February 16, 2026

South Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting

Venue:         RCE of Gloucester County
               254 County House Rd, Clarksboro, NJ 08020
Date:          March 5, 2026 (Thu)        
Registration:  Pre-registration required. Please call (856) 224 – 8030 or Email: jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us
               $20 per person. Checks only. Payable to Rutgers University.

Pesticide Credits: CORE,PP2, 10, 1A
PROGRAM

08:30 am   Registration and Coffee and pastries
08:50 am   Welcome and Opening Remarks. Hemant Gohil, Rutgers NJAES
09:00 am   Ambrosia Beetle Management in the Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
09:30 am   Woolly Apple Aphid Management in Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
10:00 am   Introducing Dr. Nancy Sharma, new Extension Specialist, Fruit Pathology, Rutgers Uni.

10:15 am   Coffee Break

10:30 am   Industry Updates  
10:45 am   Current Trends in Tree Fruit Pest Management. Janine Spies, Rutgers NJAES
11:15 am   Pesticide Safety Update: Exposure, ​Recordkeeping, and Storage. Kate Brown, Rutgers NJAES.
11:45 pm   From Field to Current – Harnessing Electricity for Sustainable Weed Control. Thierry Besancon, Rutgers NJAES.

12:15 pm   Lunch 

1:00 pm    Mycorrhizae Products that Enhance the Root Systems of Young Apple Trees. Megan Muehlbauer, Rutgers NJAES
1:30 pm    Updates and Recommendations for Scale Management. Anne Nielsen, Rutgers NJAES
2:00 pm    Peach Varieties Comparisons – New and Standard. Hemant Gohil and Daniel Ward, Rutgers NJAES.
2:30 pm    Grower Open Forum and Pesticide recertification credits
           Adjourn 

For questions, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil at 856-418-6538 or email at gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu
Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
February 12, 2026

SAVE THE DATE: Sprayer Equipment Calibration Workshops for Specialty Crop Growers March 24 & 25

 

North Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting

March 24, 2026

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Clifford E. & Melda C. Snyder Research & Extension Farm

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

140 Locust Grove Road

Pittstown, NJ

 

South Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting

March 25, 2026

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center

121 Northville Road

Bridgeton, NJ

 

Agenda, Registration and Pesticide Credits will be announced shortly.

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape
January 8, 2026

NEED PESTCIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS? REGISTER TODAY

4 CORE Credits – Pesticide Safety Workshop

A Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Workshop for Pesticide Applicators to gain CORE Credits towards their license will be held at the NE Agriculture Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City to start of this year’s event. This workshop will take place from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Licensed applicators must accumulate 8 CORE Credits over a 5-year period to maintain their NJDEP Pesticide Applicators License. This workshop will offer 4 CORE Credits. Pre-registration is requested and can be found on the VGANJ website at https://vganj.com“>https://vganj.com. Registration cost is $25 per person and non-refundable. Registration for this workshop is separate from the convention registration and attendees must also register for the expo at https://vganj.com/convention-tickets. The topics include: Pesticide Safety – Personal Protection Equipment for the Pesticide Applicator; Update on US EPA Worker Protection Standards; Storage, Tank Mixing, Tank Cleaning, and Disposal; Pesticide Record Keeping and Notification. For more information contact Bill Bamka (bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu) or Michelle Infante-Casella (minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu).

For the full program (January 20-22nd) of Rutgers Educational Workshops and Sessions that offer more credits and diverse topics, see https://go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: , ,
December 22, 2025

Salem County Pesticide Safety Meeting – February 20, 2026 – Woodstown

Salem County Pesticide Safety Meeting – 2026

When: February 20, 2026
Where: 51 Cheney Rd., Woodstown, NJ

To register for morning, afternoon, or both
856-769-0090
molly.english@salemcountynj.gov

 

Morning Session (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

Credits: CORE: 01, 1A: 02, 1B: 01, 10: 03, PP2: 02

Topic Presenter / Organization
Farmland Preservation in Salem County State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) Staff
Pesticide Safety, Storage, Labels, and Application Raman Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Disease Control in Vegetable Crops Andy Wyenandt, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Early Season Pest Management in No-Till Corn Maria Cramer, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Animal Agricultural Pest Control Hassan Warriach, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
USDA Program Updates USDA – NRCS / FSA Staff

 

Afternoon Session (1:00 PM – 4:30 PM)

Credits: 1A: 03, 10: 03, PP2: 03

 

Topic Presenter / Organization
Weed Control in Pastures and Forages Matthew Elmore, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Corn Fertility for Yield and Quality Raman Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Commodity Market Outlook Nathaniel Bruce, Delaware Cooperative Extension
Agricultural Safety and Emergency Response Robert DiGregorio, Salem County Sheriff’s Office
Agrivoltaics Dan Ward, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Forage Quality of Hay and Silage Tess Stahl, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

 

Click to access 2026_Salem_Pesticide_Meeeting_2026_February.pdf

Filed Under: Uncategorized
September 2, 2025

Updates from EPA for Pesticide Users on How to Navigate Mitigation Measures to Protect Endangered Species

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of an online tool to help farmers and applicators implement mitigation measures to protect endangered species from pesticides. The mitigation measures were established to reduce exposure from pesticides for nontarget organisms as listed under the Endangered Species Act. Levels of mitigation that are required on pesticide labels can include mitigations for spray drift, runoff, and buffer zones. In April 2025, EPA released a mitigation menu website that includes information on these measures and how to calculate if a pesticide user has incorporated the number of “points” associated with the mitigation measures required by the pesticide labelling. It is the responsibility of the pesticide user to ensure that all pesticide labelling requirements are met, and requirements will vary among labels and products used.

The new tool released by EPA, the Pesticide App for Label Mitigations (PALM) is a mobile application that helps farmers and pesticide users use the EPA’s mitigation menu and stay compliant when applying pesticides for agricultural crop uses. The tool will combine relevant information and calculations needed to help farmers determine whether the necessary level of mitigation has been met before applying a pesticide.

If you are interested in learning more about the mitigation menu and available tools, the EPA will be hosting a public webinar on September 16th at 2 PM Eastern Time. Register here for the webinar.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape
August 28, 2025 , and

Fruit IPM Report August 26 2025

Peach:

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): Overall, OFM trap captures have been low and treatments should be over for the third generation flight statewide. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 6 moths per trap.

Scale Insects: Scale crawler emergence is past peak and declining. White Peach scale has a third generation in September and San Jose scale may have a third generation in October. Options at this point include Group 4A products labelled for scale including Assail, and the bioinsecticide Venerate. Venerate has a 0-day PHI, making it useful for blocks near or at harvest (Figure 1).

Figure 1. San Jose scale on apple.

Lesser Peachtree Borer (LPTB) and Peachtree Borer (PTB): Trap counts for borers have been high at several farms this season throughout the state (Figure 2). Where mating disruption is not being used, trunk sprays using pyrethroids can be applied early to mid-September followed by an additional application in mid to late September. Since this would be a labor intensive practice it would be most efficient to give priority to younger and most productive orchards. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production for effective materials and rates.

Figure 2. Lesser peachtree borer adult.

Apples and Pears:

Summer Diseases: Disease control is over for Early season apple varieties. Mid to late season varieties will need further applications on a two-week schedule until mid-September for sooty blotch and fly speck. See the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (BMSB): Brown Marmorated Stink bug and native stinkbug populations have been low this season, although we have seen an increase in trap captures at some farms. If stinkbugs are a concern for your orchard, see the NJ Tree Fruit Production guide for effective materials.

Codling Moth (CM): Most orchards have very low CM pressure. Additional treatments should be made if trap captures are over 5 moths/trap.

Phenology Table: Based on annual observations made in Gloucester County.

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2025 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven/PF-17)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 30
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 30
Pink Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 4 +/- 15 Days April 1
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days April 5
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven/PF-17) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 10
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 16
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 25
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 19
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days May 2
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days April 26
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days June 15

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Southern Counties

Week Ending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/5/2025 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4/12/2025 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0
4/21/2025 0 0 0 0 36 0 1 0 0 0
4/27/2025 25 0 0 0 24 0 5 0 1 0
5/2/2025 517 0 4 0 12 0 6 0 13 0
5/9/2025 159 4 10 0 3 16 5 4 46 0
5/16/2025 91 11 6 0 1 36 2 14 69 0
5/23/2025 299 21 3 0 1 23 1 26 23 0
5/30/2025 399 14 2 0 0 41 1 11 10 3
6/6/2025 733 13 1 0 0 36 2 12 29 1
6/13/2025 684 19 2 1 0 81 2 17 22 8
6/20/2025 724 24 2 0.5 1 60 1 23 19 12
6/27/2025 932 5 1 0.8 1 40 0 5 24 14
7/4/2025 643 0 0 0.75 1 17 0 0 6 16
7/11/2025 194 0 0 0.5 0 18 8 0 24 15
7/18/2025 190 0 0 1 0 16 2 1 5 12
7/25/2025 222 2 1 1.6 0 16 1 2 12 21
8/1/2025 450 1 0 2 1 24 2 1 21 18
8/8/2025 523 2 1 2 0 35 5 2 30 19
8/15/2025 595 1 0 2 0 37 1 2 32 15
8/22/2025 125 5 0 3.75 1 49 4 4 40 14

Tree Fruit Trap Captures – Northern Counties

Week Ending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB AMBROSIA BEETLE
4/5/2025 387 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4/21/2025 435 0 0 0 0 0 1.3 0 0 0 0
4/27/2025 26 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 72
5/2/2025 86 0 0.33 0 72.5 0 47.2 0 0 0 136
5/9/2025 56 0 5.3 0 58.8 0 22.9 0 0 0 145
5/16/2025 13.75 2.6 7.3 0 4 0 5 0 0 0 50.5
5/23/2025 4.8 10.3 10.5 0 0.6 31.25 4.2 0 14.6 1 22.2
5/30/2025 2.2 4.8 1.8 0 0 12.4 9.6 0 9.6 1.9 22.1
6/6/2025 3 4.83 2.8 0.25 0 20 4.1 0 21.2 1.8 40.3
6/13/2025 65 20 11.4 0.6 0 12.3 4 0 10.5 1.5 59.2
6/20/2025 26 26 8 0.75 1 13 4.5 0 11 0.75 52
6/27/2025 145 19 6 1.3 6 35 5.4 0 16 1.6 38
7/4/2025 212 6 3 0.6 12.5 40 2 0 8.4 1.1 27
7/11/2025 125 2.5 0.5 0.14 5 41 3 0 20 4.5 48
7/18/2025 64 0.5 0.4 0.16 2 42 2 0 8.4 1.9 64
7/25/2025 110.5 0.4 2.3 0.24 7.5 44 4 0 6.8 12.2 69
8/1/2025 132 0.5 2.8 0.4 5.7 42.5 2.9 0 8 6.2 71.5
8/8/2025 157 1.9 0.6 0.41 6 27.8 8.3 0 10.8 5.5 78
8/15/2025 36.8 2 2.6 0.3 2.9 25.8 2 0 11.6 4.8 24
8/22/2025 25 6 1.4 0.05 1.6 40.4 7 0 18 4.8 67.6

Grape

Figure 3. Sour rot of grapes.

Disease management continues to focus on downy and powdery mildew and also bunch rots (Figure 3).

Downy mildew has been particularly prevalent this season in vineyards throughout the state. Refer to the NJ Commercial Grape Production Guide for information on control.

Figure 4. Spotted lanternfly on grapevine.

Grape Berry Moth: The timing for the third generation is past. In some hot summers a fourth generation may occur, however no further treatments should be needed, especially where insecticides are being applied for Spotted lanternfly and Spotted-wing drosophila.

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF): SLF adults are now appearing in vineyards in low numbers mostly on vineyard edges (Figure 4). As we move into September adult migration will increase and at that point growers should apply materials with long residual efficacy. More information on biology and control can be found from Penn State.

 

Blueberry

As we look to postharvest management in blueberries, the focus is on sharp-nosed leafhopper, scales, black shadow, and fall weed management. Sharp-nosed leafhopper and scale crawler numbers remain low but will continue to be monitored into September.

For weekly reports on blueberry pests and recommendations read the Rutgers Blueberry Bulletin.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Uncategorized, Wine Grape