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.

June 3, 2020

Recorded Sessions Available: May 2020 “On-Farm Direct Marketing” Weekly Webinar Series

A weekly “On-Farm Direct Marketing” webinar series was hosted in May 2020, by Agricultural Sign for Covid directionsAgents Michelle Infante-Casella, Meredith Melendez, William Bamka, Stephen Komar and Wesley Kline to educate famers selling directly to the public about changes occurring to the industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Four sessions in May were presented with the last session being a farmer panel discussion about changes on farms forced due to the pandemic. Farmers included Tracy Duffield – Duffield’s Farm Market, Dave Specca – Specca You-Pick Farm, and Jess Niederer – Chickadee Creek Organic Farm. In May, 145 participants attended this online series, offered on Tuesday Evenings from 7:00-8:00 PM. All sessions were recorded and are available to view online. The topics included the following:

Session 1: Maintaining Social Distancing and Food Safety Handling: Guidance for Farm Markets. Recording found at: https://go.rutgers.edu/pqalghh7 – Wesley Kline, Ag Agent, RCE of Cumberland Co. and Meredith Melendez, Ag Agent, RCE of Mercer Co.

Session 2: Meeting Customer Demands for New Jersey Agricultural Products in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Recording found at: https://go.rutgers.edu/8u8r4qb8 – William Bamka, Ag Agent, RCE of Burlington Co. and Stephen Komar, RCE of Sussex County

Session 3: U-Pick Best Management Practices During COVID-10 and Executive Order Compliance. Recording found at: https://go.rutgers.edu/dy026twh  – Meredith Melendez, Ag Agent, RCE of Mercer Co.

Session 4: Farmer Panel – Changes Made to On-Farm Direct Marketing Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Recording Found at: https://go.rutgers.edu/zm5msjt0 – Moderators & Co-Organizers: Meredith Melendez, RCE of Mercer Co. and Michelle Infante-Casella, RCE of Gloucester Co.

For more information on COVID-19 Farm Safety and other Food Safety resources see the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety webpage.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
June 3, 2020

Fruit IPM for 6/3/2020

Peach:

Plum Curculio (PC): PC oviposition is coming to an end in most counties. The Cornell model recommends that insecticides are only needed until 308 DD base 50 after apple petal fall. This was June 1 in southern counties and should be about June 5 in Hunterdon County and slightly later north of Pittstown. Therefore applications made this week in southern counties should control this generation of PC. In the southern part of the state we also have the southern strain PC, which has 2 generations per year. Therefore this may be a returning issue in mid-summer.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit
June 2, 2020

Are Disinfectant Wipes Working for You?

Disinfectant wipes can seem like an easy Disinfecting wipesoption to disinfect surfaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Label instructions for disinfectant wipes include a “allow to remain wet” statement for efficacy. In many cases, the surface needs to stay wet for at least 4 minutes in order to be effective. Check your product label to verify the time for your specific wipes.

How wet your wipe is to start, how large of a surface you use the wipe on, the surface type and environmental conditions will all impact how long the surface stays wet. In a simple test to evaluate the ability to maintain the required wet time, three disinfectant wipe products were tested on fours surfaces. In an indoor setting at 70 degrees and 60% relative humidity without much air movement these wipes were used on a finished wood surface, a solid countertop, a plastic folding table, and a plastic table cloth. In all cases one wipe on a 4 [Read more…]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
June 2, 2020

NJ Statewide Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – III

NJ Statewide Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – III

June 10 (Wed) 4:45 PM – 7:00 PM

 

Please join us for this informational event co-hosted by Hemant Gohil, Agricultural Extension Agent of Gloucester County and Megan Muehlbauer, Agricultural Extension Agent of Hunterdon County.

 

To register for this session

Goto https://rutgers.webex.com/rutgers/k2/j.php?MTID=t7146b7770ce664a4c5ace078ff541df4

and register. Once you are approved by the meeting host (Hemant Gohil), you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.

To be eligible for Pesticide credits, please register before 12 PM (noon) June 10th.

4:45 pm – 5:00 pm: Verification of ID for registrants getting pesticide credits.

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Educational Talks.

 

Registration password:

This session does not require a registration password.

 

Topics covered:

An Update on the Current Use of Respirators (George Hamilton)

Herbicide drift and how to prevent it (Thierry Besancon)

Mid-Season Pest Management Practices (Dean Polk)

Updates for BSMB Management and What to Expect in 2020 (Anne Nielsen)

COVID-19 Resources for the 2020 Growing Season (Meredith Melendez)

 

For assistance contact program organizers Hemant Gohil at: gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu or Megan Muehlbauer muehlbauer@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Fruit, Tree Fruit
June 2, 2020

EPA Releases Temporary Guidance on Respiratory Protection for Agricultural Pesticide Handlers During COVID-19

U.S. EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sent this bulletin at 06/01/2020 03:35 PM EDT Additional Information There is no higher priority for EPA than protecting the health and safety of Americans, especially during the COVID-19 public health emergency. EPA has heard from states and stakeholders about Personal Protective Equipment shortages in the […]
Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
June 1, 2020

Hand Sanitizers for Use in the Field

Under the “Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, Their Employers, and Housing Providers”, employers are required to provide hand sanitizers with at least 60-95% alcohol in various locations and employers are to schedule handwashing breaks every hour.  If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol may be used.  Hand sanitizers may be difficult to find, but a grower can make their own.  Visit the onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu website for a factsheet entitled “Home-made Hand Sanitizer”.  This walks you through how to make a cheap effective sanitizer.

The next question is, what is the proper method to apply and use the sanitizer?  Research has shown that a two-step sanitizer method is the best method for alcohol-based sanitizers.

  1. Step 1: Apply three pumps of sanitizer from the dispenser.
  2. Step 2: Rub hands for 20 seconds making sure to cover the palms, backs of hands, and between fingers up to the wrists.
  3. Step 3: Wipe the hands on a disposable paper towel.
  4. Step 4: Apply one pump of the sanitizer from the dispenser.
  5. Step 5: Rub hands until dry.

Hand sanitizers do not take the place of handwashing before starting or returning to work; after using the toilet; before and after eating and smoking; before putting on gloves; after touching animals or animal waste or any other time hands may become contaminated under the Food Safety Modernization Act or for most audits.

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops