Webinar: Incorporating Classes into Your Agritourism Business

Thursday March 23, 2023 12-1pm Eastern Time

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is partnering on a regional project with other New England Land Grant Universities to offer webinars related to agritourism in the northeast.

Join our speakers for Incorporating Classes into Your Agritourism Business, where they will share their experiences with offering, hosting, and teaching classes. As farm and food business owners, you are experts in your craft and likely face endless questions from customers and the public. Why not use this as an opportunity to offer classes, enabling your customers or the public to learn from your expertise? Classes can be tailored to a variety of topics and activities.

Susan Rigg is the owner of and cheesemaker at Whey River Creamery. Susan offers both introductory and advanced hands-on cheesemaking classes. Michele Capron is the co-owner of Lavender Essentials of Vermont. She offers numerous classes, including lavender wreath creations, cooking with lavender, native tea blending, herb garden, and make it – take it. Deb Hartshorn owns White Picket Farm LLC, offering a variety of class experiences, including soap making, creating terrariums, succulent bowls, and more!

To register go to: https://extension.psu.edu/incorporating-classes-into-your-agritourism-business

This webinar is free, but registration is required. You will need to create an account with Penn State Extension to register for this webinar.

December Prices Received by Farmers Data

The ‘December Prices Received by Farmers’ section of the USDA NASS Agriculture Prices publication contains useful price-margins-costs of production forecasting information for producers.

The report highlights prices received by farmers for principal crops, livestock and livestock products; indexes of prices received by farmers; feed price ratios; indexes of prices paid by farmers; and parity prices. Historical data covering years 1910-60 reported in 1962 publication.

To access the December report go to: https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/c821gj76b/gx41nx339/2b88rs02s/agpr0123.txt

Future reports will be released on: Upcoming releases:Feb 28 2023 3:00 PM. Mar 31 2023 3:00 PM. Apr 28 2023 3:00 PM. May 31 2023 3:00 PM. Jun 30 2023 3:00 PM. Jul 28 2023 3:00 PM. Aug 31 2023 3:00 PM. Sep 29 2023 3:00 PM. Oct 31 2023 3:00 PM. Nov 30 2023 3:00 PM. Dec 29 2023 3:00 PM.


Poultry Owners. Letter from State Veterinarian. HiPath Avian Influenza Reporting

February 10, 2023.

Amar Patil DVM, MVSc, PhD, Diplomate ACVM,
State Veterinarian / Director, New Jersey Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health reminds NJ poultry owners on the continued presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza circulating in the country. The updated letter highlights information on symptoms, detection, and mandatory reporting of bird mortality. Letter can be found at: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ah/

Or:

Click to access 2023%20HPAI%20Letter%20to%20Poultry%20Owners_Feb.pdf

 

South Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting Program

Date:                           March 1, 2023 (Wed)
Location:                    Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 121 Northville Road, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Pre-Registration:       Required, by February 28th Contact: (856) 224 – 8030 or Email: jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us
Registration fee        $20.00 (Checks preferred, made out to Rutgers University). Lunch, Coffee and Pastries Included
Pesticide Credits:      Requested for – CORE, PP2, 10, 1A [Read more…]

Recent Agriculture Bills Passed in NJ Senate and Other News

Bill A1929 Aca (1R)
Session 2022 – 2023 – signed in to Law, September 22, 2022.
“Directs Department of Agriculture to establish New Jersey Minority, Women, and Underserved Farmer Registry.”

For more information see: https://njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/A1929

For a synopsis of this bill see, https://wrnjradio.com/bill-assisting-minority-women-farmers-signed-into-law/

 

Bill A285. Session 2022 – 2023. ASSEMBLY, No. 285. Establishes “New Farmers Improvement Grant Program” to provide matching grants for farm improvements to beginning farmers.

For more information see, https://njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/A285/bill-text?f=A0500&n=285_I1

For a synopsis of this bill see https://wrnjradio.com/committee-clears-bill-that-will-create-grant-opportunities-for-new-farmers/

 

Other Bills of interest to New Jersey Farmers. Bill Text: NJ S757. “Authorizes special occasion events at certain commercial farms on preserved farmland, under certain conditions.” https://legiscan.com/NJ/text/S757/id/2608677.

For more on this bill and it’s implications, from the Secretary of Agriculture. “Please click the video below to hear from Secretary Douglas H. Fisher regarding an important bill, S757/A2772, which will allow additional, nonagricultural special occasion event to be held NOT JUST on preserved farm wineries – but on ALL preserved farms.”- January 13, 2023. Secretary of Agriculture.

 

Women farmers. For additional resources on agriculture business, finance, market, and biosecurity planning, see the late registration option for Annie’s Project. The next session is Wednesday, January 18th. Contact the project coordinator for late registation options via the instructions in: https://sites.rutgers.edu/annies-project/wp-content/uploads/sites/753/2023/01/Poster_2023_AnniesProject_Online.pdf

Pennsylvania Advises PA Poultry Owners to House Poultry Indoors

Poultry owners, please be aware of the advisory in Pennsylvania copied below regarding the continued spread of High-Path Avian Influenza.

The appropriate New Jersey letters are found in the following links:

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Letter for Veterinarians

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Letter to Poultry Owners

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Letter to Live Bird Markets

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Letter to Poultry Distributors

“January 9, 2023
Pennsylvania Poultry Industry

Dear Pennsylvania Poultry Producers,
As you know, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) (H5) has been circulating in the wild bird population in the United States and was identified in commercial poultry in early 2022. On April 14, 2022, the first case of HPAI H5 was detected in a commercial layer flock in Pennsylvania. Since then, the virus has continued to spread into backyard flocks and commercial poultry facilities across the United States, affecting 47 states to date. More than 57 million birds have been lost due to HPAI. More than 4.5 million birds have been lost in Pennsylvania, and a total of 38 Pennsylvania flocks have been affected. Identification of new cases has continued across the United States. The most recent case of HPAI has been reported in the US as recently as January 4th. Wild bird detections continue in multiple states. These recent cases should act as a reminder that a virulent strain of Avian Influenza virus continues to circulate in the wild bird population and still threatens commercial and backyard poultry. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture first recommended that organic producers move poultry indoors in February 2022. At this time, we recommend that all poultry [In PA] be maintained indoors. Producers are also encouraged to implement strict biosecurity practices, monitor bird health, and report any unexplained mortality and morbidity [In PA] to the Department at 717-772-2852 (24/7).”

[state added by Melissa Bravo for clarification for plant pest advisory post]

Thank you,
Kevin D. Brightbill, DVM | State Veterinarian | Director
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture | Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services
2301 North Cameron Street | Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: 717.705.1626 | Fax: 717.787.1868
www.agriculture.pa.gov
kebrightbi@pa.gov