August 17, 2026

Farmer Health and Wellness Services Available for Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Atlantic Counties

Could your farm or a local agricultural event benefit from free health and wellness services? The Pinelands Alliance, in partnership with NOFA-NJ and Virtua Health, was awarded a SARE grant entitled “Mobilizing for Farmer Wellness” which aims to bring health screenings and education to farmers and farmworkers in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Atlantic Counties.

The following health and wellness services could be provided at individual farms or at community events. If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact Annie Preston from the Pinelands Alliance at annie@pinelandsalliance.org or 301-675-0729.

Virtua Health Services (need 30 to 60 days advance notice)

  • Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store and Mobile Farmers Market – accepts SNAP, sometimes can be a free produce giveaway
  • Mobile Pediatric Screening Units: Screenings for children 6 and under: vision, hearing, dental, developmental; School and sports physicals for birth -12th grade; Flu vaccinations for all ages, including adults; Blood lead level screening for children under 6 and pregnant or lactating people
  • Women’s Cancer Screening for insured and uninsured patients – need a minimum of 15 people to pre-register
  • Cancer education
  • Stop the Bleed First Aid and Tourniquet Trainings (class for up to 24 people at a time)
  • Dietitians and nutrition educators
  • Blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1c screenings (A1c needs temperature-controlled environment).
  • Health Education and Stress First Aid
  • Speakers representing a variety of medical specialties (subject to availability)

 Cherry Hill Free Clinic (need 2 weeks advance notice)

  • Men’s Cancer Screenings
  • Hepatology
  • Diabetes care
  • Vaccines (Gardasil, pneumovax, Shingrix).
  • 20 medical specialties (subject to availability)
  • Patients can use their Uber business account to book rides to the clinic, lab, and imaging appointments
  • Remote patient monitoring including at-home glucometer kits, BP cuffs, and blood glucose implants. Good for up to 2 weeks before changed out.
  • Vaccines (Gardasil, pneumovax, Shingrix).
  • They can bring a Doctor/nurse practitioner who can write a prescription for meds on site.
Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
July 24, 2026

Rutgers Ornamental IPM Webinar Featuring Guest Speaker Joe Boggs

Join us for the next session of the 2026 Rutgers Ornamental IPM Webinar Series

Tuesday, July 28th 12pm to 1pm.

The Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program hosts free live webinars on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from April through September.

The next session will feature Live IPM Updates for Green Industry Professionals and a presentation by Joe Boggs, Assistant Professor at Ohio State University Extension, on Taking Pictures for Insect Identification. https://bygl.osu.edu/node/51

All webinars are recorded and the slideshows can be downloaded for reference.

Here is the link for the recording of our last session on 7/14/26 featuring Live Pest Updates and a presentation by Paul Kurtz from NJDA speaking on Oak Diseases https://rutgers.zoom.us/rec/share/g7qt5jzed2o-vMK7YBT80vNTrlBStZ5XBFRce0GHEKyFIcvivtVDTNcKE1Diw0A-.IDvT98ltArj5T72O

Passcode: bq4UzSs#

The printable slides can be accessed here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/furqrefl

Or by scanning this QR code:

 

Visit the Rutgers Nursery IPM Website to sign up for this free program if you are not already enrolled: https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/

Please keep sending us your insect/disease photos and communicating what you are seeing in the field. We appreciate it and it helps everyone out!

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , ,
June 10, 2026

Box Tree Moth CONFIRMED in Cape May, NJ

Cape May County NJ, with inset of Rio Grande (township)
Cape May County NJ, with inset of Rio Grande (township)

Box tree moth (BTM) has been confirmed in Cape May County, NJ.

An official NJDA press-release expected within days – this PPA post has no legal bearing. 
  • What is happening:
  • Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) has been reported and Federally confirmed in the area of Rio Grande, Cape May County.
  • USDA and NJDA have established a monitoring zone surrounding the infestation.
  • A quarantine will be established for all of Cape May County, NJ.
  • The quarantine will apply to ANYONE moving boxwoods out of Cape May County
  • NJDA has an official reporting tool and website for BTM
  • If you see this pest 1) Report it, 2) Eradicate it, 3) remove it (if applicable) following guidelines

 

 

 

Please click the read more tab below for important information
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
May 28, 2026

Scale crawlers, updated 2026 scouting guide, IPM webinars, Box tree moth

Educational Resource Update: 

Stay informed

  • Sign up for the 2026 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program – click here to sign up
  • Program is free, but registration is required – Registration includes:
    • Site visit to your ornamental nursery/farm from Rutgers agents
    • Delivered printed IPM resources (Guides, factsheets, bulletins)
    • Free pheromone & sticky trap kit + guidance on setup/monitoring (for commercial nursery/greenhouse and Christmas tree farms)
    • Access to live bi-weekly webinars (Zoom)
    • (Next session – TUESDAY 6/9 @ 12PM) – Guest Speaker Dr. Richard Cowles – Connecticut Ag Exp. Station – Scale Management 
    • Every Second and Fourth, Tuesday, April through September
  • Visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website (click here) for updated webinar videos.

