Flood waters can carry microbial and chemical contaminants that can be harmful to humans. Food crops should be assessed to determine if they have been affected by flooding surface water sources including rivers, lakes, or streams. These waters are the highest risk for contaminants. The biggest question to ask is has the edible portion of the crop been exposed to these waters? There is no way to ensure that food crops that have come in contact with contaminated flood waters are safe to eat. Food crops that have been exposed to flood waters should be destroyed so they do not enter market channels. For more information and guidance on how to handle crops and fields that have been flooded visit the Produce Safety Alliance Food Safety for Flooded Farms resource.
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.
New Jersey Department of Agriculture Expands Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Zone
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher announced the Department has added five counties to the spotted lanternfly quarantine zone. The counties new to the list are Morris, Monmouth, Middlesex, Essex, and Union. They join the previously announced quarantine counties of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem, Somerset, and Warren.
Business entities that routinely travel in and out of the quarantine area are required to take, and pass, free training regarding the spotted lanternfly at https://bit.ly/3mDGv2d. Those businesses that interact exclusively in New Jersey’s quarantine zone must comply with the details outlined in the quarantine order. The quarantine also allows access to property for Department, USDA, or USDA contracted agents where the spotted lanternfly is suspected or confirmed so that the property can be evaluated and treated, if necessary.
The full press release from NJDA can be found at: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/press/2021/approved/press210830.html
For additional information on spotted lanternfly, visit:
Rutgers NJAES Spotted Lanternfly Website https://njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/
NJDA Spotted Lanternfly Business Resources Website: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/pests-diseases/spotted-lanternfly/business-resources/
New Jersey Weekly Apple Maturity Review Website is LIVE!
A new Rutgers University website has just been launched, which provides weekly reports on the progression of apple maturity in Northern and Central New Jersey. The data in these reports is intended to aid New Jersey apple growers in deciding the optimal time to harvest apples in their commercial orchards. Please check out the website (see link below) and be sure to subscribe to receive the weekly reports in your inbox!
https://njapplematurity.rutgers.edu/
Federally Required Produce Safety Alliance Training Online September 15 and 16, 2021
The Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act is now fully implemented. This means that one person from an operation who sells over $25,000 in fresh produce needs to attend a training course. There are some exemptions and modifications to the rule, but the best way to find out is to attend the course. We will have the next online training September 15 and 16 if 10 people register by September 1. The preregistration is required since training material must be sent to each participant prior to the training. Visit our website to register.
Produce Safety Training:
The Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration’. This is the only training recognized by the FDA at this time!
Fruit and vegetables growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management of natural resources and food safety should also attend this training.
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
This is approximately a seven-hour course to cover these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module and are included in the grower manual provided. There is time for questions and discussion, so participants are encouraged to share their experiences and produce safety questions.
Benefits of Attending the Course
The course provides a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:
- Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm
- How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
- Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
- Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them.
After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to the trainers at the end of the course.
Inspections:
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) began inspections for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for operations over $500,000. The other size operations will also be delayed by one year i.e. 2020 for small operations and 2021 for very small operations. The first inspections will be educational with the NJDA evaluating the farming operation. This will give the grower an opportunity to see what the NJDA considers area where improvement may be needed. After the inspection NJDA may do another inspection with possible enforcement in the future.
Pre-Harvest Drop Control for Apples
Now is the Time to Consider Applying…
Stop Drop PGRs for Early/Mid-Season Apples
As apples mature they produce the hormone ethylene. Ethylene induces stem loosening which results in pre-harvest drop of apples.
Luckily there are several tools that when applied at optimal times can aid in the management of pre-harvest drop of apples.
*Prior to the application of any product though, remember to read and follow the product label, because the label is the law.
ReTain
Active Ingredient: AVG (aminoethoxyvinylglycine)
This product slows starch disappearance, fruit softening, stem loosening and red color development.
These benefits result in:
Expansion of the harvest window by minimizing pre-harvest drop and retaining fruit firmness.
Enhancement of fruit size since fruit are given more time to hang onto the tree.
Color enhancement due to exposure to improved weather for fruit coloring (warm sunny days and cool nights).
Application Timing: For maximum efficacy ReTain must be applied 4 weeks prior to harvest.
Single Pick Varieties
For single pick early season varieties, establish the ‘usual’ harvest time for the variety, and if the season is running early adjust the date earlier (accordingly). Once an accurate estimated harvest date is established count back four weeks. This timepoint plus 7 days is the spray window for ReTain for that variety.
Calculate the spray timing for later season, single pick varieties in a similar way. However, later varieties generally do not need harvest date adjustment due to seasonal variation in the same way early season varieties do.
Multiple Pick Varieties i.e. Gala and Honeycrisp
Spray timing for these varieties is 7 to 14 days prior to harvest/first pick. Note that ReTain will not effect the first harvest/pick but will provide stop drop control for later season picks.
Variety Response to ReTain and Rate:
*When applying ReTain be sure to include 100% Organosilicate surfactant @ 12 ounces/100 gallons.
*Ensure there will be 6 hours of drying time after the application.
Harvista
Active Ingredient: 1-MCP (1-Methylcyclopropene)
Much like ReTain this product slows starch disappearance, fruit softening, red color development and pre-harvest drop.
It should be applied within 3 days prior to harvest, much closer to the time of harvest than a ReTain application.
This product is a bit more complicated to use in that it must be applied via a proprietary in-line injector system.
NAA (Multiple Formulations)
Active Ingredient: NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid)
This product provides what is considered a rescue treatment for control of fruit drop.
Application Timing: Optimum timing of spray is a couple days prior to harvest.
One application of 10 ppm NAA will provide 7-10 days of drop control.
A two part spray of 10 ppm, one a couple days prior to harvest and a second 5 days later will provide 10-14 days of drop control.
Keep it mind it takes ~2-3 days for the sprays to take effect.
*Apply with a nonionic or organosilicate surfactant.
*Spray when the temperatures are in the mid 70’s. If the temperature is too hot, fruit ripening can be accelerated.
For additional details on utilizing plant growth regulators for harvest management read:
Fruit IPM for 8/18/21
Grapes:
Drosophilds and Sour Rot: As the sugars start to increase in early verities like Chardonnay, be aware of Spotted Wing Drosophila combined with native fruit fly species. These populations increase at this time of year and help spread sour rot. Sour rot will only be present when you also have injured fruit. Fruit splits and various insects can help cause that initial injury. It is thought that the spotted wing drosophila (SWD), because of its saw-like ovipositor, can help cause this initial injury, helping to make the fruit more attractive to native drosophilid species. After injury the fruit serves as a food source for ethanol-producing yeasts and acetic acid producing bacteria, the causal agents of sour rot. This in turn attracts more fruit flies to lay more eggs and spread the decay. Good canopy management for air circulation is useful to reduce sour rot incidence. However, this must be combined with insecticides and antimicrobials. A treatment regime that consists of weekly applications of an insecticide (Mustang Maxx (or other pyrethroid), Malathion, Delegate/Entrust, + Oxidate 2.0 has been found to be helpful. Other sterilants can also be used. Since it is important to rotate insecticide classes when treating this often, growers should use no pyrethroid or other insecticide class more that 2 times in a row. These treatments should be started before the onset of visible sour rot and fruit fly presence. [Read more…]