Fruit Crops Edition - Blueberry Section

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
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February 18, 2026

2026 Grape Expectation – New Jersey Grape and Wine Symposium

Date:    March 12 (Thu)
Venue:   Forsgate Country Club, 375 Forsgate Dr, Monroe Township, NJ 08831
Fees:    Please see the details on registration fees and payment methods at the end of the program.
Credits: CORE, 1A, PP2, 10

PROGRAM

08:30 am   Registration and Continental Breakfast
09:00 am   Welcome, Introductions, and Symposium Overview. Dr. Gary C. Pavlis – RCE of Atlantic County
09:10 am   Managing Grape Diseases: What to Watch and What to Do?
           Nancy Sharma, Extension Specialist in Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES.
09:40 am   Beyond the Garden State: How Emerging Wine Regions Overcome Perception, Policy, and Market Barriers.
           Seth Porter, Chief Innovation Officer, Dean of the Kraemer Family Library, Colorado State University.
10:10 am   What’s New from the Industry

10:25 am   COFFEE BREAK

10:45 am   The Evolution of Long Island Viticulture, 1973-present
           Alice Wise, Ag Program Director - Viticulture Research, Cornell Cooperative Extension.
11:30 am   Mystery Wine Challenge

12:00 pm   BUFFET LUNCH FEATURING NJ WINES

01:00 pm   Active Frost Protection in the Vineyard – Panel Discussion.
           The Panel: Larry Sharrott (Sharrott Vineyards), William Heritage (William Heritage Winery), Nick Sharko 
           (Alba Vineyards), Lewis DeEugenio (Summit City Farms and Winery), and Moderator, Hemant Gohil (Rutgers).
01:45 pm   Early Season IPM for NJ Grapevines
           Janine Spies, Statewide Fruit Integrated Pest Management Agent, Rutgers NJAES.

02:15 pm   Coffee Break

02:30 pm   New Weed Management Technology in Grape
           Thierry Besancon, Extension Specialist, Weed Science, Rutgers NJAES
03:00 pm   NJDEP’s Pesticide Safety and Regulations – CORE Credit
           Spencer Kerkhof, Pesticide Enforcement Officer, NJDEP
03:30 pm   Decreasing Fungicide Sprays with the New PIWI Grape Varieties
           Eric Amberg, Founder, Amberg Grapevines, Clifton Springs, New York  
04:00 pm   Beyond the Bottle: Refining Visitation in Wine
           Susan Dematei, President, WineGlass Marketing
04:30 pm   End of the Session, Pesticide Recertification Credits, Q and A
Registration: Non-Industry members - $110
              Winery Personnel - $110 for the first person and $90 for each additional winery members.
              At the Door registration $130
              Vendors $160
              For online registration and payment, please use the web link https://ce-catalog.rutgers.edu/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=96808 


Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , 
February 16, 2026 
South Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting


Venue:         RCE of Gloucester County
               254 County House Rd, Clarksboro, NJ 08020
Date:          March 5, 2026 (Thu)        
Registration:  Pre-registration required. Please call (856) 224 – 8030 or Email: jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us
               $20 per person. Checks only. Payable to Rutgers University.

Pesticide Credits: CORE,PP2, 10, 1A


PROGRAM

08:30 am   Registration and Coffee and pastries
08:50 am   Welcome and Opening Remarks. Hemant Gohil, Rutgers NJAES
09:00 am   Ambrosia Beetle Management in the Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
09:30 am   Woolly Apple Aphid Management in Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
10:00 am   Introducing Dr. Nancy Sharma, new Extension Specialist, Fruit Pathology, Rutgers Uni.

10:15 am   Coffee Break

10:30 am   Industry Updates  
10:45 am   Current Trends in Tree Fruit Pest Management. Janine Spies, Rutgers NJAES
11:15 am   Pesticide Safety Update: Exposure, ​Recordkeeping, and Storage. Kate Brown, Rutgers NJAES.
11:45 pm   From Field to Current – Harnessing Electricity for Sustainable Weed Control. Thierry Besancon, Rutgers NJAES.

