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.
 
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April 9, 2020

Cloth Face Coverings for Retail Employees: Executive Order No. 122

Cloth face masksThe Governor signed Executive Order No. 122 into law on Wednesday, April 8th.  This rule impacts retail sales locations that fall under the Executive Order No. 107 “essential retail business” category.  While many of the items would not be considered new, the requirement of cloth face coverings and gloves for employees is.

Face coverings for employees:
Workers are required to wear face coverings while at the retail location unless the covering would inhibit the individuals health.  Businesses are required to supply face coverings to workers.  The Executive Order does not acknowledge the fact that purchasing facemasks is currently very difficult.  The Executive Order does state that workers can supply their own face covering when preferred by the employee. Guidelines on how to make, wear, and handle face coverings can be found on the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety COVID-19 webpage.   Printable signage is also available on the website.  Some community organizations are making cloth face coverings. These may be a resource for your workers who are not inclined to make their own if you are unable to provide them. Be sure to train your employees on proper use.  This face covering is not to be worn as a replacement for other personal protective equipment, such as those worn for pesticide applications.

Gloves for employees:
Businesses are required to provide gloves to employees who are interacting with customers and/or handling saleable goods.

Face coverings for customers:
Customers are required to wear cloth face coverings when they enter the retail area. When an individual refuses to wear a face covering for non-medical reasons the business should find an alternative method of shopping for the customer. Options could include pre or outside ordering with pick-up or delivery to the customer outside of the establishment.  Businesses may not ask for proof of a customers medical reason for not wearing a mask.

Visit the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety COVID-19 webpage for updated resources relevant to your farm operation and COVID-19

Language specific to cloth face coverings and glove use from Executive Order No. 122 is below:

Essential retail businesses that are still permitted to operate under Executive Order No. 107 (2020) must adopt the following policies:
Require workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years of age, and require workers to wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings and gloves for their employees. If a customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons and if such covering cannot be provided to the individual by the business at the point of entry, then the business must decline entry to the individual, unless if the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business policy should provide alternate methods of pickup and/or delivery of such goods. Nothing in the stated policy should prevent workers or customers from wearing a surgical-grade mask or other more protective face covering if the individual is already in possession of such equipment, or if the business is otherwise required to provide such worker with more protective equipment due to the nature of the work involved. Where an individual declines to wear a face covering on store premises due to a medical condition that inhibits such usage, neither the essential retail business nor its staff shall require the individual to produce medical documentation verifying the stated condition.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
April 9, 2020

New Jersey Statewide Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting

April 15, 2020 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

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

See flyer for details Twilight 041520 (1)

Meeting Information:
Meeting link:https://rutgers.webex.com/rutgers/j.php?MTID=m9462e629379ff2f781c8
To join by phone dial: 173 243 2 68
Enter meeting number (access code): 796 342 632

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Tree Fruit
April 7, 2020

Tree Fruit IPM Report for April 7, 2020

Special Announcement! : The long awaited update to the NJ Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide is available. We have updated the pesticide tables to include new products, pesticide safety, and efficacy. We hope to have the text sections updated for 2021.

Tree Fruit Phenology:

Tree Fruit Phenology remains advanced, but development is slowing. In southern counties all peach orchards are just past full bloom to petal fall. Redhaven was at approximately full bloom on March 30, and was late bloom on 4/7. Plums are at petal fall and Pears are at popcorn to early bloom. Red Delicious is pre-pink. Cherries are at early bloom. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: ,
April 3, 2020

Coronavirus Education Materials In Indigenous Languages, Dialects and Spanish

Our colleague, Gene McAvoy of Florida Cooperative Extension (a Rutgers grad and currently president of our National Assoc of County Ag Agents) shared this reference that you might find useful.

These resources were gathered by the Rural Women’s Health Project, with thanks to
Evelyn Moraga in Guatemala, Dr. Laura Gonzalez at the University of Florida, her
colleagues at CEPIADET in Oaxaca Mexico and CIELO in Los Angeles. They are committed to getting these materials out to all of those residing in the U.S., no matter their country of origin or mother language. If ou have materials to be added to this list, please contact us at: rwhp@cafl.com.

Together, we will get through this.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 3, 2020

Farms Are Considered Essential During The Virus Outbreak

Wes Kline and I have been fielding questions about whether farms will be closed down. Our answer is, “NO!” for the following reasons.

Agricultural is considered an essential industry by the state and federal governments.  Agricultural workers are also considered essential. Your workers should not have an issue going to work. What you need to do is train your workers on proper hand washing and try to give as much space between workers as possible. Remember 6 ft between individuals should be maintained where practical. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has the latest information from the state at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/. Our https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/ website has a series of factsheets and articles related to agriculture, including many in Spanish. This website is updated regularly so check to see what is new.  Remember: 

  • Agricultural operations are considered essential. 
  • Farmer’s markets are specifically exempt from being closed in the executive order.
  • Nurseries and greenhouses can operate.  

What should an operation do to protect their workers and themselves? 

  1. Repeated handwashing for 20 sec. This means as soon as people report to work, when they take breaks, when they use bathroom facilities, etc. This is not a time to make fun of handwashing – promote it!  Hand sanitizers can be used if hands are not soiled. The better option is to wash hands then apply hand sanitizers. The sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol. 
  2. If you have more than one crew keep them separated. Have them work separately, take breaks separately and eat separately. Do not mix a crew once they are working together. If in a packinghouse clean and sanitize all equipment between each crew. 
  3. Clean and sanitize break and eating areas before being occupied and before each time they are used. 
  4. Space everyone 6 feet apart or as far as possible. This is difficult if a crew is riding a transplanter but do the best you can. Social distancing inside a labor camp with a common bunk room may be a challenge. Consider installing temporary/permanent screens/walls between bunks, separating bunks as far as space allows, or divide bunks into individual beds if practical/possible. 
  5. If workers wear gloves, they must be single use and replaced frequently. 
  6. What about masks?  Cloth masks are acceptable, but they should be laundered daily.  If masks are purchased, they should be replaced at least daily and more frequently if dirty. 
  7. Should worker’s temperatures be taken at the beginning of the day?  No, this is not recommended unless medical personnel carry out the operation.  You need to know what the reading means, that the correct thermometer was used, etc.  

Lead by example – Farm owners and supervisors must do the same thing that you expect your workers to do! 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 2, 2020

Letter Template for Food/Agriculture Critical Employees

There have been several calls today regarding a form letter required for farm laborers to travel to NJ farms during the current COVID-19 shut down. A draft Letter for Employee Travel Related to Critical Infrastructureis available from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (this is in pdf format that must be retyped onto your company letterhead). The version, EmployeeTravelRelatedtoCriticalInfrastructure, is in a format that you can copy and paste onto your own letterhead and insert the appropriate company and representative information.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Vegetable Crops