Fruit Crops Edition

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting tree fruit and small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.

October 6, 2026

Agricultural Drone Training Opportunity for New Jersey Commercial Farmers

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is offering a valuable training opportunity for New Jersey commercial farmers on Friday, November 6, and Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Rutgers Snyder Research Farm, 140 Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ.

Through a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional Development Grant, the Rutgers Agricultural Drone Team, led by Agricultural Agent Stephen Komar, is offering a two-day agricultural drone training at no cost to participating farmers. Grant funding for this course is specifically intended to provide drone training to commercial farmers in New Jersey.

The course will prepare participants to learn how to obtain their FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107), which is required to operate drones for commercial agricultural purposes. Training will include information and resources to help participants prepare for the Part 107 certification examination. On the second day, participants will also receive hands-on instruction and have the opportunity to fly drones at the Rutgers Snyder Research Farm.

Limited Enrollment — Please Commit to Both Days

Enrollment is limited to 10 participants. Those pre-registered prior to the class being filled, will receive access to training materials for studying and practice tests to help prepare for the Part 107 certification exam.

Because space and training materials are limited, please register only if you are able to attend both November 6 and November 13. If you register and do not attend, you may prevent another New Jersey farmer from participating in this training opportunity.

To ensure that the training is available to as many farms as possible, registration is limited to one person per farm. Participants must also be 18 years of age or older.

Please see the bulletin below for additional information.

Registration:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/EU6CBcmpBG

Questions Contact:
Stephen Komar, Agricultural Agent
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County
Email: komar@njaes.rutgers.edu
Phone: 973-948-3040, ext. 3

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, training, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
October 2, 2026

Sustainable Agriculture Seminar Series

Sign up today! The first seminar is Tuesday, 10/6 at 12 pm.

Are you interested in improving the sustainability of your farm while also increasing your farm’s productivity and success? Join us to explore topics in sustainable agriculture through this virtual seminar series! This initial offering of four sessions will be held on Zoom from 12-1 pm ET on the below dates and cover an introduction to sustainable agriculture and soil health management.

This series is intended for any farmers looking to enhance their production systems by adopting new sustainable practices. Additional information can be found on the attached flyer. Seminars will be recorded and shared afterwards for those unable to attend live.

Please register at this link to receive the Zoom link for the seminar: Sustainable Agriculture Seminar Series Registration

Sustainable Ag Seminar Series Flyer 2026 (2)

  • What is sustainable agriculture, and how can it help my farm?
    • Tuesday, October 6th 12 – 1 p.m.
  • Starting from the ground up: physical properties of soil health
    • Tuesday, October 20th 12 – 1 p.m.
  • Cover crops to improve soil health and farm profitability
    • Thursday, November 5th 12 – 1 p.m.
  • Soil as an ecosystem: microbial soil biology and crop health
    • Tuesday, November 17th 12 – 1 p.m.

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
October 1, 2026

2027 Rutgers Educational Sessions at NE Agricultural Expo in Atlantic City

Everyone should be very excited for this event in 2027. The NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions will begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, 777 Harrahs Boulevard. The final day of educational sessions and trade show ends on Thursday, January 21, 2027. The trade show already has an abundance of vendors signed up for booths in 2027.

The planning committee for the expo is looking forward to providing many new opportunities, and Rutgers has confirmed many new speakers to offer excellent information, covering various topics from the 2026 growing season and research results to help farmers improve their practices. The Harrah’s conference center offers the best layout in Atlantic City for this convention. Come for the opportunity to network with others in the industry, to learn from over 72 presenters on a diversity of topics, and to gain pesticide recertification credits to keep your applicator’s license current. To register and for more information from the organizing association, go to the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ’s website at https://vganj.com.

Please see the DRAFT Rutgers Educational Program below. Pesticide credits have been applied for with NJ DEP. When the credits are assigned this program will be republished and promoted with credits.

 

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: , , , ,
September 24, 2026

Farm to Stay Grant

Airbnb and American Farmland Trust (AFT) have joined through AFT’s Brighter Future Fund to launch the Farm to Stay Grant Program. This national grant aims to support farmers and ranchers in creating or scaling up farm stays and agritourism experiences, providing a welcome diversification of income and fostering meaningful visitor connections with working farms.

Grant amounts: Up to $10,000 per recipient

Number of grants: Approximately 25–30

Purpose:

  • Help farmers renovate or adapt properties for hosting
  • Launch new agritourism experiences—think farm-to-table dinners, pick-your-own produce, animal interactions, and more
Grant applications open in late November 2026—practical guidelines and eligibility will be announced ahead of time. Airbnb and AFT are offering webinars to guide participants through the grant application process and onboarding to hosting.
For more information visit: https://farmland.org/farm-to-stay
Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
September 20, 2026

Wine Tourism Trends Workshop Series

MAKING WINE TOURISM TRENDS WORK FOR YOU

Workshop Series

Unlock the latest wine tourism trends and learn how to turn them into real opportunities for your business. This series of 4 workshops offers practical insights, fresh ideas, and simple strategies to help you attract visitors, enhance experiences, and stay ahead in a fast evolving market.

Thursdays, September 24 through October 15, 2026

7.00pm – 8.00pm, Virtual

Register here: https://go.rutgers.edu/hc1xj61h

*Individual workshops are $15 each, or register for all 4 workshops for a discounted rate of $47.

For any questions please call (609) 465 5115 ext. 3607 or email capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

WTT Workshop Series-1

WTT Workshop Series-2

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit Tagged With: , , , , ,
September 15, 2026

Hazelnut Growers Meeting Saturday, October 24, 2026

Commercial hazelnut growers are invited to join us on Saturday, October 24, 2026 for the Hazelnut Growers Meeting.

The meeting will be held at the Rutgers Eco-Complex: 1200 Florence Columbus Rd, Fieldsboro, NJ 08505

8:00 am – 9:00 am   Registration, Coffee, and Refreshments

9:00 am – 9:05 am   Welcome, David Hlubik, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

9:05 am – 9:45 am   Rutgers Hazelnut Update, Thomas Molnar

9:45 am – 10:15 am  Food Safety Considerations for Hazelnut Production, Meredith Melendez

10:15 am – 10:45 am   Review of Labeled Pesticides for Hazelnut Production, David Hlubik

10:45 am – 11:00 am   Coffee Break

11:00am – 11:15 am   Specialty Crop Block Grant Update, AAC, Sean Walsh

11:15 am – 11:45 am   Cooperative Updates, AAC, NYTCA, KTCC

11:45 am – 12:00 pm   Cooperatives Group Discussion

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm   Lunch, Networking with Fellow Growers and Researchers

1:00 pm – 1:15 pm   April 2026 Freeze Damage Group Discussion, led by David Hlubik

1:15 pm – 1:45 pm   Grower Panel (3 growers, 5 min overview each, 15 min for discussion)

1:45 pm – 2:00 pm   Group Sharing and Open Discussion

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm   Break and Travel to Foggy Bottom Tree Farm: 26815 Mt Pleasant Rd, Columbus, NJ 08022 (8 minutes from Eco-Complex)

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm   Tour of Foggy Bottom Tree Farm

3:30 pm   End/Networking

This event is free, but pre-registration is required:

Please RSVP by October 14th to reserve your spot:

Contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

at 609-265-5050 or djh222@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, work shop