Upcoming ornamental meetings, webinars, and Boxwood Blight resources

Virtual education opportunities and digital resources update.

Virtual Meetings:

NJLCA – University 2021 (online)

NJNLA – Total Pro (online)

2021 –Rutgers– Central Jersey Turf & Ornamentals Institute (online)

2021 –Rutgers– 30th Anniversary Rutgers Turfgrass Symposium (online)

FREE-Webinars:

HRI tHrive Series (all taught by international experts):

  • Seeing Red? – Problems with and management options for redheaded flea beetles in nurseries
  • International Boxwood Blight Series: Germany – A 15-Year Love-Hate Relationship
  • Plant Benefits or Features – Which Cue is More Effective?

Boxwood Blight Resources

Please contact Timothy J. Waller with any questions: twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

Energy Efficiency Incentives for Indoor Agriculture – Webinar

New Jersey offers a variety of statewide energy efficiency programs that are designed to offer full project development assistance from information on best practices to rebate payments and financing tools.

“Incentives for Indoor Agriculture” webinar will be presented by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 11:00am to 12:00pmEDT. This webinar will discuss how New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program is helping the indoor agriculture industry with state funded incentives and rebates for highly energy efficient technology and money-saving solutions to maximize plant growth potential while reducing utility costs.

Registrations are accepted online by clicking here.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) provides oversight for the NJ Clean Energy Program.

As stewards of our environment, farmers can reinforce their pledge to sustainable agriculture by using renewable energy and help reduce pollution, global warming, and our dependence on imported fuels. Installation of energy efficient equipment, adoption of energy-saving practices and renewable energy generation is a viable option for New Jersey farmers seeking to reduce their operating costs.

For additional information, please call the NJ Department of Agriculture’s Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources at (609) 292-5532 or visit their website.

Reminder: Register for the VGA-Nursery/Ornamental sessions by this Wednesday (2/17) for pesticide credits!

Reminder: register here by Wednesday Feb. 17th for pesticide credits!

Please join us at the NEW- Nursery and Ornamentals Track at this year’s virtual VGA

Nursery/Ornamental track is on Monday, February 22nd 

  • Session I:  9:15 – 11:45am
  • Session II:  1:15 – 3:45pm (pesticide recertification credits acquired: 3 Cat 1A; 4 Cat 3A; 4 Cat 8C; 4 Cat 10; 4 PP2)

Click here for additional pesticide credit requirements and instructions (mandatory steps for recertification credits at VGA)

Price options:

  1. One day pass – $60.00
  2. Full 1yr VGA Membership (access to all four days of sessions 2/22-2/25)- $120

Rutgers is dedicated to protecting your privacy and keeping your personal information safe. Upon upload, your files will be encrypted and stored to Rutgers Connect. Your information will be kept strictly confidential; used solely to meet NJDEP ID verification protocol for recertification credit; and will not be used for any other purpose. Your files will be deleted within 60 days after the training event.

New Nursery and Ornamental Track at the 2021 VGA

Turf/sod producers are now eligible for assistance through CFAP – Deadline 2/26

Turf/sod producers are now eligible for assistance through CFAP – LINK

This is one of several commodities that experienced COVID-19 market disruptions but had not been explicitly included in the initial CFAP 2 rule.

Eligible turfgrass sod producers can now apply for CFAP 2 between January 19 – February 26, 2021

Payments for turfgrass sod will be equal to:

  1. The amount of the producer’s eligible sales in calendar year 2019, plus crop insurance indemnities, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), and Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) payments received for the 2019 crop year, multiplied by
  2. The payment rate for that range.
2019 Sales Range Percent Payment Factor for the Producer’s 2019 Sales of Eligible Commodities Falling in the Range
$0 to $49,999 10.6%
$50,000 to $99,999 9.9%
$100,000 to $499,999 9.7%
$500,000 to $999,999 9.0%
Sales over $1 million 8.8%

Payments for producers who began farming in 2020 and had no sales in 2019 will be based on the producer’s actual 2020 sales as of the producer’s application date.

Example: A producer’s 2019 sales of eligible commodities and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program payments totaled $75,000. The payment is calculated as ($49,999 times 10.6%) plus ($25,001 times 9.9%) equals a total payment of $7,775.

Contact:

  • Eligible turfgrass sod producers can now apply for CFAP by contacting their local USDA Service Center.
  • One-on-one support with applications is also available by calling 877-508-8364.
  • Access all CFAP 2 application resources at farmers.gov/cfap2/apply.

Onboarding for Seasonal Employees Training

Although this training opportunity is New York-based, it will have information that covers topics related to all employers who hire seasonal employees.

Attend a 1.5-hour, on-line program Best Practices for Onboarding Seasonal Workers. Learn the key things you should have in place to be ready to welcome a group of seasonal workers. This program will follow an onboarding guide, Onboarding Seasonal Farm Employees, that was developed by Liz Higgins, CCE Eastern NY Commercial Hort Team, Mark Wiltberger, CCE Lake Ontario Fruit Program, and Richard Stup, CCE Ag Workforce Development. The onboarding guide covers:

-required paperwork and documentation for a new hire, including seasonal, migrant workers
-required trainings (with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable farms) and guides for developing a training plan
-tips for bringing on new employees and having them productive from day 1, especially when you are up to your eyeballs in work!
-tips for creating a welcoming environment where employees feel connected to their workplace and competent on the job.

When you register chose one of four dates:  

January 26 | 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

January 27 | 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

January 28 | 8:00 AM  to 9:30 AM

To register see information in the Morning Ag Clips at https://www.morningagclips.com/onboarding-seasonal-farm-employees/

Ornamental: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP2) deadline 12/11/20

USDA’s Farm Service Agency will accept CFAP 2 applications through December 11, 2020.

Ornamental crop producers (Christmas trees, Floriculture/Cut flowers, Nursery crops, Cactus) are eligible for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2). The CFAP 2 program is open to all of these operations and is based on sales, inventory, acreage or production in the 2019 or 2020 calendar years (depending on the commodity). Applicants do not need to have suffered a loss or provide any supporting documentation at sign up, unless requested.

Click here to start the process or call 877-508-8364 (or local office, links below) to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.

Additional links:

FSA Offices (numbers and locations)

CFAP2 Factsheet