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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February 10, 2025 , , and

Don’t Forget Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training Available

This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on their farms.

For 2025:

  • Application is due between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026
  • Eligible expenses must be between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025

Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) by working directly with the Farm Service Agency offices at your local FSA office for details. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.

How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works

The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in 2025. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements.  FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.

Program Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for FSCSC applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your FSCSC application.

To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:

  • Have obtained or renewed: 2025 food safety certification issued during the calendar year.
  • Be a specialty crop operation (growing fresh fruits and vegetables); and meet the definition of a small business or medium size business.
  • A small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000.
  • A medium (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
Category of Eligible Expenses Payment Amount of Eligible Costs
Developing a Food Safety Plan for First Time Certification                      75% (no maximum)
Maintaining or Updating a Food Safety Plan                      75% up to $675
Food Safety Certification                      75% up to $2,000
Certification Upload Fees                      75% up to $375
Microbiological Testing of Produce                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Soil Amendments                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Water                      75% up to 5 tests
Training Expenses                      100% up to $500

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts.  The FSCSC application and associated forms are available online at  farmers.gov/food-safety.

You are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency office about FSCSC, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.

For food safety resources, information on the Food Safety Modernization Act and third party audits go to Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
February 6, 2025

North Jersey Commercial Vegetable Growers Meeting Program and Registration

NORTH JERSEY COMMERCIAL
VEGETABLE GROWERS MEETING

February 19, 2025
8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Hunterdon County Complex
314 State Route 12, Bldg. 1
Flemington, NJ

Program

 

Program Chair
Peter Nitzsche, Agriculture and Resource Management Agent
Cooperative Extension of Morris County

8:30 – Registration
Coffee and pastry compliments of industry sponsors

9:00 – Welcome and Introductions

9:10 – Vegetable IPM Update
Amanda Quadrel, Senior Program Coordinator – Vegetable IPM, Cooperative Extension

9:40 – Small Pumpkin Variety Trial and Nutrient Management
Michelle Infante-Casella, ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County

10:10 – Beyond Butternut and Zucchini, Other Varieties of Squash & Pumpkin for NJ
Thomas Andreas, Independent Researcher

10:30 – Update on Farm Service Programs
Laura LaFevre, County Executive Director, Hunterdon/Somerset Office, Farm Service Agency

10:40 – Biodegradable Plasticulture in Habanero Peppers
William Sciarappa, ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension

11:00 – What is New from Industry

11:20 – Updates on Disease Control in Vegetable Crops
Andrew Wyenandt, Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Cooperative Extension

11:50 – Drones in Agriculture: Evaluating the Potential
Stephen Komar ANR Agent, Cooperative Extension of Sussex County
Adam Kyle, Teaching Administrator – Precision Agriculture, Warren County Community College

12:10 – LUNCHEON (pre-registration required)

1:00 – Sweet Corn Weed Control
Mark VanGessel Weed Specialist, University of Delaware

1:30 – Thrips Parvispinus: An Emerging Pest in Horticulture
Patricia Prade, Extension Entomologist, Penn State Extension

2:00 – Proper Pesticide Procedures Precautions and Protocols
Spencer Kerkhof, Pesticide Control Program Outreach Representative, NJDEP

2:30- Update on Agrivoltaics Research and the BPU Dual-Use Solar Pilot Program
David Specca, Assistant Director, Rutgers EcoComplex, NJAES

2:50- Food Safety Modernization Act, Produce Safety Rule Agriculture Water Update
TBD, Cooperative Extension

3:00 – Pesticide Recertification Credits and Adjourn.  Attendees must be present for the entire program in order to apply for NJDEP credits

NJDEP PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS ARE ANTICIPATED

Click here and fill out this form to register for the meeting then fax or email to:
Fax: (908) 806-4735
E-mail: kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us

If you have any question please call Kim Crommelin: (908)-788-1338

 

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, pesticide credits, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
February 6, 2025

CMC Board of Agriculture’s 2nd Annual Industry Night

If you are in Atlantic, Cumberland or Cape May County, you are invited to the 2nd Annual Industry Night:

Janine Spies, State IPM Program Coordinator for New Jersey will provide an overview of Integrated Pest Management and Pesticide Safety for New Jersey Agriculture. Spies’ talk has been approved for Pesticide Credits for CORE (2) and PP2 (2).

From 6 to 8 p.m. visit the Lockwood 4-H Youth Center for networking, food, and vendors. The Center is located on the Cape May County 4-H Fairgrounds, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, CMCH, NJ 08210.

Additionally, a complimentary dinner, catered by Matt’s Family, Taste the Love!, is being provided by the Cape May County Board of Agriculture.

Industry Night is free, however, those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by February 26 to 609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or to capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,
February 4, 2025

Gleaning: Produce Safety Best Practices

Allowing gleaners on your farm is a wonderful way to provide nutritious high-quality food to food insecure communities. Gleaners can unknowingly contaminate produce, a thirteen minute training video has been developed for volunteer gleaners focusing on produce safety.  This video is available on the Rutgers NJAES YouTube site and soon on the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety site. A companion quiz was created for use to take after watching the video to test the knowledge of the gleaner on best practices.  A certificate of completion is displayed once the questions have been answered correctly.  We encourage farmers and gleaning organizations to stress the importance of produce safety during the gleaning process through education and support the health and hygiene practices of gleaners.  Best practices covered in the video are discussed in the Q&A below.

How should a farm support gleaner health and hygiene?
The gleaning organization should be aware of what you expect to supply gleaners while they are at your farm and know what they need to provide themselves.

  • Restrooms and hand washing stations should be available in the location that gleaning will take place
  • Restrooms and handwashing stations should be stocked and ready to use
  • First aid supplies should be provided at a central location

What information should you supply the gleaning organization?
Clear communication channels before and during the gleaning process are important!

  • The contact information of the person at the farm who is responsible in case there is an emergency, or if something goes wrong
  • Location/s at the farm where gleaners are permitted to harvest
  • Location of restrooms and handwashing stations
  • Crops that will be harvested and any needed tools or containers that the gleaning organization should provide
  • Information specific to animal activities in the field that could result in feces in the field or feeding damage from wildlife
  • Any areas of the farm that gleaners must not enter

What information should the gleaning organization communicate to gleaners before they arrive at a gleaning event?
While many gleaning events happen last minute, and gleaner participation may be tentative, it is important that this information is shared with them prior to the event to help facilitate good practices.

  • Signs and symptoms of illness that would prevent them from gleaning
  • Appropriate clothing to wear while gleaning
  • Hand jewelry should not be worn while gleaning
  • Tools and gloves from home should not be used, gleaners should only use items supplied by the farm or the gleaning organization
  • Snacks and non-water beverages are not permitted in the field
  • The training video should be viewed prior to all gleaning participation

What information should gleaners understand about identifying produce that is safe to glean?
Gleaners should understand what produce can and cannot be harvested.

  • Do not harvest produce that has fallen off of the plant and is on the ground
  • Do not harvest produce that was dropped on the ground during harvest or transportation
  • Do not harvest produce that is visibly contaminated with fecal matter
  • Do not harvest produce that may be contaminated with fecal matter

What information should the farmer share with the gleaning coordinator and gleaners once they have arrived at the farm?
Information should be provided to gleaners at the start of the event to remind them of your expectations while gleaning. Volunteers showing up late must be informed of this same information and should know to check in with the gleaning coordinator.

  • Restroom and handwashing station locations
  • Importance of washing hands including when to wash them
  • First aid kit and injury handling procedures
  • Harvesting procedures and how to use tools if needed
  • The process to avoid placing harvest containers on the ground, such as using a bottom bin to stack on top of with other bins, with the bottom bin not harvested into
  • Gleaners should not use tools or gloves from home

What behaviors should I expect to see gleaners doing while gleaning to ensure produce safety?

  • Not eating or drinking non-water beverages in the field
  • Not eating produce while they are gleaning
  • Washing hands at appropriate times:
    • Prior to the start of gleaning
    • After using the restroom
    • After eating, drinking, smoking
    • Anytime their hands may become contaminated
  • Awareness of and staying away from fecal material in the field
  • Communicating with the gleaning coordinator when:
    • Fecal material found in the field
    • An injury occurs
    • Someone begins to feel ill
    • Restroom or handwashing facility issues

For more information on produce safety, and details on why the above best practices were targeted for the harvesting of produce visit the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety Essentials webpage.  To access the gleaner produce safety training visit the Rutgers NJAES YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grIGTneupd8 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops
January 28, 2025 , , and

FSMA PRODUCE SAFETY RULE GROWER TRAINING

February 6, 2025 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Pre-Registration Required Deadline to register online is Monday February 3

 New Jersey Vegetable Growers Convention at Harrah’s Waterfront, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ

 This training fulfills the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that at least one person from each farm needs to receive a standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA.

Topics Include:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene & Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals & Land Use
  • Agricultural Water – Production Water
  • Agricultural Water – Postharvest Water
  • Postharvest Handling & Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

Each attendee will receive a grower manual and be eligible for a certificate from the Association of Food & Drug Officials of the United States (AFDO). Note: Each participant must stay the entire training to be eligible for the certificate of training.

The cost is $50/per person,

Registration is separate from the registration fee to the Vegetable Growers Convention.

*Participants must be registered with VGANJ for the convention to attend this workshop.

For more information, email Jennifer at jmatthews@njaes.rutgers.edu

(Lunch is on your own)

Register at:  https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/fsmaac/

This training is partly funded through grants from the United States Department of Agriculture & the Food & Drug Administration.

Note:

Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training is available from the USDA Farm Service Agency. This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on the farm. For more information on this program please go to: Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops for Program Years 2024 and 2025

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
January 14, 2025 and

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. 




Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: ,