April 27, 2020

Ask the Ag Agent Weekly Online/Call-In Forum and New Web Page

Ask the Ag Agent was created when COVID-19 forced a new normal in communications nationwide. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents working with “Ask the Ag Agent” education and outreach are cAsk the Ag agentommitted to the agriculture industry and all interested in growing plants, raising livestock and essential resources related to agriculture. The program now features a new Ask the Ag Agent website with more information.

Farmers and others are welcome to join a weekly teleconference each Wednesday night from 7:00pm-8:00pm. Weekly events are hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents working with the farming industry.

This call-in/WebEx event features updates on farm management, crop conditions, farm industry observations, agricultural agency programs and other topics discussed by farmers, agricultural agents and other agricultural service providers.

Hosted by Bill Bamka, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and Meredith Melendez, this weekly communication provides a forum for discussion for farmers and all involved in NJ agriculture. Agricultural agency personnel, non-profit organizations and others have participated and added additional discussion with farmers.

This event and other events hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension can be found on the Rutgers NJAES Events website.

To join the “Ask the Ag Agent” forum each week on a computer/tablet/smartphone via the WebEx Videoconference:

Use the URL: https://go.rutgers.edu/rc9n3kxtiPhone

To join the “Ask the Ag Agent” each week on the Phone:
Call: (650)-429-3300
Access Code: 799-743-872 # followed by #

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
April 27, 2020

Penn State Webinar: H-2A Agricultural Workers in Times of Uncertainty

Penn State Cooperative Extension is hosting a free webinar to discuss the H-2A program in Pennsylvania. This may be helpful for NJ Farmers to listen in to find any updates or tips on how to handle this agricultural worker program. You must register to join this online event. In order to register you will need to create an account on the Penn State advertisement page.

Webinar Date: Thu., May 7, 2020
(6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET)

Registration deadline: May 7, 2020
5:30 p.m.

COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including international travel restrictions and consulate closures, have disrupted the normal functioning of the H-2A visa program for temporary workers. These disruptions to the H-2A program raise questions about the timely arrival of guest workers and the impact on essential food and agricultural businesses. The H-2A Agricultural Workers in Times of Uncertainty Webinar will provide answers and guidance to the many questions surrounding this topic.
The dangers of COVID-19 itself similarly raises questions around how to protect the health and well-being of H-2A visa holders. As front-line workers, the protection of their livelihoods and health are integrally tied to the protection of public health.

Penn State Extension will be holding a townhall-style webinar to address these topics, and to provide answers and guidance to these questions. Join us as we hear from a panel of subject matter experts, including Brook Duer, Staff Attorney at the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law; Grant Meckley, Pennsylvania Keystone Health’s Agricultural Worker Program; Scott Sheely, Executive Director of the Lancaster County Agriculture Council; and Richard Stup, Agricultural Workforce Specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension. Also joining us will be Alyssa Charney, Agriculture Legislative Assistant from Senator Casey’s Office.

Attendees will have the opportunity to either send in questions ahead of time, or during the webinar itself, for a Q&A session following the panelists’ overview and update on the H-2A visa program.

There is no cost for this webinar, however registration is required to receive the webinar link. To go to the registration page you can also see https://go.rutgers.edu/if9tsm4h.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
April 27, 2020

Dealing with Stress on the Farm During Trying Times

This is a stressful time for many people in our country and especially on the farm. With constant updates from government officials and media sharing new about the pandemic and the fear of the unknown for the future, it is understandable to feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. Seeing other farmers around the nation struggling with crop losses and distribution nightmares makes other farmers wonder what is yet to come. You are not alone and there are resources to help if you are struggling with stress and anxiety.

For assistance contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text MHFA to 741741 to talk to a Crisis Text Line counselor.

Farmers often feel they may be mentally and physically tougher than most people. That may be true. However, it is understandable if you are feeling depressed or anxious right now, just like the millions of people across the country who are facing the same worries and challenges. It’s perfectly understandable since most people have never experienced times like we are facing now. It’s extremely important to take care of your mental health. Helping yourself means you will be able to help others in the future.

While times may not change as quickly as we would like, there are easy self-care strategies that can help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, or prevent anxiety before it even starts.

Here are some tips that may help:
1. Eat healthy foods to keep your body in top working order and avoid foods/beverages that cause issues with underlying health conditions.
2. Exercise reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise is not the same as regular activity at work. Take a brisk walk or jog down a farm road, ride a bike, lift weights (even if you need to make your own out of what you have around the farm and start light).
3. Practice relaxation therapy. Focusing on tensing and relaxing muscle groups can help you relax voluntarily when feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. Concentrate on the shoulder and neck regions of the body, where stress often builds.
4. Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would a friend and allow others to help as you would help them.
5. Stay connected. Even if you can’t get together face-to-face, you can stay connected to friends, family and neighbors with phone calls, text messages, video chats and social media. If you’re feeling lonely, sad or anxious, reach out to your social support networks – all is kept confidential. Share what you are feeling and offer to listen to friends or family members about their feelings. We are all experiencing this scary and uncPerson holding a fishertain time together.
6. Monitor media consumption. While you might want to stay up-to the minute with COVID-19 news, too much exposure can be overwhelming. Balance media consumption with other activities you enjoy, such as playing with pets, reading, cooking, fishing at the farm pond, playing games with family or listening to music.

Adding small changes to your routine each day can make a big difference to your overall mood and well-being. Just remember, if you need help, help is available.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
April 14, 2020

“Ask the Ag Agent” 7:00PM Weekly – Every Wednesday – Farmer Video Conference/Call-In Forum

By, William Bamka, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and Meredith Melendez

“Ask the Ag Agent” weekly 1-hour sessions for farmers will be hosted by Rutgers Agricultural Agents working with commercial farmers, on Wednesday April 15th and continue each Wednesday. The online conferencing/call in events will begin at 7:00PM with an open forum to discuss ag-related questions about production, marketing, regulations and any other topics farmers wish to discuss. All are welcome.

To access via WebEx on a computer go to https://go.rutgers.edu/rc9n3kxt

Join by phone
+1-650-429-3300 USA Toll
Access code: 799 743 872

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape
April 13, 2020

Marketing Tip: Consider Pre-Bagging Produce at Farm Markets

By, Michelle Infante-Casella and Meredith Melendez, Agricultural Agents

Farm marketers can learn from recent behaviors observed in supermarkets and other food outlets as we start the produce season in New Jersey. Besides facilitating social distancing and having employees and customers wear masks and other protective gear, farm owners and workers can help ease shopping anxiety by pre-bagging items.Person grabbing an orange from a bag with a glove

To date there is no scientific evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 through food, but customer buying patterns have shown that packaged produce is selling better than loose produce. Customers are fearful of virus transmission from many different sources regardless of the science. Most people are very suspicious when touching every object around them whether it be door handles, shopping carts, checkout counters, credit card machines and also on the list – loose fruits and vegetables on shelves that may have been handled by other people. These fears are certainly understandable.

Some food stores are reporting bagged items are selling faster than loose items. The public sentiment is wrapped produce has a barrier that acts as a safety measure against contamination. Produce items in pre-packaged containers, such as bagged lettuces, bagged broccoli, bagged cucumbers, bagged peppers, packaged tomatoes and other items wrapped in plastic have increased in sales over their unpackaged counterparts. In addition, items in highest demand tend to be more shelf-stable produce like potatoes, apples, onions, unpeeled carrots, winter squashes and cabbage.

The media has been publicizing milk dumping from tanker trucks, in-season produce fields being plowed, and issues with food distribution across the country due to issues from COVID-19. Consumers are questioning many issues right now. Is the U.S. food supply safe? Will there be enough food to go around? Will the food stores be closing? Is it safe to buy fresh produce? Should I worry when I see empty store shelves?

To ensure a domestic food supply in the future, it is more important than ever for customers to buy local and US farm products. This is a message the entire agriculture industry can share with the public.

Some questions about food and COVID-19 can be answered by reading the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s website https://www.fda.gov/food. This is also a good site to send your customers to help answer their questions. Resources specific for the agricultural community are listed on the Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety COVID-19 website.

In summary, farm market proprietors may want to keep produce displays well stocked with plenty of bagged and packaged produce items. This will also help facilitate having customers in the market for shorter periods. Customers can just pick up bags and go rather than pick through a pile and taking extra time to bag their own items. In addition, pricing bags ahead of time, that don’t need to be weighed, can also quicken check out times. Shoppers are in a hurry to get in and out of stores to ease fears of potential virus transmission. Making it as easy as possible to help facilitate shopping and check out may go a long way to lessen customer anxiety in current times. Keep engaged with customers for suggestions on what they may need from your market.

Farmers and farm markets will be playing a major role in food distribution and food security in the near future and beyond. Thank you to all farmers, farm workers, and other essential workers in this time of crisis.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops
March 17, 2020

Status of U.S. Consular Operations in Mexico in Light of COVID-19

In response to the global pandemic COVID-19, and in line with the Mexican government’s call to increase social distancing, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. consulates in Mexico will suspend routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services starting March 18, 2020, and until further notice. For farmers this means, H-2A workers and others from Mexico may be prevented from entering the U.S. until further notice. NJ Farm Bureau is researching the subject for more clarification. For now to see more information go to the U.S. Embassy’s website at: Field of plantershttps://mx.usembassy.gov/status-of-u-s-consular-operations-in-mexico-in-light-of-covid-19/

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape