Reminder: Considerations for Agritourism Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, last Webinar Tonight

Please join us for the 2nd webinar to discuss our resource, “Considerations for Agritourism Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Time: Sep 1, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To Join on Zoom:

https://go.rutgers.edu/sfk96jlp

Meeting ID: 912 2343 8378
Password: 636141

Join By Phone
+1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 912 2343 8378

If you have any questions, please email the host group:

Michelle Infante-Casella’s email: minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu

Bill Bamka’s email: bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu

Steve Komar’s email: komar@njaes.rutgers.edu

Meredith Melendez’s email: melendez@njaes.rutgers.edu

Rick VanVranken’s email: vanvranken@njaes.rutgers.edu

Participants Wanted for a Redheaded Flea Beetle Survey

The Southern Nursery Flea Beetle Working-Group has put out a survey under the auspices of University of Georgia. The Universities of Maryland and Delaware recently joined forces with that working group with the goal of gathering information aimed at suppressing this continually destructive pest. If you have seen redheaded flea beetle in your containerized nursery stock please take this short survey. Ultimately the goal is to gather as much information as possible about this pest in an effort to come up with better recommendations for all of us in the industry.

Click here to take the survey

Please contact Tim Waller (twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu) with any questions, severely damaged plant varieties, or personal observations pertaining to pest control and biology.

Thank you

UPDATE – NJ Motor Vehicle Commission: Changes and Extensions, Effective July 9th

With all the difficulties customers faced with NJMVC service centers opening on July 7th, changes have been made in the processes when visiting facilities. Also, note some centers will have Saturday hours and the state has taken some NJMVC employees of furloughs to service the public. Check the NJMVC website for hours, what services are offered at certain centers, and updated information. Below are some changes and further extensions:

1. Each morning, when opening, the NJMVC facilities will establish the total number of customers that each agency can serve that day, based on that agency’s size, staffing, and previous day’s performance. Tickets will be given out up to that number (and based on priority reason for coming to MVC – SEE NUMBER 3 below), then remaining customers not given a ticket will be required to leave the premises. As soon as capacity is met at a facility, MVC will publish if the site is filled to capacity on their website and social media.

2. People will not be allowed to sign up to wait on MVC property after capacity is reached until the next morning at 7:00 AM.

3. New drivers will be given preference at Licensing Centers. When staff go out to distribute tickets, the first tickets will be given to those who have completed requirements for a new permit or license. Already-licensed drivers (who will be able to drive under the extension) will be served after all new drivers have been served.

The following documents, if expiring between March 1 and May 31, have been extended to September 30, 2020. If expiring between June 1 and August 31, they have been extended to December 31, 2020.

• All standard driver licenses (including permits)
• Standard non-driver IDs
• Vehicle registrations
• Inspections
• Temporary tags

CDL Extensions
Expiration dates on commercial driver licenses (CDLs), commercial learner’s permits, and HAZMAT endorsements have been extended a second time, to September 30, 2020. This means expirations that were previously extended to June 30 have been extended for another three months. The extensions do not apply to documents that expired before March 1.

The extension also includes the Medical Certifications of CDL holders, as long as the medical certificates were for 90 days or more and expired after March 1.

The extensions mirror those issued recently by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees CDLs, and the federal Transportation Security Administration, which oversees Hazardous Materials endorsements (HAZMAT).

Many transactions can now be conducted online. Check out the NJMVC online services to see if you need to conduct business with NJMVC online.

All customers are required to wear face coverings when visiting an agency.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – 7/6/20

Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has been reported on cucumber in southern New Jersey (Salem County). This is the first report of CDM this growing season in the state. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers are encouraged to scout fields on a daily basis and begin preventative CDM fungicide programs if already not initiated. Presently, there is no need to initiate spray programs on other cucurbit crops in New Jersey.

For up-to-date information on CDM and its control please click here.

To track the progress of CDM in the US please click here.

 

Free Webinar: Agricultural Health and Safety Course for Medical and Safety Professionals

This information is being provided in the Rutgers Plant and Pest Advisory newsletter to get the word out about free training for medical and safety professionals in your communities. With less and less people in our communities understanding the agricultural industry, this training can be helpful in responding to agricultural emergencies. Please help get the word out to your county and local emergency management and health officials who may wish to participate. However, everyone is welcome to attend and register.

A nationwide, no-cost online webinar starting July 14-17, 2020 is being hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Registration is required and continuing education credits will be offered for physicians, nurses and EMS personnel. Registration is due July 7, 2020.

The Agricultural Health and Safety Course for Medical and Safety Professionals is designed to examine key health and safety issues specific to rural and agricultural workers. Experts will present course material relevant to those working in health care, public health, education, and safety professions.

This course is intended for professionals who work with or have an interest in agricultural health and safety including physicians, nurses, emergency medical responders, physician assistants, health educators, advanced practice nurses, Ag extension, migrant health clinicians, physical therapists, insurance specialists, veterinarians, safety professionals, and students.

This course is going to be provided via Zoom and supplemented with online modules.
•Session A: Agricultural Health — July 14-15, 2020
•Session B: Agricultural Safety and Prevention — July 16-17, 2020
•Session C: Special Topics — Online modules will be available starting July 14, 2020

Course Objectives:

At the completion of the course, the participant should be better able to:
1.  Evaluate the core elements of agricultural medicine
2.  Integrate the anticipation, recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of occupational and environmental illnesses and injuries within rural and agricultural communities
3.  Qualify to become an AgriSafe Provider in order to develop sustainable agricultural occupational health and safety delivery programs within their regions

Even if this program saves one life, it will be worth attending.
Agriculture Organization logos

USDA Good Agricultural Practices, Harmonized and Harmonized Plus Audits

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is now scheduling audits.  If you have had an audit last year and need to schedule a renewal or if you need a new audit now is the time to schedule it.  There had been an extension for audits before May 31, but there will be no additional extensions.  Anyone wanting an audit should have gone through food safety training which is held each year December through March.  The auditor will want to see that you have had some type of training.  To schedule the audit email Chris Kleinguenther at christian.kleinguenther@ag.state.nj.us.