Vegetable Crops Edition

Seasonal updates and alerts on insects, diseases, and weeds impacting vegetable crops. New Jersey Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations updates between annual publication issues are included.
 
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NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations

Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.

Deadline February 29, 2024 NJDA is offering USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Grants

The NJDA is offering USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Grants. The deadline for grant submissions is February 29th. For more information visit the NJDA grant site: Department of Agriculture | Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Grants

Types of projects that could be funded include:
• Expanding processing capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new wholesale/retail, product lines;
• Modernizing equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs, or retooling; (e.g., adapting product lines for institutional procurement or adding parallel processing capacity);
• Purchase and installation of specialized equipment, such as processing components, sorting equipment, packing and labeling equipment, or delivery vehicles;
• Modernizing manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems;
• Enhancing worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements; Construction of a new facility;
• Increasing packaging and labeling capacities that meet compliance requirements under applicable laws (e.g. sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment);
• Increasing storage space, including cold storage;
• Develop, customize, or install climate-smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals;
• Modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, including associated Hazard, Analysis, and Critical Control Points (HACCP) consultation, plan development and employee training;
• Training on the use of all equipment purchased under the grant and associated new processes.

Contact at NJDA:

Deelip Mhaske
Grants Administrator
Division of Marketing & Development New
Jersey Department of Agriculture
PO Box 330, Trenton, NJ 08625-0330

Phone: 609-913-6628 Fax: 609-984-2508
E-mail: deelip.mhaske@ag.nj.gov

Cape May County Board of Ag Industry Night – March 4, 2024

The Cape May County Board of Agriculture will hold it’s first annual Industry Night!  March 4, 2024 from 6-8pm.

There will be vendors, free dinner, and a 45 minute talk from 6-6:45pm, with Patricia Hastings, Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator for NJ, titled Pesticide Safety & Compliance Tools for New Jersey Growers!  Her talk has been approved for Pesticide credits: 1 unit each CORE; PP2; 1A

It is a great opportunity to network with other farmers/vintners/aquaculturists in Cape May County. Please RSVP by February 28th.

To RSVP or if you have any questions contact Jennifer Sawyer Caraballo at sawyer@njaes.rutgers.edu or at (609) 465 5115 ext. 3615.

SAVE THE DATES! North Jersey

North Jersey Commercial Vegetable Grower Meeting

February 27, 2024

&

North Jersey Commercial Fruit Grower Meeting

March 13, 2024

 

Hunterdon County Complex

314 State Route 12, Bldg. #1

Flemington, New Jersey 08822

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Program and registration details forthcoming

Business Succession Planning for Farmers – February 29

Cape May County RCE will host a presentation for farmers, “Business Succession Planning for Farmers,” from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024. The free program will take place at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, 355 Court House – South Dennis Road, CMCH, NJ 08210.

The presenter will be Keith Dickinson, CFP®, CAC, Business Consultant, Certified Financial PlannerTM, Certified Agricultural Consultant with Farm Credit East.

The informational talk will explain how you can transition your farm business to the next generation without unnecessary problems and worry, what will happen to your farm when you die, and how to avoid the fights and problems that commonly occur when family farms transition.

To register go to: https://go.rutgers.edu/1ivomziz. For more information, please call (609) 465-5115, ext. 3601 or email capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Business Succession Planning for Farmers
Free informational talk. February 29 from 6pm until 8pm at the Cape May County RCE. For more information call 609 465 5115 ext. 601 or email us at capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

EPA Update on the Use of the Pesticide Chlorpyrifos on Food

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing an update on the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used for a large variety of agricultural uses, including soybeans, fruit and nut trees, broccoli, cauliflower, and other row crops, as well as non-food uses. In a final rule issued in […]

2024 Central Jersey Vegetable Growers Meeting

March 8,  8:30am to 4:00 pm

Monmouth County Agricultural Building

4000 Kozloski Rd. Freehold , NJ 07728

Pesticide Recertification Credits: Core (2), PP2(6), 1A (6), 10 (6)

Registration: $30 (includes coffee, light refreshments in the morning and lunch)

 

To register, contact Cathy VanBenschoten at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County Office

732-431-7260  or email at Catherine.VanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

Click the link below for the full registration form:

CJVGM brochure 2024

 

There is no online registration. This event is cash, check or purchase order only.

Make checks payable to: Rutgers, the State University of NJ

Mail to: Cathy VanBenschoten

4000 Kozloski Road

Freehold, NJ  07728

 

This annual event is brought to you by Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington, Ocean & Somerset Counties. Seminar topics will benefit those who are involved in commercial production of vegetables and specialty crops.

 

Agenda

8:30 Registration

9:00 Pesticide Safety for Applicators and HandlersGeorge Hamilton, Ph.D., Specialist in Pest Management

10:00 Updates on Vegetable Disease ControlKris Holmstrom, IPM Program Associate in Vegetables

11:00 Break

11:15 Updates from the Vegetable IPM ProgramKris Holmstrom, IPM Program Associate in Vegetables

12:15 Lunch

1:00 Industry and Service Provider Updates – FSA, NRCS, Grown in Monmouth, Tri-County Co-op, NJ Vegetable Growers Association

2:00 NJAES Strawberry Production and Breeding ProgramWilliam Hlubik, Agriculture Agent – RCE Middlesex County

2:30 Food Safety and NJ Cottage Food LawMeredith Melendez, Agriculture Agent – RCE Mercer County

3:00 What You Need to Know About the Manure Link ProgramSandra Howland, Research Scientist NJ Dept. of Agriculture

3:30 Effective Weed Management in Vegetable CropsThierry Besancon, Ph.D., Specialist in Weed Science

4:00 Course Evaluation, Pesticide Credits