12:15 pm   Lunch 

1:00 pm    Mycorrhizae Products that Enhance the Root Systems of Young Apple Trees. Megan Muehlbauer, Rutgers NJAES
1:30 pm    Updates and Recommendations for Scale Management. Anne Nielsen, Rutgers NJAES
2:00 pm    Peach Varieties Comparisons – New and Standard. Hemant Gohil and Daniel Ward, Rutgers NJAES.
2:30 pm    Grower Open Forum and Pesticide recertification credits
           Adjourn 

For questions, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil at 856-418-6538 or email at gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu


Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , 
February 13, 2026 
Farm Safety Needs Assessment


The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group is conducting a survey to evaluate the priority needs of New Jersey farmers for training and resource development related to safety and health.  As a New Jersey farmer, you are invited to complete this survey. Click here to access the survey and learn more.  [Read more…]


Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , 
February 12, 2026 
SAVE THE DATE: Sprayer Equipment Calibration Workshops for Specialty Crop Growers March 24 & 25


 




North Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting


March 24, 2026


3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


Clifford E. & Melda C. Snyder Research & Extension Farm


New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station


140 Locust Grove Road


Pittstown, NJ


 


South Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting


March 25, 2026


3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center


121 Northville Road


Bridgeton, NJ


 


Agenda, Registration and Pesticide Credits will be announced shortly.


 




Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape 
January 18, 2026 
NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 to Thursday 1/22/26 in Atlantic City


The NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, 777 Harrahs Boulevard. The final day of educational sessions and trade show ends on Thursday at 5pm.


The weather may be cold, but no rain or no snow in the forecast, and warm times inside the conference center to network with others in the industry.  An afternoon Hospitality Room will be available 12-5pm on Wednesday and Thursday to relax and unwind in the trade show area. Come for the social aspects, education and gain pesticide recertification credits. Check out the Rutgers Educational Program to see what topics you would like to learn about. go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog


What’s Happening


January 20 (Tuesday)


    

  • Pre–trade show workshops and sessions
    • 



January 21 (Wednesday)


    

  • Full day of educational sessions for all commodity groups • Year of the Women Farmer Luncheon
    • 

  • Packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
    • 

  • Live charity auction with FREE food
    • 



January 22 (Thursday)


    

  • More sessions
    • 

  • Another day packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
    • 

  • Special appearance by Temple Grandin book signing /meet and greet, then her special session (additional cost)
    • 



Registration Options On-Site at the Regitration Counter (hallway of conference center) or On-line https://vganj.com/convention-tickets“>https://vganj.com/convention-tickets


✔️ VGANJ Membership – $100


Includes 2 Expo passes


Additional passes just $25 each


✔️ One-Day Pass – $60




Access to sessions + trade show


Register On-Line to


    

  • Save time at registration
    • 

  • Walk in, grab your badge
    • 

  • Enjoy FREE breakfast (8am-10am Wednesday and Thursday in Trade Show)
    • 

  • Head straight to learning, growing, and catching up with friends
    • 



This event under one roof, packed with education and energy, and celebrating New Jersey agriculture at its best.


Plus, buy your tee shirt or hoodie at the registration desk to “Support New Jersey Farmers” and tout “No Farmers No Food” – new this year.


 


Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: , , 
January 8, 2026 
NEED PESTCIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS? REGISTER TODAY


4 CORE Credits – Pesticide Safety Workshop


A Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Workshop for Pesticide Applicators to gain CORE Credits towards their license will be held at the NE Agriculture Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City to start of this year’s event. This workshop will take place from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Licensed applicators must accumulate 8 CORE Credits over a 5-year period to maintain their NJDEP Pesticide Applicators License. This workshop will offer 4 CORE Credits. Pre-registration is requested and can be found on the VGANJ website at https://vganj.com“>https://vganj.com. Registration cost is $25 per person and non-refundable. Registration for this workshop is separate from the convention registration and attendees must also register for the expo at https://vganj.com/convention-tickets. The topics include: Pesticide Safety – Personal Protection Equipment for the Pesticide Applicator; Update on US EPA Worker Protection Standards; Storage, Tank Mixing, Tank Cleaning, and Disposal; Pesticide Record Keeping and Notification. For more information contact Bill Bamka (bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu) or Michelle Infante-Casella (minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu).


For the full program (January 20-22nd) of Rutgers Educational Workshops and Sessions that offer more credits and diverse topics, see https://go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog




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: , ,