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.

View NJAES On-Farm Food Safety Essentials

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2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Tues

Day 1 is in the books. Tomorrow we start again. Please join in via the following links.

Access for all morning sessions begins at 9am Tues Feb 23 here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5

Like Monday, once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions. While you’re waiting please listen to a few welcoming remarks from our Interim Executive Dean Dr. Laura Lawson, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension Brian Schilling, NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, and Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher, as well as some instructions and housekeeping rules. The program sessions will begin at 9:15am.

All links are also available for every session at vganj.com/schedule or the direct link to the agenda page is https://go.rutgers.edu/yw2aminv. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, but afternoon sessions each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.

If neither of those options work, here is the agenda and links for Tueday’s sessions:

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 9:15am-11:45am
Access ALL MORNING sessions HERE

https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5

Organic Production
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Soil Health & Organic Sweetpotato Production
10:00-10:30am-Managing Allium Leaf Miner for Organic Onions
10:30-10:45am-What’s New from Industry/Break
10:45-11:15am-Satisfying the Sulfur Needs of Crops
11:15-11:45am-Balancing Safety and Nutrition in Organic Foods

New Orchard Establishment I
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Overview of Resources Available to New Tree Fruit Growers in New Jersey
10:00-10:30am-Orchard Site Selection and Pre-Plant Preparation
10:30-10:45am-Web Soil Survey – An Efficient Tool to Understand Native Properties of the Soil
10:45-11:15am-Orchard Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Basics
11:15-11:45am-Orchard Management in the Early Years – Principles & Practices

Hemp
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Rutgers First Hemp Trials – Observations & Future Direction
10:00-10:30am-Marketing Considerations for Industrial Hemp Production in NJ
10:30-10:50am-Laboratory Services for the Hemp Industry in New Jersey
10:50-11:15am-Hemp Diseases in NJ – What We Know
11:15-11:45am-Hemp Production in NJ – Challenges & Opportunities (Panel Discussion)

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 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.
Pesticide Regulatory Review for Pesticide Applicators, Businesses,
and Agricultural Employers

https://go.rutgers.edu/cl0zmui7
(1 hour for 2 CORE credits)
Pat Hastings
A thorough review of regulatory requirements for pesticide applicator certification, recertification, and licensing
in New Jersey, including administrative changes to license renewal processes.

Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 1:00pm-3:45pm

Weed Control
https://go.rutgers.edu/p4yk2e17
(pesticide recertification credits: 4 Cat 1A; 4 Cat 10; 4 PP2)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Weed Management Update for Row crops
2:00-2:30pm-Electrical Weeders & Potential Use in Specialty Crops
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Taking Advantage of Plant Weaknesses for Improved Weed Control
3:15-3:45pm-Weed Management Update for Vine Crops

New Orchard Establishment II
https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Panel Discussion-Growers’ Perspectives on Delving into Tree Fruit Production
2:00-2:30pm-Organic Apple Production – Is it Feasible in NJ?
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Economics of Tree Fruit Production
3:15pm-Q&A/Adjourn

Specialty Crops
https://go.rutgers.edu/rxr924oy
(pesticide recertification credits: 1 CORE)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Using Demographic Information to Identify Specialty Crop Markets
2:00-2:30pm-African Marigolds for Fall Markets
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-New Crops – RU Hot Peppers & More
3:15-3:45pm-Pesticide Safety & Regulatory Update for 2021

Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 4:00pm-6:00pm
NJ Dept Health
Training Required for Farmers/Market Managers

https://go.rutgers.edu/am5l29pm

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Mon

We’re ready to go! Are you?

Access for all sessions begins at 9am Mon Feb 22 here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/bs9ohbuk

Once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions, but while you’re waiting hear a few welcoming remarks from our Interim Executive Dean Dr. Laura Lawson, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension Brian Schilling, NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, and Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher. The program sessions will begin at 9:15am.

Don’t worry if you miss where to go because you’ll be able to find every link to every session at vganj.com/schedule. Click on the black ‘schedule’ button, then on the session you’d like to join, and it will take you to the page with the Zoom link for that session. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, so if you don’t see the link next to the session, scroll to the top of the page to find it for that morning. Afternoon sessions will each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.

If you’re new to Zoom meetings, or haven’t been on one for a few months, you might need to download the newest version or update the app on your mobile device. You will be prompted to do so if you try to enter one of the rooms without it, and it should be a simple click or two to complete the update. Easy enough if you wait until you first try to get in, but we strongly recommend that you click on the link above to see if it works now rather than waiting to find out at the last minute Monday morning.

Also, if you’re new to Zoom, our IT support team at Rutgers Continuing Education Center at Atrium recommends checking out one or more of these online tutorials so you can get familiar with using it.

On behalf of the NJAES Extension Vegetable Working Group and colleagues coordinating these sessions, and the VGANJ officers and directors, we hope you will enjoy this virtual conference and look forward to ‘seeing’ you online this coming week. Actually, maybe not ‘seeing’ as video will be turned off for all except speakers/moderators, but that also reminds me — be sure to know how to use the ‘chat’ feature as that will be the primary mode to get questions to speakers.
Here we go!

New Harmonized and Harmonized Audit Standards

There is a new Harmonized and Harmonized Plus Audits dated February 8, 2021.  They are available at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/gap-ghp/harmonized.  You can download the ‘Produce GAPs Harmonized Food Safety Standard”, the “Produce GAPs Harmonized Food Safety Standard USDA Checklist.”, “Produce GAPs Harmonized Plus Food Safety Standard” and  The Produce GAPs Harmonized Plus Food Safety Standard USDA Checklist”.  USDA has also posted a summary of changes to compare the present standard with the new version.  The new standards will go into effect May 1, 2021.

 

Proceedings Book – Speaker Summaries for February 22-25th NJ Vegetable Meeting

Each year for the New Jersey Vegetable Meeting, Rutgers Cooperative Extension publishes a proceedings book with summaries of presentations given during the educational sessions. The 2021 proceedings book is now posted on the Rutgers Vegetable Online Resources webpage. All proceedings books dating back to 2009 are also archived on this site and can be found by scrolling down to the bottom left corner of the webpage.

The 2021 Proceedings Book is dedicated in the memory of William Roberts who passed away on May 21, 2020 at theTwo people in dress clothes age of 88. After completing his college degree at Rutgers, Bill served our country in the military until 1955 where he earned the rank of First Lieutenant. He then returned to Rutgers, Cook College, to teach and later became an Extension Specialist in Agricultural Engineering. Early in his career, he invented the air-inflated, double-layer polyethylene film system for covering the roof of a greenhouse. Today, approximately 65 percent of all commercial greenhouses in the United States use the air-inflated system. This innovation won Bill many awards and tremendous gratitude from the industry. On a personal note, Bill was most known for his tremendous faith and love for family; especially wife Dottie. For more information about Bill Roberts, please see the beginning pages of the proceedings book for 2021.

We hope you will take the time to read the summaries included in the 2021 proceedings book. Robin Brumfield, Rutgers Extension Specialist in Agricultural Economics, recommends that anyone participating in the “Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options” morning and afternoon sessions on Monday, February 22nd, utilize her proceedings summaries on pages 19-25 (morning session) and pages 42-47 (afternoon session) while attending.

Also of interest – to obtain an online copy the 2020-2021 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide a free download is available on the Rutgers NJAES Publications website. The guide is the same as in 2020 and a “critical updates” document is also available online for changes – mainly pesticide recommendations updates.

Rutgers Online Pesticide Applicator Exam Portal is Open

To streamline NJ’s pesticide exam process, Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education has announced that the new online Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam Registration (PACER) system is available for your use immediately.

pacer.rutgers.edu

How the new system benefits YOU:

  • Online Access: Web-based PACER application is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • No More Snail Mail: Upload your support documents online and eliminate the time and expense required to mail them.
  • Quick Review Turnaround: Your application will be reviewed within 48 business hours and you will be notified of any problems or concerns with your documentation promptly via email.
  • Immediate Exam Scheduling: Online exams are available 24/7. Once in-person exams resume, YOU choose your exam date and location when you register; no more waiting to hear which of your exam date and time choices were available.
  • Fast Exam Results: See your exam grades within 7 business days of exam completion.
  • More Exam Times and Locations: Due to COVID-19, all exams are currently being offered online. When restrictions are lifted, online exams will continue and in-person exams will resume. New facilities will be added around the state to give you more options for added convenience. In-person exams will be administered weekdays, evenings and on Saturdays to better accommodate your schedule.
  • Manage Others’ Exams: Are you responsible for your organization’s employees? Now you can easily track and manage exam applications and scheduling for multiple people in PACER! Set up an account in PACER then provide us with the information listed below so we can upgrade your account to Business Manager. Send information to: pacer@njaes.rutgers.edu. (A commercial pesticide applicator business license number is required to establish a Business Manager account; a business license number begins with “9”).
    • Business Manager Name; Business Manager Email Address
    • Company Name; Company Address; Company Business License #
  • Support: Responsive, courteous help desk support is available Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Phone: 848‐932‐9271, Option 7; Fax: 732‐932‐1187; E‐mail: pacer@njaes.rutgers.edu

Examination Fees are $115 per each Category exam and the Core exam; $50 for the Private licensing exam:

  • Pay online via credit card or e-check, with no extra surcharge
  • Purchase Orders will also be accepted via upload
  • Exam payments are not refundable and online exams have minimum computer requirements detailed on the website

Please note that all exams are CLOSED book and the NJDEP no longer offers any pesticide certification exams.

The PACER website also has step-by-step instructions to create an account before registering for the exam, and user and hardware requirements to successfully complete the exam (Google Chrome internet browser, webcam, wired / Ethernet connection, ample bandwidth for Proctorio download and use, etc.). Also, make sure you choose a quiet and comfortable location to take your exams, as earphones or headphones are not permitted during the exam.

Please Visit the NJDEP website for information regarding pesticide licensing, policies, procedures, credits, and for payment and status of your license. For frequently asked questions regarding pesticide licensing please click here.

Visit PACER today!

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Harmonized Food Safety Audit Training

We are offering a final, for this spring, online Harmonized Audit Training Course on March 2, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.  If you will need to obtain a USDA Harmonized Audit this year or want a refresher this is the course for you.

This three-hour virtual class will cover each question on the USDA Harmonized Audit allowing participants to hear how questions are interpreted by auditors.  New Jersey Department of Agriculture Auditors will also discuss how someone signs up for an audit and review common issues that auditors found during 2020.  Participants will have the opportunity have their questions answered to help make their audit run more smoothly.

The deadline to register for the class is Friday February 26. The registration form is on the Eventbrite page at rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com