The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) wants to remind New Jersey small grains producers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2021 crop year is September 30, 2020. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing policies also have until September 30 to do so. [Read more…]
Tree Fruit Edition
Seasonal updates on insects, diseases, weeds, maturity dates and cultural practices impacting only tree fruit.
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August 28, 2020 Nick Polanin
Crop Insurance Listening Sessions Scheduled
As part of the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress required USDA’s Risk Management Agency to solicit feedback about improved crop insurance coverage options for farmers and ranchers selling through local food markets. This includes discussing how existing crop insurance programs can be improved, as well as exploring the possibility of a new crop insurance program. Sessions are scheduled for September 1, 2, and 3 for the northeast region. [Read more…]
August 25, 2020 Dean Polk, Dave Schmitt, Atanas Atanassov, Carrie Denson
Fruit IPM for August 25, 2020
Stink Bugs Apples and Peaches: Populations are little changed since last week, although slightly lower in most areas. Hot spots are starting to show up to 3% damage in southern county apples. Hot spots also exist in Morris and Middlesex Counties. In order to prevent damage growers need weekly BMSB effective materials, especially on the block edges that have woods borders. The most effective materials for apples include: Danitol, Declare, Endigo, Lambda-Cy, Lannate (short residual), Leverage, Mustang Maxx, Proaxis, Renounce, Tombstone, Voliam Flexi and Warrior II. [Read more…]
August 21, 2020 Megan Muehlbauer
Act Now! PGR Application for Harvest Management in Apple Orchards
With the looming risk of labor shortages and limitations on public visiting farms, tree fruit growers should consider their options for apple pre-harvest drop management. The past few nights have been cool enough for color development in early varieties such as Honeycrisp and Gala, emphasizing the need to initiate harvest management strategies.
Excellent practical guidance on using plant growth regulators to control drop prepared by Professor Jim Schupp of Penn State is available here:
https://extension.psu.edu/apple-pgrs-prevention-of-preharvest-drop-in-apple-orchards
Growers of MacIntosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp should also refer to the variety-specific recommendations from Dan Donahue of Cornell Cooperative Extension available here:
Recommendations for Harvest Management Plant Growth Regulators in Eastern NY
Keep in mind that the response for stop drop control with PGRs is variable based on cultivar, and weather factors, so be sure to consult your local agricultural agent or tree fruit consultant for individual recommendations prior to application.
August 19, 2020 Michelle Infante-Casella
COVID-19 Safety Tips for Agritourism Operations
Continued community transmission of COVID-19 presents challenges to many businesses, including on-farm agritourism operations. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agritourism Working Group developed farm assessment resources titled, Considerations for Agritourism Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, to assist producers with agritourism activities as part of their on-farm marketing strategies. Considerations listed are designed to help operators evaluate business and management strategies that align with State executive orders and federal/state/local safety guidelines enacted to reduce possible transmission of COVID-19.
Key considerations include:
- Remain apprised of/and compliant with executive orders issued by the Governor to reduce COVID-19 transmission, including those establishing limits on public indoor and outdoor gatherings, as well as requirements for face coverings and social distancing;
- Monitor guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State/local authorities to reduce community transmission of COVID-19;
- Clearly communicate farm rules and visitor expectations—prior to arrival and during farm visits—through website and social media posts, promotional materials, staff instruction, and farm signage;
- Ensure that all farm staff undertake a daily screening for symptoms of COVID-19 and avoid coming to work if they are symptomatic, have tested positive for the virus, or have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19;
- Train employees on all personal and farm safety protocols developed to minimize risks of COVID-19 transmission;
- Organize agritourism activities and manage visitor flows to maintain adequate social distancing on the farm. This includes carefully evaluating farm/attraction capacity limits, identifying areas of anticipated high visitor volume (e.g., parking areas, restrooms, sales areas, foodservice, attraction entrances and exiting areas, etc.), and taking measures to reduce pedestrian “bottlenecks,” large congregations, and cross-flow contact when guests are entering/leaving areas;
- Instruct employees and visitors to wear appropriate face coverings;
- Provide adequate and appropriately stocked/maintained hand washing and hand sanitizer stations in key areas (e.g., sales areas, outside restroom facilities, foodservice areas, key thoroughfares, entrances/exists, etc.);
- Establish regular cleaning and disinfection procedures for frequently touched surfaces or objects;
- Construct physical barriers, if needed, to reduce potential contacts between staff and visitors (e.g., Plexiglass partitions in sales areas);
- Explore options for pre-registration to control visitor volumes and pre-payment or touchless payment options to reduce contact between staff and visitors; and
- Discourage unnecessary customer handling of farm products prior to purchase.
This resource and other tools to help agritourism operators evaluate and strengthen the management of their operations, identify safety concerns and manage liability are available at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station’s agritourism resource site: http://agritourism.rutgers.edu/training/
August 19, 2020 Michelle Infante-Casella
Webinars: Considerations for Agritourism Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Monday, August 31, 2020 07:00 PM
And
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 07:00 PM
For more information see: https://agritourism.rutgers.edu/training/
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agritourism Working Group developed considerations to assist NJ farmers with agritourism operations on their farms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This document is designed to help operators manage strategies for compliance with State executive orders and federal/state/local safety guidelines. The team will host 2 webinars on 8/31 and 9/1 at 7:00PM to discuss the considerations and provide an opportunity for farmers with agritourism operations to network
To Participate:
Click the link below. We suggest visiting at least 10 minutes before the session start time to confirm system requirements
https://go.rutgers.edu/sfk96jlp
Or participants can join in by phone:
1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 912 2343 8378
For more events hosted by Rutgers see: https://events.rutgers.edu/njaes/