Scale crawler emergence predictions throughout NJ. 

Now is an excellent time to be scouting for crawler emergence using double sided (or doubled over – sticky side out) tape. Targeting scale insects is most successful during their crawler periods, however this should be visually confirmed for greatest efficacy. For more information on installing this type of IPM trap and others please see – Setting up and deploying IPM traps – Tutorial Video 2026 (click here).

Common Name GDD RANGE Target Stage SOUTH – Upper Deerfield (NJ50) CENTRAL – Howell (NJ10) NORTH – Randolph NJ (AU137)
MIN MAX START STOP START STOP START STOP
Cottony camellia / taxus scale (soft) 520 – Crawlers (only) 17-May – 20-May – 18-May –
Euonymus scale 533 820 Crawlers (Gen 1) 18-May 3-Jun 21-May 8-Jun 18-May 7-Jun
*Cryptomeria scale 600 800 Crawlers (Gen 1) 20-May 2-Jun 27-May 7-Jun 24-May 6-Jun
*Sprucebud scale (soft) 700 1150 Crawlers (only) 27-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
White prunicola scale 707 1151 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
*Juniper scale 707 1260 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
Calico scale (soft) 714 – Crawlers (only) 28-May – 2-Jun – 31-May –
Striped pine scale (soft) 750 800 Crawlers (only) 30-May 2-Jun 4-Jun 7-Jun 2-Jun 6-Jun
Oak lecanium scale (soft) 789 – Crawlers (only) 1-Jun – 6-Jun – 5-Jun –
Cottony maple leaf scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Cottony maple scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Golden oak scale (Pit) 802 1266 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Japanese maple scale 829 – Crawlers (Gen 1) 3-Jun – 9-Jun – 7-Jun –
European elm scale (soft) 831 1388 Crawlers (only) 4-Jun 27-Jun 9-Jun 4-Jul 8-Jun 6-Jul
European fruit lecanium scale (soft) 932 1645 Crawlers (only) 9-Jun 7-Jul 14-Jun 14-Jul 14-Jun 17-Jul

*Conifer / Christmas Tree scales

Please visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website – Pest and Disease Index (click here) for more detailed information on specific scale species management and pesticide considerations.

Box tree moth – stay vigilant looking for this pest

Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is alive and well in MD, DE, VA, WV, NY, OH, MI, MA. Please report this pest to twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

If this pest does make its way into New Jersey, and quarantines are established, nurseries will be required to comply with a federal compliance agreement if shipping out of potential quarantine areas. Please review this document if boxwoods are an important crop for you. Compliance Agreement for Production Nurseries in BTM Regulated Nurseries (click here)

Box tree moth caterpillars. Photo credit: USDA.

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
April 16, 2026

Farm Safety Needs Assessment Closing May 1

The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group is conducting a survey to evaluate the priority needs of New Jersey farmers for training and resource development related to safety and health.  As a New Jersey farmer, you are invited to complete this survey by Friday, May 1, 2026. Click here to access the survey and learn more.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
March 30, 2026

Salem County Agronomy Twilight Meeting-1 (May 1, 2026)

SALEM COUNTY AGRONOMY TWILIGHT MEETING-1

Date & Time: May 1, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
(Program starts at 5:00 PM; please arrive a few minutes early)

Location: Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office, 51 Cheney Rd., Woodstown, NJ 08098

Registration:
Call: 856-769-0090
Email: molly.english@salemcountynj.gov

Credits Applied For:

  • CORE: Basic Safety and Handling
  • 1A: Agricultural Plant
  • 10: Demonstration / Research
  • PP2: Private Applicator
  • 11: Animal (Livestock) Pest Control

Topics & Speakers:

  • The 3R’s of Pesticide Use: Resistance, Rotation, and Regulation
    Speaker: Janine Spies, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
  • The Endangered Species Act Changes to Pesticide Labels
    Speaker: William J. Bamka, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
  • Nitrogen from Air to Soil using Sunlight
    Speaker: Joseph R. Heckman, Rutgers University
  • Agronomist’s Field Guide to Drought Resilience
    Speaker: Ramandeep Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Nursery, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape