January 18, 2026

NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 to Thursday 1/22/26 in Atlantic City

The NE Agriculture Expo and Rutgers Educational Sessions Start Tuesday 1/20/26 at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, 777 Harrahs Boulevard. The final day of educational sessions and trade show ends on Thursday at 5pm.

The weather may be cold, but no rain or no snow in the forecast, and warm times inside the conference center to network with others in the industry.  An afternoon Hospitality Room will be available 12-5pm on Wednesday and Thursday to relax and unwind in the trade show area. Come for the social aspects, education and gain pesticide recertification credits. Check out the Rutgers Educational Program to see what topics you would like to learn about. go.rutgers.edu/2026rutgerseduprog

What’s Happening

January 20 (Tuesday)

  • Pre–trade show workshops and sessions

January 21 (Wednesday)

  • Full day of educational sessions for all commodity groups • Year of the Women Farmer Luncheon
  • Packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
  • Live charity auction with FREE food

January 22 (Thursday)

  • More sessions
  • Another day packed trade show with vendor booths sold out
  • Special appearance by Temple Grandin book signing /meet and greet, then her special session (additional cost)

Registration Options On-Site at the Regitration Counter (hallway of conference center) or On-line https://vganj.com/convention-tickets“>https://vganj.com/convention-tickets

✔️ VGANJ Membership – $100

Includes 2 Expo passes

Additional passes just $25 each

✔️ One-Day Pass – $60

Access to sessions + trade show

Register On-Line to

  • Save time at registration
  • Walk in, grab your badge
  • Enjoy FREE breakfast (8am-10am Wednesday and Thursday in Trade Show)
  • Head straight to learning, growing, and catching up with friends

This event under one roof, packed with education and energy, and celebrating New Jersey agriculture at its best.

Plus, buy your tee shirt or hoodie at the registration desk to “Support New Jersey Farmers” and tout “No Farmers No Food” – new this year.

 

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Disease Forecasting, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: , ,
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: , ,
January 2, 2026

Wednesday Luncheon at the NE Ag Expo 1/21/26 – Sign Up Today

All are welcome to the 2026 Celebration of the International Year of the Female Farmer on Wednesday, January 21st at the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Your $25 ticket includes access to the luncheon and keynote speakers – Carrie Edsall from New York and NJ Dairy Princess – Dakota Meys. Lunch is a full hot food buffet and dessert. This event will be inspirational and is also a very affordable way to have lunch while at the expo. Spend this time to network with fellow farmers and support women in agriculture. To register for the Expo and the Wednesday Luncheon go to https://vganj.com/convention-tickets

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, work shop Tagged With: , ,
January 14, 2025 and

REGISTER TODAY – NJ Ag Convention Coming Soon

We are only days away from the start of the 2025 NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City starting on February 3rd to February 6th. The convention has evolved over the years to include much more than vegetable topics. See the graphic below or the VGANJ website convention program for a list of expanded topics.

Nursery growers – we have a full day for you. Do you raise livestock? We have a new session for you. Want to learn about agricultural policies? Come to the session on Tuesday morning hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director, Brian Schilling and colleagues from the State Agricultural Development Committee. Need to learn about Food Safety Regulations, we have both a session and a workshop for you. USDA will be hosting sessions on Tuesday to promote programs for farmers. There are too many more topics to put into text so please check out the program on the VGANJ website. 

Need pesticide recertification credits? This year the workshops and sessions will help you fulfill the obligation to obtain those credits. Monday afternoon hosts a 6-CORE credit workshop that requires a separate special registration. Check out the program and how to register on the VGANJ website.

Have you registered for your hotel rooms yet? If not please use the room block and register online at https://book.passkey.com/GO/SHVEG5 or call to make Room Reservations on the phone at 1-888-516-2215 (8:00am-2:00am EST, 7 days a week), Group Name: New Jersey Vegetable Growers. Group Code: SHVEG5. There are plenty of rooms left in the room block, but the pre-registration ends soon, so reserve your rooms today. Please reserve your rooms through the group block to help us meet our obligations for the convention contract. 

Don’t miss the great Tuesday events. There is a FREE “Lunch and Learn” on Tuesday (sign up for tickets at registration on Tuesday, limited to 100 participants) in the back area of the trade show hall with time to meet with vendors and also discussion with the new NJ Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn. Tuesday night hosts a charity auction and if you attended last year, you know how great this event is with food, drink, and time to catch up with old friends and make new friends in farming. Thanks to VGANJ Secretary, Darcy Perehinys the Tuesday events will once again have amazing food! Lots of prizes from our sponsors will be available for bid at the Charity Auction. If you haven’t attended this event in the past, don’t miss it this year as it is much improved from years past. Tuesday is a big day and with the Lunch and Learn and Charity Auction Happy Hour – if you attend both these events you can eat for free!!!!

One more event you won’t want to miss is the annual awards banquet on Wednesday night. Tickets can now be purchased online on the VGANJ website. This year’s NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year award goes to Brian Porch, of Porch Farms in Salem County, NJ. The award will be presented by VGANJ President, Jim Abma. Come help us celebrate Brian and all the other award winners who will be honored by the NJ Department of Agriculture. 




Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With: ,
December 18, 2024

Register Before December 31 for Bonuses at the 2025 NJ Ag Convention

Have you signed up for the 2025 New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show yet?
Visit the VGANJ Convention Website and register today!

It’s incredibly simple! Here’s a pro tip: Become a member of the Vegetable Growers Association to enjoy all the benefits, even if you don’t grow vegetables, and save on convention registration fees by becoming a member. Everyone must register to enter the trade show and participate in educational sessions and other events sponsored by the VGANJ. 

Make sure to register by December 31st to receive two complimentary drink tickets (per registered individual) for use at the trade show bars after 2 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plus, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card for meals during your time in Atlantic City!

Don’t forget to check the VGANJ website for the exciting new educational sessions for 2025.

Also, on Tuesday there will be a special free “Lunch and Learn” program to engage with vendors and participate in a Q&A session with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn.
*FREE lunch tickets only for the first 100 farmers Tuesday who sign up for the “Lunch and Learn” at the registration desk on Tuesday morning. Lunch starts at 12:00.

On Wednesday, February 5th the VGANJ will be honoring the NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year. For 2025 the honoree is Brian Porch from Salem County, NJ. Come help us celebrate our awardee and the NJDA awardees at the banquet. Tickets are now available online through VGANJ. See the VGANJ Convention Website to sign up for the banquet and other special events.

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With:
November 27, 2024

Get Ready for the 2025 NJ Ag Convention – February 3-6

It is that time of year again to sign up for the annual NJ Agricultural Convention, co-sponsored by the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Visit the VGANJ website at https://vganj.com/convention-tickets to register.

For 2025 there are new and exciting opportunities to learn about all aspects of the agricultural industry at the educational sessions and from vendors at the trade show. If you came last year, you also saw many new improvements to the convention – more vendors, more educational sessions, a complimentary lunch (limited free tickets) on Tuesday highlighting “what’s new from industry”, a complimentary hot buffet at the Tuesday happy hour/charity auction, youth programs for FFA, and co-convention events with the NJ Department of Agriculture. These offerings and more are coming for 2025. New events like Monday afternoon workshops, a livestock session, an agricultural policy session, an environmental session, and others are confirmed for this coming year. Licensed pesticide applicators will see an increase in recertification credits on the program for 2025. 

To check out the educational programming and NJDEP recertification credits for pesticide applicators see https://go.rutgers.edu/ConvProgram2025 – this is a draft program. Also, note that some events need special sign-up so read the program carefully to see what events need pre-registration.

NJ State Board of Agriculture information for the convention is coming soon. Check out their website at Department of Agriculture | Conventions.

If you have any questions about the VGANJ registration, go to https://vganj.com/#contact. If you need more information about the educational programs please contact the Rutgers Co-Chairs for the convention – bamka@njaes.rutgers.edu Bill Bamka, Agricultural Agent in Burlington County, or minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu Michelle Infante-Casella, Agricultural Agent in Gloucester County.

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