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Seasonal updates on ornamental, nursery, and turf pests.
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Pesticide Applicator or Dealer Storage Inventory with Cover Letter Due May 1st to Fire Department
April is National Sexual Harassment Awareness Month – Farm Workers at Risk
From MorningAgClips.com posting (4/7/22) <https://www.morningagclips.com/free-training-tools-available-to-address-sexual-harassment-of-farmworkers/> from 4/5/22 press release from Equitable Food Initiative <https://equitablefood.org/latest-news/free-training-tools-available-to-address-sexual-harassment-of-farmworkers/>
Free training tools available to address sexual harassment of farmworkers
Equitable Food Initiative supports awareness initiatives during Harassment Prevention Month
WASHINGTON — Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer advocacy groups, has collaborated with Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (PNASH), a part of the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, to support the development of a worksite training and toolkit, ¡Basta! Preventing Sexual Harassment in Agriculture.
April is National Sexual Harassment Awareness and Prevention Month, and EFI is using the time to shine a light on this important topic. Several studies have found that 75%-80% of female farmworkers have experienced sexual harassment at work, compared to 50% in non-agricultural office settings as reported by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The EFI website offers statistics, facts and study citations on harassment at work, links to access the ¡Basta! Preventing Sexual Harassment toolkit, which features videos in both English and Spanish, and educational materials that can be used in workplaces (posters, shareable graphics and a detailed fact sheet). The information and resources can be found at equitablefood.org/harassment, and all are provided free of charge.
“Development of the ¡Basta! toolkit was catalyzed by female farmworkers in Eastern Washington who brought the issue of sexual harassment to PNASH,” explained Dr. Jody Early, a professor at University of Washington who worked on the project. “This is the first program created by and for agricultural stakeholders to address the prevention of sexual harassment, and we tailored it to the needs of Latino/a/x farmworkers, growers and supervisors.”
The PNASH team worked for six years and engaged more than 48 different stakeholders in the development – including farmworkers, grower associations, health care advocates, human rights organizations, state and federal agencies, farmworker rights groups, private businesses and nonprofits like Equitable Food Initiative.
“This can be a difficult topic, but it’s essential that we address it industrywide,” said LeAnne Ruzzamenti, director of marketing communications for EFI. “We know that harassment happens more frequently among farmworkers, we know that it goes unreported, and we know that agriculture workplaces include characteristics that make women more vulnerable to it.”
EFI’s certification program goes beyond a simple audit and introduces workforce development solutions along with training in communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving and collaboration. Third-party evaluation studies have found that the program fosters culture shifts on farms that result in respectful and trusting workplaces where women and indigenous workers report reduced harassment and discrimination.
“EFI’s mission is to improve the lives of farmworkers by bringing everyone in the system together to address the fresh produce industry’s most pressing problems,” Ruzzamenti continued. “I can’t think of a more important goal than creating safer and healthier workplaces through a zero-tolerance approach to harassment.”
About EFI
Equitable Food Initiative is a nonprofit certification and skill-building organization that seeks to increase transparency in the food supply chain and improve the lives of farmworkers through a team-based approach to training and continuous improvement practices. EFI brings together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to solve the most pressing issues facing the fresh produce industry. Its unparalleled approach sets standards for labor practices, food safety and pest management while engaging workers at all levels on the farm to produce Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured® fruits and vegetables. For more information about Equitable Food Initiative, visit equitablefood.org.
View a list of EFI-certified farms at equitablefood.org/farms.
–Equitable Food Initiative
Weed Science Webinar Series
Weed Science Webinar Series
USDA – ARS and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) are co-hosting 10 webinars on weed science and research. Beginning April 5, presentations will be given by ARS weed science research experts.
The webinars will occur every Tuesday from 2-3p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and include an interactive Q&A session.
Weed Science Webinar Series Schedule
April 5
ARS Weed Science: Past, Present, and Future: Steve Duke, Principal Scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi, Steve Young, National Program Leader – Weeds and Invasive Pests, WSSA Representatives and ARS Administrators
Meeting Information:
Zoom Meeting Link
Webinar ID: 831 3320 1055
Passcode: 825921
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Theme I: Tactics
April 12
Integrated Weed Management in Cropping Systems: Marty Williams, Ecologist at the Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit in Urbana, IL
April 19
Non-Crop Systems: Advancements in Weed Biocontrol Tools: Melissa Smith, Research Ecologist at the Invasive Plant Research Laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, FL
April 26
New Technology for Weed Identification and Control: Steven Mirsky, Research Ecologist at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD
Theme II: Mechanisms
May 3
Role of Plant Physiology in Weed-Crop Competition: Dave Horvath, Research Plant Physiologist at the Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in Fargo, ND
May 10
Molecular Basis for Controlling Invasive Plants: Matt Tancos, Research Plant Pathologist at the Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit in Fort Detrick, MD
May 17
Addressing Herbicide Resistance with Alternative Chemistries: Scott Baerson, Molecular Biologist at the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit in Oxford, MS
Theme III: Impacts
May 24
Spread and Distribution of Invasive Plants: John Madsen, Research Biologist at the Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Unit in Albany, CA
May 31
Climate Change Effects on Weeds and Management: Dana Blumenthal, Ecologist at the Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit in Fort Collins, CO
June 7
Restoration for Managing Invasive Plants: Roger Sheley, Ecologist at the Range and Meadow Forage Management Research Unit in Burns, OR
Weather Effects on Plants & Insect-Mite Pests
The old saying that “everyone talks about the weather” is certainly true when it involves landscape plant managers. Professional landscapers/arborists and their clients are always discussing how various weather factors are affecting plants. The New Jersey weather trends can often be variable from one growing season to the next. How do rain, wind and temperature changes impact plants and their corresponding insect/mite pests?
The chart below lists four weather conditions & categorizes how these conditions positively or negatively influence some of the key landscape insect/mite pests.
TABLE: PESTS AFFECTED BY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS (Source: David Shetlar, Ohio State Cooperative Extension)
| “A” Hot-Dry Weather Pests | “B” Cool Weather Pests | “C” Pests Damaged by Excessive Rains | “D” Pests Attracted to Stressed Plants |
|
-Lace Bugs -Scales -Leaf Beetles -Caterpillars -Warm Season Mites
|
-Aphids (some)
-Adelgids -Root Weevils -Cool Season Mites -Eriophyid Mites (some)
|
-Lace Bugs (fungus)
-Aphids/Mites (impact) -Scale Crawlers (impact/wind) -Caterpillars (fungus) -Black Vine Weevils fungus) |
-Aphids (some)
-Scales (some) -Whiteflies -Caterpillars (some) -BORERS!! |
Are you familiar with the federal soil quarantine map, associated pests of concern
During soil testing season, we often get calls about what laboratory to send samples to and what to test for. You may not know that under certain circumstances USDA-APHIS may have a quarantine for a particular plant or animal pest that can be carried in soil, and movement of soil from that region is restricted and requires a permit. This includes all territories of the United States such as Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. APHIS also restricts the movement of domestic soil from areas within the continental United States that are under quarantine for specific plant pests and adjoining countries. For example, currently soil cannot enter the U.S. from Canada if from the following areas of Alberta: A farm unit and associated land located near the municipality of Fort Saskatchewan; and a farm unit and associated land located near the municipality of Spruce Grove; British Colombia: That portion of the municipality of Central Saanich on Vancouver Island, ease of the west Saanich Road; Newfoundland and Labrador: The entire Island of Newfoundland; and Quebec: The municipality of Saint- Amble.
The Federal Domestic Soil Quarantines Map provides an overview of the plant pest quarantines that affect the movement of soil. USDA recently updated their Federal Domestic Soil Quarantine Map on February 10, 2022 which is available as a pdf at:
This map contains a lot of information that is useful for producers, growers and consumers who are purchasing plant materials that may contain soil to be mindful of the presence of significant plant pests of concern that have not yet made it to New Jersey, and to do their part to not bring them here. While many are limited to infestations along the west coast and gulf coast, others are closer to home. For example, the golden nematode is a potato nematode that is quarantined in some parts of western New York State. The pale cyst nematode is another potato nematode of concern that is quarantined from a small area of Idaho and the island of Newfoundland, Canada.
Others like the imported fire ant continue to spread and are now found in hot spots in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Puerto Rico. Quarantine efforts thus far have been able to limit the spread of witchweed to locations in South and North Carolina.
- Various Fruit Flies https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/fruit-flies/fruit-flies-home
- Golden Nematode https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/golden-nematode/nematodes
- Imported Fire Ant https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/imported-fire-ants/ct_imported_fire_ants
- Pale Cyst Nematode https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/nematode/pcn
- Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Death pathogen) https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/phytophthora-ramorum/sod
- Witchweed https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/downloads/witchweed-sites-map.pdf
If you have specific questions about bringing in soil from any of these areas denoted in this USDA soil quarantine map or about these quarantine pests, contact the USDA-APHIS NJ state office, state plant health director at (609) 259-5244 or for more contact information see https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/sphd/new+jersey
NJ Department of Agriculture Issues Burn Permit for Frost Protection – Thru April 5
New Jersey Department of Agriculture has issued a notice concerning open burning due to colder spring overnight temperatures presently forecasted for areas of New Jersey from March 22 through April 5th, 2022, which could adversely affect fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops in bloom or near bloom around the state. For details read below the links.
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…]
