Plant & Pest Advisory

July 7, 2024 Kate Brown

Beat the Heat: Training Resource

Front page of OSHA employee training guide on heat illness prevention

Employee training on working in the heat may reduce risk of heat illness by raising awareness of heat safety. OSHA has developed “A Guide for Employers to Carry Out Heat Safety Training for Workers” which provides step-by-step instructions on how to engage employees in participatory heat safety training on three topics: 1) health effects of heat, […]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: Farm Safety, heat stress

July 3, 2024 Kris Holmstrom

Vegetable IPM Update 7/03/24

Sweet Corn European corn borer (ECB) moth catches are very low in blacklight traps in the northern and central counties. Feeding signs are largely absent from whorl and pre-tassel stage plantings. The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 7/03/24 are as follows: Clinton 1 Milltown 1 Dayton 1 Old Bridge […]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops

July 2, 2024 Wes Kline, Meredith Melendez and Jennifer Matthews

Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crop (FSCSC) Cost Share Program

This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on the farm. For 2024: Applications are due between July 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025 Eligible expenses must be between June 26, 2024 and December 31, 2024 For 2025: Application is due […]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, vegetable, Vegetable Crops

June 30, 2024 Kate Brown

Beat the Heat: Heat Stress Management and OSHA Awareness

Workers weed a potato field using hand tools.

A Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO) from OSHA inspected a farm during the third week of June in Southern NJ for heat related items. With this recent inspection activity and the current legislative landscape pertaining to heat stress, the Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group has increased outreach and education on this topic. […]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: Farm Safety, heat stress

June 27, 2024 Dave Schmitt and Kaitlin Quinn

Tree Fruit IPM Report June 27, 2024

Peach: Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/10 in both northern and southern counties. All Treatments for the second generation have past. Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Catfacing remain very active. Very little recent fruit feeding has been observed. Thrips: Flower Thrips have been observed feeding in highly […]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit

June 26, 2024 Kris Holmstrom

Vegetable IPM Update 6/26/24

Sweet Corn European corn borer (ECB) moths have declined in blacklight traps in the northern and central counties, and feeding is also declining as previously infested plantings enter the silk stage and are treated. Plantings now in whorl stage are showing little feeding. The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/26/24 […]

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops