Rutgers Cooperative Extension
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 Publications
Grant.gov applications are due by April 29, 2021 and
paper applications must be postmarked by May 4, 2021
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program administered by the USDA’s Rural Development Agency (RD), helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income. [Read more…]
March 5, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Dear Farm Owner/Operator:
On March 1, 2021 Governor Murphy announced that farmworkers will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 15, 2021.
We understand that the ag community is anxious to have everyone on their farm vaccinated as soon as possible, especially since some of you already have workers in the field.
Here is how the vaccination program will roll out over the next week:
Once you receive the survey, please fill it out and return it as directed to the DOH.
A Health official will follow up with your contact person to schedule vaccinations either on your farm or at a standing location.
Sincerely,
Douglas H. Fisher
Secretary
Penn State announced an upcoming free Zoom Meeting on Asparagus Production, Management, and Marketing. The presentation will be given by Carl Cantaluppi, Retired Area Extension Agent, North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Registration required to obtain Zoom link.
The Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 17 from 10 A.M. to 12 Noon. It will be free and open to all that are interested. The publication entitled, “Growing Asparagus from A to Z” will be available for sale but is not required to attend the meeting.
Click on the link below to register for the meeting:
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fextension.psu.edu%2Fasparagus-production-management-and-marketing&data=04%7C01%7Cminfante%40njaes.rutgers.edu%7C6c4ad96b99884d60da8308d8d424f5e0%7Cb92d2b234d35447093ff69aca6632ffe%7C1%7C0%7C637492602501485088%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=dwjiC0F1OFulJPA2AXvCRZEzpwmxht7JYQWtnGHnsNk%3D&reserved=0
The Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Team will be presenting three free webinars in March from 12:00 pm to 1:00pm. These will cover issues related to audits and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – Produce Safety Rule. On March 12 we will have an “Introduction to FSMA and Audits” discussing the difference between them, if a grower needs to comply with either and what is involved. March 19 “Backflow Prevention in the Field and Packinghouse”, types of different devices, how to maintain them and where to place them. March 26 “On-Farm Record Keeping” for FSMA and audits including the type of records required, what needs to be on the records and now long to maintain them. To sign up for these free webinars go to RutgersOnFarmFoodSafety.Eventbrite.com.
Day 4 is here already. Thank you for participating this week. We hope this has been a useful program for you.
Please use the following links for Thursday’s sessions.
Access for all morning sessions begins at 9am Thursday Feb 25 here: https://go.rutgers.edu/a6s5d8nq with presentations beginning at 9:15am.
All morning sessions will be in ‘breakout rooms’ accessible from the main Zoom session. Afternoon sessions will each have a unique link to allow us to track attendance better for those seeking pesticide credits.
As always, all links are also available for all sessions at vganj.com/schedule or go directly to the agenda page here https://go.rutgers.edu/yw2aminv.
NOTE that if you missed Wednesday’s wonderful Tribute to New Jersey Farmers, it is posted front and center at vganj.com/convention.
The program and links for Thursday’s sessions are:
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Thurs Feb 24, 2021 – 9:15am-11:45am
Access ALL MORNING sessions HERE
https://go.rutgers.edu/a6s5d8nq
Grapes I
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Frost Protection in the Vineyard
10:00-10:30am-Panel Discussion – New Jersey Grape Growers’ Response to Frost Events
10:30-10:45am-Preventing Herbicide Drift & Injury to Grapevines
10:45-11:15am- Wine Grape Varieties for North New Jersey
11:15-11:45am- Alternative Wine Grape Varieties to Consider
Through the Looking Glass – Future Technologies for NJ Farms
9:00-9:15am-Welcome & Intro
9:15-9:45am-Applications of Cold Plasma in Hydroponics
9:45-10:15am-Farm-IT – Cost Effective & Open-Source Management Solutions for Small Farm Operations
10:15-10:45am-Agriculture & Solar – History and Status of the Massachusetts Solar PV Dual-Use Program
10:45-11:15am- Controlled Environment Agriculture – A Tool to Understand Flavor Profiles and Consumer Demand for Baby Leafy Greens
11:15-11:45am-From the Horizon to the Far Out – Production Enhancing Ag Technologies
General Vegetables & Herbs I
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Bacterial Leaf Spot Populations & Copper Resistance Development in Vegetable & Tree Fruit Crops in NJ
10:00-10:30am-Understanding Bacterial Leaf Spot Populations on Tomato & Pepper
10:30-10:45am-What’s New from Industry/Break
10:45-11:15am-Update on X10R Bell Pepper Varieties in NJ
11:15-11:45am-Grafting Tomato & Peppers for Controlling Bacterial Wilt & Root Knot Nematode
Thurs Feb 25, 2021 – 12:00pm-1:00pm
Access AFTERNOON sessions individually
Pesticide credit sessions require logging in within 10 minutes of start and remaining through the entire session to be eligible for credits.
Respiratory Protection Requirements of WPS-Labeled Pesticides
https://go.rutgers.edu/idc7d8nj
(1 hour for 2 CORE credits)
Pat Hastings
Session will highlight the requirements of the federal WPS and New Jersey Worker Protection regulations covering use of respirators for pesticide applications.
Thurs Feb 25, 2021 – 1:00pm-3:45pm
Grapes II
https://go.rutgers.edu/9ryhlfx9
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Understanding Risk and Evaluating Growing Practices in the Face of Emerging Invasive Pathogens
2:00-2:30pm-Application of CRISPR-Gene Editing to Improve Grape Disease Resistance
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Spotted Lantern Fly Update
3:15-3:45pm-Pesticide Safety and Regulation Update for 2021
Integrated Pest Management
https://go.rutgers.edu/jci205ae
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Refining Your Disease Management Program for Pumpkin and Winter Squash
2:00-2:30pm-Battling Corn Earworm in Sweet Corn
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Invasive Jumping Worms – Are There Any Risks to Agriculture?
3:15-3:45pm-The Plague of Peppers – An Unexpected Tale of the Pepper Weevil in Ohio
General Vegetables & Herbs II
https://go.rutgers.edu/1ag4acby
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Understanding & Controlling Cucurbit Downy Mildew in 2021
2:00-2:30pm-Managing White Flies & Thrips in Field Vegetables
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Alternaria Diseases of Brassicas-an Emerging Problem in the Mid-Atlantic
3:15-3:45pm-Pepper Anthracnose-Appetite for Destruction
With a new Harmonized Audit taking affect May 1 this is your last chance to hear about the changes. The training from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm will cover each question in the Audit and discuss the changes. Closing date for the March 2nd training is Friday, February 26th. Go the RutgersOnFarmFoodSafety.Eventbrite.com to register. After the closing date each participant will receive login information.
