REGISTER TODAY – NJ Ag Convention Coming Soon

We are only days away from the start of the 2025 NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City starting on February 3rd to February 6th. The convention has evolved over the years to include much more than vegetable topics. See the graphic below or the VGANJ website convention program for a list of expanded topics.

Nursery growers – we have a full day for you. Do you raise livestock? We have a new session for you. Want to learn about agricultural policies? Come to the session on Tuesday morning hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director, Brian Schilling and colleagues from the State Agricultural Development Committee. Need to learn about Food Safety Regulations, we have both a session and a workshop for you. USDA will be hosting sessions on Tuesday to promote programs for farmers. There are too many more topics to put into text so please check out the program on the VGANJ website

Need pesticide recertification credits? This year the workshops and sessions will help you fulfill the obligation to obtain those credits. Monday afternoon hosts a 6-CORE credit workshop that requires a separate special registration. Check out the program and how to register on the VGANJ website.

Have you registered for your hotel rooms yet? If not please use the room block and register online at https://book.passkey.com/GO/SHVEG5 or call to make Room Reservations on the phone at 1-888-516-2215 (8:00am-2:00am EST, 7 days a week), Group Name: New Jersey Vegetable Growers. Group Code: SHVEG5. There are plenty of rooms left in the room block, but the pre-registration ends soon, so reserve your rooms today. Please reserve your rooms through the group block to help us meet our obligations for the convention contract. 

Don’t miss the great Tuesday events. There is a FREE “Lunch and Learn” on Tuesday (sign up for tickets at registration on Tuesday, limited to 100 participants) in the back area of the trade show hall with time to meet with vendors and also discussion with the new NJ Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn. Tuesday night hosts a charity auction and if you attended last year, you know how great this event is with food, drink, and time to catch up with old friends and make new friends in farming. Thanks to VGANJ Secretary, Darcy Perehinys the Tuesday events will once again have amazing food! Lots of prizes from our sponsors will be available for bid at the Charity Auction. If you haven’t attended this event in the past, don’t miss it this year as it is much improved from years past. Tuesday is a big day and with the Lunch and Learn and Charity Auction Happy Hour – if you attend both these events you can eat for free!!!!

One more event you won’t want to miss is the annual awards banquet on Wednesday night. Tickets can now be purchased online on the VGANJ website. This year’s NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year award goes to Brian Porch, of Porch Farms in Salem County, NJ. The award will be presented by VGANJ President, Jim Abma. Come help us celebrate Brian and all the other award winners who will be honored by the NJ Department of Agriculture. 




Stop the Bleed Training at NJACTS

Stop the Bleed logoUncontrolled bleeding after injury is a primary cause of preventable death. Are you prepared to stop a life-threatening bleed?

Stop the Bleed® training will teach you how to control bleeding through application of pressure, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. You are invited to attend an upcoming Stop the Bleed® training to be hosted at the NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show on Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 10 AM to 12 PM. 

To attend, you must first register for the NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show. Single and multi-day passes are available on the VGANJ website.

Space is limited to 30 participants. Email Kate Brown (Ag Agent, RCE-Somerset County) at kbrown@njaes.rutgers.edu to secure your spot. Please include participant’s name and a contact phone number. Registrants will receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Questions? Email kbrown@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Reminder to Dairy Cattle Owners to Stay Vigilant Regarding Biosecurity

To New Jersey Dairy Producers and Dairy Cattle Owners:

There has been a rise in HPAI detections in domestic poultry and dairy cattle, particularly in western states, over the past few months. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has also reported over 60 human cases related to individuals who had close contact with infected livestock or poultry. While H5N1 bird flu currently has not been detected in dairy cattle or people in New Jersey, due to the ongoing outbreaks in other states, New Jersey farm owners and farm workers should be aware of the risks and monitor dairy cattle, domestic poultry, other livestock, farm pets, and farm workers for signs of illness. Cattle farms should identify areas of potential improvement in biosecurity, including limiting farm access to essential employees only, cleaning and disinfection of vehicles, implementing strategies for wild bird determent, and use of footbaths at barn entryways. Multi-species operations, particularly those with both poultry and ruminants on-site, are encouraged to mitigate areas in which the spread of disease between species may be at risk.

For resources regarding biosecurity plans, please refer to the memo from Dr. Amar Patil, DVM, MVSc, Ph.D., Diplomate ACVM, Director of the Division of Animal Health/State Veterinarian: December 2024 HPAI Letter to Dairy Owners

Also, New Jersey has developed a Voluntary Dairy Herd Health Monitoring Program which is available to all dairies in the state. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact Dan Wunderlich (Daniel.Wunderlich@ag.nj.gov) at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Reminder to Backyard Flock Poultry Owners to Stay Vigilant Regarding Biosecurity

To Backyard Flock Poultry Owners:

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed (by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)) in commercial and backyard flocks throughout the nation since 2022. The HPAI virus remains present in wild birds and other wildlife, as well as domestic poultry and livestock in the United States. As HPAI continues to spread across the country, poultry owners are urged to review their biosecurity practices and remain on alert for clinical signs of HPAI in their flock. Multi-species operations, particularly those with both poultry and ruminants on-site, are encouraged to mitigate areas in which the spread of disease between species may be at risk.

For resources regarding biosecurity plans, please refer to the memo from Dr. Amar Patil, DVM, MVSc, Ph.D., Diplomate ACVM, Director of the Division of Animal Health/State Veterinarian: Dec 2024 HPAI Letter to BYF Poultry Owners

Register Before December 31 for Bonuses at the 2025 NJ Ag Convention

Have you signed up for the 2025 New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show yet?
Visit the VGANJ Convention Website and register today!

It’s incredibly simple! Here’s a pro tip: Become a member of the Vegetable Growers Association to enjoy all the benefits, even if you don’t grow vegetables, and save on convention registration fees by becoming a member. Everyone must register to enter the trade show and participate in educational sessions and other events sponsored by the VGANJ. 

Make sure to register by December 31st to receive two complimentary drink tickets (per registered individual) for use at the trade show bars after 2 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plus, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card for meals during your time in Atlantic City!

Don’t forget to check the VGANJ website for the exciting new educational sessions for 2025.

Also, on Tuesday there will be a special free “Lunch and Learn” program to engage with vendors and participate in a Q&A session with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn.
*FREE lunch tickets only for the first 100 farmers Tuesday who sign up for the “Lunch and Learn” at the registration desk on Tuesday morning. Lunch starts at 12:00.

On Wednesday, February 5th the VGANJ will be honoring the NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year. For 2025 the honoree is Brian Porch from Salem County, NJ. Come help us celebrate our awardee and the NJDA awardees at the banquet. Tickets are now available online through VGANJ. See the VGANJ Convention Website to sign up for the banquet and other special events.

NJDA Memo – First Theileria orientalis Ikeda Positive Cattle Case in New Jersey

I’ve included for you a memo from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture regarding Theileria orientalis subtype Ikeda found in NJ.

Theileria orientalis Ikeda is a tickborne protozoan infection in cattle (but can impact sheep and goats) that is most commonly spread through the bite of an ixodid tick. An emerging vector for this disease is the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), a tick that was first identified in Hunterdon County in 2017 and has since been detected in 21 states and DC. This tick is active in New Jersey from March through October or early November (Ticks Don’t Take a Winter Vacation).

Well, what will happen if animals get bitten by an infected tick?

  • The T. orientalis Ikeda protozoa will infect the red and white blood cells, which results in anemia in affected animals.
    • Due to anemia, infected cattle may appear similar to those affected by anaplasmosis.
  •  Common clinical signs include weakness, inappetence, pyrexia (elevated body temperature), mucosal pallor (pale gums/mucus membranes), jaundice, and elevated respiratory and heart rates.

T. orientalis Ikeda infections have been reported to cause mortality in 1- 5% of infected cattle but can be as high as 50%. Pregnant heifers and calves are particularly susceptible to infection. While there are several types of T. orientalis found in the United States, to date, only T. orientalis genotype Ikeda has been shown to cause severe illness in animals.

How do you control it?

  • There is no approved treatment or vaccine for T. orientalis in cattle in the United States.
  • The best method of prevention is tick control. Recommended strategies include:
    • Veterinary-approved pesticide treatment (such as pour-on and ear tags)
    • Regular tick inspections
    • Clearing of bushes
    • Keeping pastures and grass mowed short.

A useful document can be found here: Managing the Asian Longhorned Tick: Checklist for Best Management Practices for Cattle Producers

The NJDA Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (AHDL) is currently working to coordinate diagnostic testing for T. orientalis. For further information on testing, veterinarians should contact the laboratory at (609) 406-6999 or via email at jerseyvetlab@ag.nj.gov. As an emerging disease in New Jersey, knowing detected cases of T. orientalis can help determine the impact of this disease on New Jersey cattle.