The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey, beginning in January 2021. First conducted in 2015, this Census of Agriculture special study will look at local and regional food systems and provide new data on how locally grown and sold foods in the United States are marketed. The results will be available in November 2021. [Read more…]
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.
December 30, 2020 Nick Polanin
USDA Extends Crop Insurance Flexibilities Amid Continuing COVID-19 Pandemic
Through today’s announcement, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is extending crop insurance flexibilities for producers amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, relief provided for electronic notifications and signatures is extended through July 15, 2021; organic certification, replant self-certification and assignment of indemnity are extended through June 30, 2021. [Read more…]
November 5, 2020 Michelle Infante-Casella
Soil Health Webinars Featuring Dr. James White Rutgers University Plant Pathology Professor, November 17th and 18th
You may have seen this information in the November 5th “Morning Ag Clips” edition. If not, please see this information being reposted here about webinars on soil health being held on November 17th and 18th.
Healthy soil is within the reach of every farm and ranching operation. The principles that govern healthy, productive soils are simple: nourish, build and leverage the soil microbiome—work with nature instead of against it.
Exemplifying the belief that soil health is an opportunity and responsibility for every farm, Heliae® Agriculture has announced a virtual 2-day educational event: Rethinking Soil Productivity, to showcase soil health opportunities that farms in every geography, of all scope and scale, can take advantage of.
The live webinar experience will kick-off on November 17th at 11 a.m. eastern standard time with an in-depth discussion with renowned Rutgers University plant pathology professor, Dr. James White, who will be joined by Heliae Chief Revenue Officer, Norm Davy and Vice President of Agriculture Science, Dr. Karl Wyant. The trio will explore the soil’s microbiome through discussion and the examination of Dr. White’s research on the Rhizophagy Cycle. The session promises to offer insight into the newly discovered process of a plant’s ability to “farm” the beneficial microbes it needs and fundamental management strategies that can be implemented within any production model.
Day 2 on November, 18th, brings the Heliae® Agriculture science, research and sales team together in a discussion that focuses on the creation of a healthy soil biome. Here, the team will take a deeper look at the multitude of benefits that come from working with nature rather than against it, sharing the timeline of the PhycoTerra team’s research and discovery, and the efficacy and return on investment a regenerative approach brings to any farming operation. Both sessions will feature a dedicated live Q&A segment to allow viewers to submit questions to the panels of professionals for real-time answers, and will offer participants the opportunity to earn four Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) continuing education units (CEUs) in the following areas:
Approved CEUs (4 Total)
Nutrient Management: 1
Soil and Water Management: 1
Crop Management: 1
Professional Development: 1
Each day will also feature breakout sessions that focus on showcasing regional PhycoTerra® trial results. Breakout sessions will be hosted and presented by the Heliae® Agriculture team with live Q&A provided for every session.
Sessions will include:
NOVEMBER 17TH:
Florida & Georgia – Berries, Leafy Greens & Potatoes
•Time: 2:00 PM EST
Canada – Wheat & Canola
•Time: 3:00 PM EST
Midwest – Corn & Beans
•Time: 4:00 PM EST
NOVEMBER 18TH:
Spanish Speaking
•Time: 2:00 PM EST
Pacific Northwest – Potatoes & Wheat
•Time: 3:00 PM EST
Arizona & California – Strawberries, Almonds & Leafy Greens
•Time: 4:00 PM EST
For more information on the 2-Day Webinar experience: Rethinking Soil Productivity or to register visit: https://bit.ly/3euoMnW
October 13, 2020 Michelle Infante-Casella
Fall “Ask the Ag Agent” Discussion Forum Wednesday, 10/14 at 7:00PM
Farmers and others are welcome to join this bi-weekly teleconference every-other Wednesday night from 7:00pm-8:00pm in October. The 10/14/20 webinar/call in event is the 3rd of 4 events. The last webinar in this series will be on October 28th. Events are hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agents working with the farming industry.
This call-in or WebEx webinar event features updates on farm management, crop conditions, farm industry observations, agricultural agency programs and other topics discussed by farmers, agricultural agents and other agricultural service providers.
Some topics for this Wednesday include:
1. Status of the New Jersey Vegetable Growers Convention in 2021
2. Fall Season Updates
Hosted by Agricultural Agents Bill Bamka, Stephen Komar, Michelle Infante-Casella and Meredith Melendez, this bi-weekly communication provides a forum for discussion for farmers and all involved in NJ agriculture, including agricultural agency personnel, non-profit organizations and others.
To join the “Ask the Ag Agent” forum each week on a computer/tablet/smartphone via the WebEx Videoconference
Click Here to Join or use the link https://go.rutgers.edu/g4v4gy0x
To Join by phone call:
+1-650-429-3300 passcode 1202639477##
For this event and other Rutgers Cooperative Extension events see the NJAES Calendar.
October 7, 2020 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Vegetable IPM Update 10/07/20
Note: This will be the final regular edition of the Vegetable IPM Update for 2020. We will post alerts should special pest situations arise.
Sweet Corn
Corn earworm (CEW) moth captures continue to decline, although with temporary increases on warm nights. Growers should consider this pest to still be at moderate population levels in the state, with higher risk during stretches of warmer nights. The current population poses a threat to silking corn. Blue areas on this map (see map at left) represent a 4-5-day spray schedule. The low catches in the southern county blacklight traps are contradicted somewhat by the pheromone trap network. For further information on CEW activity, see pheromone trap information below.
The highest nightly trap catches of CEW in black light traps for the week ending 10/07/20 are as follows:
| Crosswicks 3 | Califon 1 | Green Creek 1 |
| Hackettstown 2 | Clinton 1 | Milford 1 |
| Sergeantsville 2 | Eldora 1 | Milltown 1 |
| Bellemeade 1 | Georgetown 1 | Oldwick 1 |
September 30, 2020 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Vegetable IPM Update 9/30/20 -New CEW Map
Attention: Please refer to this updated CEW pheromone map for the weekending 9/30/20. We were able to procure some late data from traps in the southwestern portion of the state. These indicate a significant influx of CEW moths on the recent storm system. At this time, these migratory individuals appear to be limited to southwestern NJ
(see CEW pheromone map at left). The blacklight network is still indicating a 3-day silk spray schedule in the northern counties, while the pheromone network is at 5-6 day. In the south, the pheromone map is now indicating a 3 day spray schedule. Under cold night conditions, it is possible to adhere to a more relaxed schedule, but growers should tighten up by a day if we return to warmer nights. The number of pheromone traps deployed is much lower, resulting in much broader color bands on the map. Additionally, several of the northern pheromone trap sites no longer have silking corn nearby. This influences the catch, resulting in fewer moths captured. The current population continues to be an economic threat. It is important to use effective materials to manage this pest on silking corn. Insecticides in the IRAC 28 class (Coragen, Besiege, Exirel) and IRAC 5 (Radiant, Blackhawk, Entrust (OMRI approved)) remain among the most useful insecticides against CEW.
The highest nightly trap catches of CEW in pheromone traps for the week ending 9/30/20 are as follows:
| Monroeville 180 | Pedricktown 20 | Springdale 7 |
| Woodstown 150 | Eldora 12 | South Branch 2 |
| Green Creek 31 | Berlin 10 | Allamuchy 1 |
Silking Spray Schedules*:
South – 3 days
Central – 3-4 days
North – 4-5 days
*These recommendations are based on regional catches. Adhere to tighter spray schedules if indicated by local trap catches. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn, or for fall armyworm (FAW) management at any stage. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
