NJ Governor Murphy signed Executive Order #243 rescinding EO#107 which requires employers to accommodate tele-work options for employees, and also lifts indoor mask mandates and 6ft social distancing requirements for vaccinated employees working indoors in businesses not open to public. Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher has provided a summary of the changes that may impact agriculture operations. The full text of his letter is attached here.
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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Spotted Wing Drosophila and Fruit IPM for 06/02/21
Peach:
Oriental Fruit Moth: We are still between 1st and 2nd generations at the present time. Growers that have utilized mating disruption for OFM should continue to focus on PC; GPA; and catfacing insect pests as described below.
Sparganothis Fruitworm Degree-Day Update: as of May 30, 2021
Based on our degree-day model for Sparganothis fruitworm, flight initiation is expected at around 596 DD (see chart). As of May 30, Sparganothis has accumulated 607 DD (using March 1 as biofix) or 455 DD (using April 15 as biofix; a more realistic biofix based on the time when winter water was removed from most NJ beds). The later biofix indicates that flight activity will start very soon, i.e., within a week from now. Thus, growers are advised to place pheromone traps for monitoring this pest this coming week.
Recordings of the 2021 Spring Wine Grape Twilight meeting
Please use the below links to listen or watch the recordings from the 2021 Spring Wine Grape Twilight meeting held on May 19th.
Audio Recording link: https://go.rutgers.edu/6kigewvp
Video Recording link: https://go.rutgers.edu/efy1iu7h [Read more…]
FSMA Produce Safety Rule Inspections Taking Place on all Covered Farms
Are you a produce farm who has not yet had a FSMA Produce Safety Rule inspection? Have you received communication from the NJ Department of Agriculture about the Produce Safety Rule? Smaller size produce operations are currently being inspected by the NJDA for FSMA PSR compliance. If you have not yet had an inspection you may be subject to one this season. Here is what you need to know:
If you grow and sell over $25,000 in produce annually you may be subject to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. The NJDA will contact your farm to ask several questions to understand if the rule pertains to you. What crops do you grow? How much in produce sales do you make on an average year? What percentage of your sales are made direct to consumer (farm stand, farmers market, CSA, direct to an individual grocery store, direct to an individual restaurant)? What are your total food sales (including any food for human and/or animal consumption including hay, grain, baked goods, meat, milk, honey, chewing gum, etc.) for an average year? You may have previously answered these questions via a survey that was mailed to you, or over the phone with NJDA staff.
The NJDA is currently scheduling inspections with farms across the state of all sizes. If you receive a phone call or email from the NJDA about a Produce Safety Inspection date, do not ignore the communication. The inspection will take place and warning letters can be sent to farms who are not in compliance with the rule.
Have questions about if your farm is exempt or qualified exempt from the rule? Remember that qualified exempt farms need to prove their exemption status, this can be done by using the qualified exempt review template on page 5 of the recordkeeping guidance from the Produce Safety Alliance.
Farms that need to comply with the rule are required to attend FDA approved training. The next training in NJ will be held online on September 15th and 16th. Other online trainings are available from other states, visit the Produce Safety Alliance website for more details. The approved training covers the Produce Safety Rule requirements and ways of complying with them.
Cicadas Are Here and Fruit IPM for 5/26/21
Cicadas are Here, There and Everywhere (Depending where you are): 17 year cicadas began emergence last week. These insects while a marvel in the insect world, are also capable of doing considerable damage to young fruit trees, grape vines, and blueberry bushes. After mating they begin to deposit their eggs in slits along small diameter branches. Thin branches which are loaded with fruit weight and damaged by egg laying can break. Some growers have asked about damage and what they can do to prevent it. Most egg laying is starting this week.