalHealth@ag.nj.gov

We encourage you to look at the rule and see how it may affect your operation.  If you have questions, please contact:

Dr. Michael Westendorf, Animal Science Extension Specialist (michael.westendorf@rutgers.edu) or

Dr. Tess Stahl, Animal Science Extension Specialist (ts1290@sebs.rutgers.edu)

Business Succession Planning for Farmers – February 29

Cape May County RCE will host a presentation for farmers, “Business Succession Planning for Farmers,” from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024. The free program will take place at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, CMCH, NJ 08210.

The presenter will be Keith Dickinson, CFP®, CAC, Business Consultant, Certified Financial PlannerTM, Certified Agricultural Consultant with Farm Credit East.

The informational talk will explain how you can transition your farm business to the next generation without unnecessary problems and worry, what will happen to your farm when you die, and how to avoid the fights and problems that commonly occur when family farms transition.

To register go to: https://go.rutgers.edu/1ivomziz. For more information, please call (609) 465-5115, ext. 3601 or email capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Business Succession Planning for Farmers
Free informational talk. February 29 from 6pm until 8pm at the Cape May County RCE. For more information call 609 465 5115 ext. 601 or email us at capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

EPA Update on the Use of the Pesticide Chlorpyrifos on Food

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing an update on the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used for a large variety of agricultural uses, including soybeans, fruit and nut trees, broccoli, cauliflower, and other row crops, as well as non-food uses. In a final rule issued in […]

Hackettstown Livestock Auction Results for January 16, 2024

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 10:00 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

January 16, 2024 Auction Results