Organic Production — Plant & Pest Advisory

Organic Farm Advisory

The Plant & Pest Advisory serves NJ growers by reporting on important pests and recommending responses that are grounded in reproducible trials.

Articles in this section contain information helpful to the NJ commercial organic grower.

Sharing organic practice trial results between land-grant universities is a cost effective way to create a common knowledge base built on the strengths of individual programs. In the sidebar, find institutions with programs in organic agriculture which augment knowledge developed at the Rutgers New Jersey Ag Experiment Station.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Field Guides: These concise guides help with decision making from pre-planting to harvest. For each crop listed, learn what pests to proactively look for as the season progresses, how to look for them, and when to take action.

October 29, 2026 Kate Brown

Grant Opportunity for Beginning Farmers to Adopt Conservation Practices

The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) is accepting applications for the Next Generation Farmer Fund through December 1, 2026!

Beginning farmers or ranchers under the age of 40 (as of December 31, 2027) are eligible to receive $10k-$50k to support implementation of new conservation practices during the 2027 growing season. These practices must be new on the land where the project will take place and improve soil health, water management, energy use, and biodiversity. Practices that fall within those categories include:

To learn more about grant eligibility requirements, the application process and timeline, and other details, consider signing up for an informational webinar hosted by NYFC on November 5^th at 7pm ET. You can also reach out to nextgenfarmerfund@youngfarmers.org with questions.

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: conservation, grant opportunity, grazing management, renewable energy, soil health

October 26, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

Registration Deadline, October 30th – Remote Course – Drone Pilot Training for Farmers on November 6 & 13, 2027

This comprehensive online hybrid training prepares farmers and agricultural producers to obtain their FAA Drone Part 107 certification exam, which is required for all commercial drone operations. Featuring the same rigorous test preparation content as the in-person sessions, this online format allows you to complete coursework remotely while mastering the fundamentals of small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) used in modern agriculture.

What’s Included & What You Need

Online Learning Platform & Live Sessions: Students will be provided with official credentials to access an online learning management system, along with Zoom meeting links for two live online class sessions (November 6 & 13).
Textbook Requirement: Students are required to purchase their own textbook separately via Amazon (approximately ~$30; link provided upon registration).
Curriculum Topics Covered:
- Introduction to aviation & regulations
- Airspace classification & sectional charts
- Aircraft maintenance, inspections, and performance
- Accident reporting, emergency procedures, and weather effects
- Air operations and scheduling for your test

Registration & Pricing

Registration Fee: $150 per person registration (Note: Payment can be made with credit card via link to “Clover Account” with WCCC Phillipsburg Education Center) (payment link to be provided, payment made to WCCC after registering).
Class Materials: You are encouraged to purchase a hardcopy textbook that provides a code for unlimited practice tests ~$30. Link to be provided upon final registration for purchase via Amazon.
Online Registration: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/9VXvvWC7aN

Questions & Inquiries: Please contact Stephen Komar at 973-948-3040 x3 or email komar@njaes.rutgers.edu with any questions.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Organic Production, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: Drone Training, drones, online training, Remote Course

October 9, 2026 Amanda Quadrel and Maria Cramer

Vegetable IPM Update 10/09/2026

Greetings from the Veg IPM team! This will be our last regular post for the 2026 season. If an urgent pest issue arises, we will send out a specific P&PA post.

October 2, 2026 Amanda Quadrel and Maria Cramer

Vegetable IPM Update 10/02/26

Greetings from the Veg IPM team!

October 1, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

2027 Rutgers Educational Sessions at NE Agricultural Expo in Atlantic City

Everyone should be very excited for this event in 2027. The NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions will begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, 777 Harrahs Boulevard. The final day of educational sessions and trade show ends on Thursday, January 21, 2027. The trade show already has an abundance of vendors signed up for booths in 2027.

The planning committee for the expo is looking forward to providing many new opportunities, and Rutgers has confirmed many new speakers to offer excellent information, covering various topics from the 2026 growing season and research results to help farmers improve their practices. The Harrah’s conference center offers the best layout in Atlantic City for this convention. Come for the opportunity to network with others in the industry, to learn from over 72 presenters on a diversity of topics, and to gain pesticide recertification credits to keep your applicator’s license current. To register and for more information from the organizing association, go to the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ’s website at https://vganj.com.

Please see the DRAFT Rutgers Educational Program below. Pesticide credits have been applied for with NJ DEP. When the credits are assigned this program will be republished and promoted with credits.