April 12, 2023

National Survey on Spotted-Wing Drosophila

Dear Berry Growers:

You have been identified as a berry grower whose perspectives matter in helping to shape the future of the industry. We request your participation to complete an online survey to determine the impact of USDA funded projects conducted by land-grant university faculty on the sustainable management of Spotted-Wing Drosophila (SWD).

Over the past 15 years, SWD has negatively impacted the U.S. berry and cherry industry, which has led to rejection of crops and significant losses on the farm. A group of highly committed researchers has been engaged in a multi-state initiative to develop and test different control practices for SWD. Some of the products are commercially available, while others are awaiting approval.

This survey seeks to determine your level of awareness and adoption of these new techniques, and to capture your experiences with the new technologies introduced by the research team.

To complete the survey, please click on the link Online Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions

https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9B5kHcjLIRgW9gO

Also, please forward this letter to others in your community who have mitigated SWD to increase our data pool.

This study is being conducted by a professional evaluation team from the University of Florida, Mr. Damilola Ajayi and Dr. Kay Kelsey, on behalf of Drs. Ashfaq Sial, Cesar Rodriguez-Saona, Hannah Burrack, Hannah Levenson, Vaughn Walton, Frank Zalom, Elizabeth Beers, Greg Loeb, Kent Daane, Philip Fanning, and Kim Hoelmer representing University of Georgia, Rutgers University, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of California-Davis, Washington State University, Cornell University, University of California Berkeley, University of Maine, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

This study was reviewed and approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board for the protection of human subjects (IRB# 202300289). In case you have any questions, please contact Damilola Ajayi, 706-588-2697, d.ajayi@ufl.edu or Kay Kelsey, 706-247-2492, kathleen.kelsey@ufl.edu

Sincerely,
Damilola Ajayi, Graduate Assistant, UF|IFAS.
Kay Kelsey, Professor, UF|IFAS.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Wine Grape
April 10, 2023

NJ Department of Environmental Protection Issues Burn Permit for Frost Protection – Through April 14

(TRENTON) – With the state expected to experience colder spring temperatures, the Department of Environmental Protection has agreed with NJ Dept of Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher’s request to allow farmers to do controlled open burning or use specialized torches known as smudge pots to protect crops from damage beginning Friday, April 7, through Friday, April 14.

These cold events could adversely affect some of the fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops.

Note: The NJDEP and New Jersey Forest Fire Service caution all farmers and agriculture businesses with respect to the use of open burning in high wind velocity conditions. Please take note that farmers are encouraged to utilize smudge pots is warming as necessary during higher wind conditions. Use of open burning when wind velocity is greater than 5mph is strictly prohibited, may contribute to wildfire risk, and can carry significant penalties. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
April 6, 2023

NJ Dept of Health Scheduled Training for Farmers Participating in the NJ Farmers Market Nutrition Program

A MESSAGE FROM NJ SECRETARY of AGRICULTURE DOUGLAS FISHER:

The New Jersey Department of Health will be hosting three face-to-face and one virtual mandatory training sessions for farmers who participate in the New Jersey Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The three regional trainings, one each in the Northern, Central and Southern sections of the state, will take place April 24, May 1, and May 3, and there will be a virtual training on May 10. Go to https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/md/prog/wic.html to see the complete schedule as well as the farmer/grower vendor agreement and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Application. [or you may download the attached official notice and application forms here:]

Letter from Secretary Fisher

DOH Farmer/Grower Vender Agreement

DOH Application for Participation

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , ,
March 22, 2023

South Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – I

April 6 (Thu) @ 7 PM

Gloucester County Govt. Services Building: 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Bldg. # A, Clayton, NJ 08312

Pesticide credits requested: CORE, 1A, PP2, 10

7 pm: Welcome. Notes from Colorado peach meeting: market updates, etc.
Hemant Gohil, Gloucester County Agricultural Agent, Rutgers NJAES

Pesticide Safety and Regulations Update for 2023 (CORE)
George Hamilton, Extension Specialist in Pest Management, Rutgers NJAES

Field observations from the IPM Program
Dave Schmitt, Fruit IPM Program Associate, Rutgers NJAES

Management of Peach Bacterial Spot: Timing Bactericide Sprays to Rainfall Events
Norman Lalancette, Extension Specialist, Tree Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES

Urea Nitrogen Fertilizer and Nickel Nutrition for Orchard Health
Joseph Heckman, Extension Specialist in Soil Fertility, Rutgers NJAES.
Alon Rabinovich, Postdoc Associate, Plant Science Department, Rutgers Uni.

9 pm: Pesticide re-certification credits application and Adjourn

Light fare will be provided. Please call Joan Medany at jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us or 856-224-8030 if you plan to attend. If additional assistance is needed, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil (Program Organizer) at 856-224-8029 before the meeting.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With:
March 2, 2023

NJDEP Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting Workshops Held

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection coordinated workshops in the past two weeks to assist farmers with Agricultural Water Certifications/Registrations who needed 5-year renewals. Those farmers with certifications expiring in 2023 were invited by NJDEP to attend the scheduled workshops. NJDEP Staff visited the 4 counties: Gloucester, Salem, Burlington, and Cumberland to complete renewals for 2023. These workshops are an efficient way to make sure forms are accurate, complete, and acceptable to NJDEP – avoiding the need to mail back paperwork to correct any information. If a farmer receives an invitation in the future to attend these NJDEP coordinated workshops, it is really important to attend and update your forms.

If a farmer was unable to attend workshops, or their county did not have a workshop, they must complete the 5-year renewal form mailed by DEP and make an appointment with the County Agricultural Agent in their county to finalize the forms in order to keep their status current. County Agricultural Agents do not have access to obtaining the renewal packets and farmers must bring them completed to the appointment or contact NJDEP for another copy, if they cannot locate their copy.

As per the NJDEP’s instruction, Agricultural Agents are to complete an “agent irrigation calculations sheet” and sign off on the form prior the forms are submitted to DEP. The forms can also be reviewed during an appointment with the Agricultural Agent. All other portions of the form are the responsibility of the farmer to complete. Also, it is important to read all instructions – that includes having a written daily log of the last month water was used in the past year to submit with the 5-year renewal application.

If a farmer does not have an Agricultural Water Use Certification or Registration, they can contact the NJDEP using the information below to obtain the forms.

If a farmer has any questions, NJDEP asks they contact staff at:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Supply and Geoscience, Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting, Mail Code 401-04Q, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420, 609-984-6831. Also see the website at http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
February 22, 2023

Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory adds Sulfur to Soil Fertility Analysis

Plant-available sulfur (sulfate) values have been added to Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory fertility reports in the micronutrient reporting line. There are four interpretive categories: Low, Medium-low, Sufficient, and High. An explanatory paragraph follows near the end of the report to help interpret the reported value.

Photo illustrating sulfur deficiency in sweet corn.

Symptoms of sulfur deficiency include yellowing or light green coloring on youngest tissue, thin stems and petioles, slow growth, and delayed maturity. Photo Credit: G. Brust, University of Maryland.

As the interpretative statements within the reports explain, sulfur analysis/interpretation is very complicated (similar to nitrogen) due to the many factors influencing it. Also, there is not full consensus among soil fertility experts on a best extraction method and critical values. Still, the sulfur value on the revised reports will provide an extra degree of information for understanding the soil & plant health. As with all micronutrient interpretations on the reports, the relevant RCE publication is referenced for further information; in the case of sulfur, RCE bulletin E365.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , ,