December 15, 2025 , , and

Food Safety Modernization Act: Produce Safety Rule Training

When: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 10:00-5:00 EST.

Where: Northeast Agricultural Expo (New Jersey Vegetable Growers Convention) at Harrah’s Waterfront, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ.

To sign up: https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/fsmaac/

Online ticket Sales end on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Registration after January 13, or in-person registration at the conference, must be paid by check.

Who Should Attend

  • Fruit Growers
  • Vegetable Growers
  • Growers who have farms that fall under the PSR
  • Growers who have farms that don’t fall under the rule but will in the future

 Benefits of Attending the Workshop

Individuals who participate in this course will gain a basic understanding of:

  • Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them
  • Fulfills the requirement for at least one supervisor from a farm to complete food safety training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA
  • Microorganisms relevant to produce safety
  • Where microorganisms may be found on the farm
  • How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm
  • Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one
  • Cleaning and Sanitizing

What to Expect at the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene and Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals and Land Use
  • Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
  • Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

After attending the entire course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate survey to their trainer at the end of the course.

Does your farm fall under the FSMA PSR? Find out at the link below.
https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4IagP1mbPyrp42N

 

 

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
November 5, 2025 , , and

Two-day online Food Safety Modernization Act: Produce Safety Rule Training: December 9 and 10

The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

You’ll need to attend both days to receive a certificate, and you must always have a camera on during the training according to the Produce Safety Alliance Online Training Policies.

For more information and to sign up go to: Our Trainings – Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety [onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu] Registration closes November 14th.

Not sure if your farm falls under the Produce Safety Rule: Take this survey to find out: https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4IagP1mbPyrp42N [rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com]

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
October 27, 2025

South Jersey Farmers – Stop the Bleed Training – February 2, 2026

STOP THE BLEED TRAINING
FOR FARMERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
REGISTRATION REQUIRED – NO COST

REGISTER USING THIS LINK OR QR CODE:
https://go.rutgers.edu/stopthebleed


DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 TIME: 9:00AM
LOCATION: GLOUCESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
1200 N. DELSEA DR., CLAYTON, NJ

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’ Farm Health and Safety Team has partnered with the Gloucester County Emergency Services to provide “Stop the Bleed” training for the farming community.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the life-saving skills of pressure application, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. The first 25 registrants will also receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Space is limited, register today.

If you have questions contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County 856-224-8040 ext. 1 or email minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu

Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team:
Agricultural Agents: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, William Bamka, and Stephen Komar

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, training, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
September 18, 2025

Webinar on Monday 9/22/26 from 12-1PM: Farm Equipment Hits the Highway: Growing Risks and Smarter Solutions

According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations. This is due to the varied number of agricultural risks encountered by farmers and farm workers. Recent events in New Jersey have brought up concerns about farm equipment on public roads.

On Monday, September 22nd from 12:00PM-1:00PM EST, there will be a webinar on
“Farm Equipment Hits the Highway: Growing Risks and Smarter Solutions”

Summary: Tractors and other large ag machines are spending more time on public roads than ever before. As farms expand and equipment grows in size, the risks on rural roadways continue to rise, not just for farmers but for the entire motoring public. This session will explore how design solutions, especially those connected to lighting and marking design standards, reduce collision risk. We’ll unpack crash data, examine discrepancies between federal and state requirements, and highlight recent NHTSA regulations that focus national attention on these issues. We’ll also explore new risks associated with trailering, longer transport routes, and the safety implications of the accelerating shift toward autonomous and robotic machinery.

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Describe how changes in farm size, equipment design, and changes in rural communities contribute to increased roadway travel and higher collision risk.

*Explain the purpose and impact of consensus design standards and how alignment (or misalignment) with state regulations can influence roadway safety outcomes.

*Identify new roadway safety concerns tied to equipment trailering, larger machines, and longer travel distances across spread-out farm operations.

*Assess how automation and robotics in agriculture will introduce both new risks and promising safety solutions—and how policy, like California’s current occupational safety tractor rules, will shape their future use.

Intended audience: Farmers, policymakers, extension educators, engineers from equipment companies, law enforcement, clinicians, health professionals, agricultural association leaders, agribusiness professionals, insurance loss control/underwriters, vo-ag instructors, machinery dealers

Meet the Presenter: Dr. John Shutske, Agricultural Safety & Health Specialist and Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Register by first creating a free account on https://learning.agrisafe.org/register
And then using this link to register for the free webinar: https://learning.agrisafe.org/products/farm-equipment-hits-the-highway-growing-risks-and-smarter-solutions

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, training, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
August 15, 2025 , , and

Don’t Forget Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training Available

This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on their farms.

For 2025:

  • Application is due between January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026
  • Eligible expenses must be between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025

Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) by working directly with the Farm Service Agency offices at your local FSA office for details. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.

How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works

The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in 2025. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements.  FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.

Program Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for FSCSC applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your FSCSC application.

To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:

  • Have obtained or renewed: 2025 food safety certification issued during the calendar year.
  • Be a specialty crop operation (growing fresh fruits and vegetables); and meet the definition of a small business or medium size business.
  • A small (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000.
  • A medium (farm) business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
Category of Eligible Expenses Payment Amount of Eligible Costs
Developing a Food Safety Plan for First Time Certification                      75% (no maximum)
Maintaining or Updating a Food Safety Plan                      75% up to $675
Food Safety Certification                      75% up to $2,000
Certification Upload Fees                      75% up to $375
Microbiological Testing of Produce                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Soil Amendments                      75% up to 5 tests
Microbiological Testing of Water                      75% up to 5 tests
Training Expenses                      100% up to $500

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts.  The FSCSC application and associated forms are available online at  farmers.gov/food-safety.

You are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency office about FSCSC, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.

For food safety resources, information on the Food Safety Modernization Act and third party audits go to Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, training, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
July 15, 2025

Rutgers to Host Afternoon Cover Crops Field Day – August 5

Rutgers Cover Crops Field Day
*The program may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather*
Date: August 5, 2025
Time: 3:00PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Snyder Research Farm, 140 Locust Grove Rd, Pittstown, NJ 08867

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:

Please register by calling RCE of Sussex County: 973-948-3040
*First 20 registrants will receive a FREE copy of the USDA SARE book: “Managing Cover Crops Profitably”

This event will highlight several cover crop research projects and foster discussion and networking on drone use in agriculture and cover crop management.
Please join us for this summer event. 

We will also discuss an upcoming drone pilot certification training we will be hosting this winter.

3:00 PM Registration and Welcome – Stephen Komar, ANR Agent /Rutgers SARE Coordinator
3:15 PM Go to the Field – Calibrating a Drone for Agricultural Applications – Adam Kyle, Warren Co. Com. College, Teaching Administrator, Precision Agriculture, Stephen Komar
4:00 PM Summer Cover Crop Planting Comparison: Drone vs. Drill – Bill Bamka, ANR Agent
4:30 PM Row Middle Cover Crops vs Herbicides for Weed Management in Vegetable Culture – Kate Brown, ANR Agent
RC&D Cover Crop Programs- Laura Tessieri, Executive Director, North Jersey RC&D
Drone Seeding Cover Crops into Pumpkins – Peter Nitzsche, ANR Agent
5:30 PM Update on Worker Protection Standards and Pesticide Recordkeeping – Michelle Infante-Casella, ANR Agent
6:00 PM Pesticide Credits and Adjourn

This event is sponsored by a grant awarded to Stephen Komar (Principal Investigator), Michelle Infante-Casella, and William Bamka Agricultural Agents/Professors, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, by the USDA, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Professional Development Program.

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,