Plant & Pest Advisory

Rutgers University | New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Pesticide User Responsibility

August 11, 2015 Meredith Melendez

Audit Ready: Equipment Maintenance Records

The harmonized audit requires a listing of equipment (2.7.1) that has the potential to come into contact with the crop, and for each piece of equipment a maintenance record. Just how detailed of a record do they want? Anytime there is a repair, cleaning, or fluid change there should be a record of this task. The […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops

August 10, 2015 A.Wyenandt, W.Kline, and J.Ingerson-Mahar

Potato | Tomato Disease Forecast 8-11-15

Click to View | Download Report 8-11-15 Potato Disease Forecasting Report We will be tracking DSVs for Late blight development and calculating P-days for initiating the first early blight fungicide application. The first late blight fungicide application is recommended once 18 DSVs accumulate from green row. Green row typically occurs around the first week in May […]

Filed Under: Disease Forecasting

August 10, 2015 Jenny Carleo

Conditions Result in Grasshopper Population Explosion

This summer we’ve had a number of grasshopper infestations in the areas of Tuckahoe and Goshen, Cape May County. Commercial growers have called to report swarms of grasshoppers in their nurseries and hay fields. On farm visits, I’ve seen them covering telephone poles, farm equipment, and all kinds of vegetation. This is an unusual and […]

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates

August 7, 2015 A.Wyenandt, W.Kline, and J.Ingerson-Mahar

Potato | Tomato Disease Forecast 8-7-15

Click to View | Download Report 8-7-15 Potato Disease Forecasting Report We will be tracking DSVs for Late blight development and calculating P-days for initiating the first early blight fungicide application. The first late blight fungicide application is recommended once 18 DSVs accumulate from green row. Green row typically occurs around the first week in May […]

Filed Under: Disease Forecasting

August 6, 2015 Dean Polk

Fruit IPM Report 8-6-2015

Peach Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM): While overall pest pressure in peaches is very low for oriental fruit moth, we are at the proper time to treat if your farm has trap captures above 6 males per trap. Timing for third brood OFM applications are as follows: OFM Third Generation Timing Insecticide Type County/Region Degree Days by 8/6 base […]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape

August 6, 2015 Meredith Melendez

Audit Ready: Handling Unwritten Policies

In both the GAPs and Harmonized audits there are standards that focus on policies, yet the checklist does not indicate that a written policy is required. You can choose to not write these policies in your plan but you and your employees need to be prepared to answer questions from the auditor about these policies. […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Fruit, Vegetable Crops