On May 12, NJ Governor Murphy signed Executive Order #239 regarding the easing of COVID-19 restrictions which will become effective on May 19. Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher has summarized the changes that may impact agriculture operations. The full text of his letter can be read in this attached file.
May 13, 2021 Rick VanVranken
Letter from Secretary Fisher Regarding Governor’s Executive Order #239 Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions
May 11, 2021 Nick Polanin
Resuming In-Person RCE Programming – A Guide for Attendees
Rutgers Cooperative Extension has announced the resumption of in-person programming beginning this month. Extension professionals across all program areas have the option to offer in-person programming, limited at this time to outdoor events with no more than 25 total in attendance. This includes farm and field visits, twilight meetings, and pesticide applicator recertification events. Resuming in-person events doesn’t mean that online or hybrid events will end; both are essential tools for successful RCE programming.
These RCE guidelines and expectations are for all participants to follow to attend these events:
Voluntary Participation – Participation at in-person RCE activities is completely voluntary – there is no requirement for attendance.
Health Screening Form – Attendees will be required to bring a completed RCE Health Screening Form, which can be be accessed at https://go.rutgers.edu/RCE.healthform. Once completed, please take a screenshot of the big green checkmark or print out a copy to show when you arrive before being allowed to attend.
Face Masks – Every participant will be required to wear a face mask / covering over their mouth and nose at all times. Arrive wearing your mask, and make sure to keep it in place during the entire event.
Physical Distancing – Everyone will be required to practice physical distancing, staying at least 6 feet apart.
Hygiene & Sanitation – Everyone who attends is expected to practice good hygiene habits. Participants should wash or sanitize their hands when they arrive and before they leave, and as needed throughout the activity. You are encouraged to bring your own hand sanitizer to limit shared surfaces.
What to Bring With You – Food will not be provided and sharing food is not permitted. Make sure to bring your own refreshments, filled water bottle, tools/equipment, notebook and writing tool, camp chair, etc. depending on the event you’re attending.
All participants are expected to follow these rules and procedures to help make every RCE in-person event safe and enjoyable for everyone. Please be sure to check the NJAES Calendar of Events and the RCE office in your county for upcoming events.
April 21, 2021 Rick VanVranken
Communicating the Value of COVID-19 Vaccines With Your Farm Employees
CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Posters available in multiple languages – “Vaccines (shots) are one of the tools we have to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In an effort to increase participation in the COVID-19 vaccination program among farm workers, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), through the national Extension Foundation, is working with Cooperative Extension across the country to help spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director Brian Schilling has enlisted a team of County Agents and Specialists to answer the call from the CDC to participate in this EXCITE program. Through a variety of communications channels we will be providing informational posters and other educational materials in several appropriate languages that you can hand out or post in locations where your workers can easily read them (like on or near your Worker Protections Standards bulletin boards or in your labor camps).
“Vaccines (shots) are one of the tools we have to fight the COVID-19 pandemic” posters from the CDC are now available on the COVID-19 page of the Rutgers NJAES On-Farm Food Safety website <https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/covid-19-information/> with the direct links to these multiple language editions:
You can also share this Spanish language video <https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/un-rayo-de-esperanza> from the US Dept. of Health and Human Services with your workers to help explain where they can get more information about COVID-19 vaccines. There are several other informational videos available at https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Video, as well as posters/fliers from https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Poster%20%E2%80%93%20Flyer (mostly English), and factsheets at https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/filter/format/Fact%20Sheet.
March 15, 2021 Rick VanVranken
Ag Employers Urged to Submit Survey to Sign Up for Vaccinations for Your Migrant Farm Workers & Other Employees
In the attached letter, NJ Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher encourages you to participate in a brief online survey to sign up your farmworkers for COVID-19 vaccinations. As stated, once your information is received by the Department of Health, it will be routed to a local Health official who will contact you to schedule vaccinations on your farm or at a standing location. Please complete the survey by March 23, 2021.
Sign up for the opportunity to get your workforce vaccinated against COVID-19!
Dear Agricultural Employer:
Effective March 15, 2021, migrant farm workers are eligible to receive the vaccine. In an effort to help migrant farm workers access the vaccine and continue to support the agriculture industry and food chain in New Jersey, an agricultural vaccine program is being created to partner farms with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to help vaccinate you and your workforce.
If your business participates, all adults aged 18 years or older who live or work on the farm will be eligible to receive the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine, administered by FQHCs. If you are interested in joining a vaccination program tailored to the needs of the agricultural community, please sign up at http://healthsurveys.nj.gov/NoviSurvey/n/zz2jr.aspx. Since interest is quite high, we ask that you complete the survey by Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
Outside of this dedicated agricultural vaccine program, effective March 29, 2021, you and your non-migrant workforce are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Questions you may have about the vaccine and COVID-19:
- Can I lift mask-wearing and other health and safety protocols/mandates at my business, where my workers live on-site, or in group transportation once my entire workforce has been vaccinated?
➢ No. Vaccines are only an additional layer of protection. Employers and their workers need to continue to follow health and safety protocols as currently mandated by the state. Information on protocols currently in place is available at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/slowing-the-spread/where-can-i-find-guidance-on-best-practices-to-maintain-the-health-and-safety-of-seasonal-farmworkers-what-rules-are-in-place-and-what-resources-are-available - Is the vaccine safe and which vaccine will my workforce, my family and I be receiving?
➢ Yes, the vaccine is safe. The vaccine which will be offered is the single-dose COVID19 vaccine developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. The J&J vaccine is the state’s first choice for the agricultural community because it only requires administration of a single-dose, and it can also be stored at refrigerator temperature thus making it possible to bring the vaccine to the farms reliably. In addition, it is important we create immunity rapidly in settings where workers, such as migrant workers, live in congregate housing, rely on group transportation and work in close proximity to one another. Learn more about the different vaccines at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/slowing-the-spread/how-do-covid-19-vaccines-work#direct-link - Can I require my workforce to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to seek employment with me?
➢ Yes. An employer can require that an employee receive the COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to the workplace, unless the employee cannot get the vaccine because of a disability, because their doctor has advised them not to get the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.- More information on vaccine requirements is available at https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/reopening-guidance-and-restrictions/can-my-employer-require-me-to-get-the-covid-19-vaccine-in-order-to-enter-my-workplace
- In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration has resources for agricultural employers to help them discuss the vaccine with their workforce in a transparent and ethical manner at https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/covid-19-vaccination-food-and-agriculture-sector
- Do I need to participate in this agricultural vaccine program in order to personally receive a vaccine?
➢ No. The agricultural vaccine program is being set up to support access to the vaccine for your agricultural workforce, especially your migrant workforce which will face challenges accessing the vaccine otherwise. Your business is strongly encouraged to participate to help your workers become vaccinated and you too can get vaccinated through an FQHC. However, once you are personally eligible to receive the vaccine, you can alternatively choose to book your individual vaccine appointment on your own through the State-run NJ Vaccine Scheduling System or directly with any of the vaccination locations throughout the state. You can learn more about appointment scheduling at https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine. - Can my employees use paid sick leave to get their vaccine?
➢ Yes. Under NJ state law, employers must provide up to 40 hours of paid Earned Sick Leave to their full- and part-time employees, including migrant and seasonal employees. Employees can use their earned sick leave to get vaccinated for COVID19. Learn more about New Jersey’s earned sick leave law at
https://www.nj.gov/labor/worker-protections/earnedsick/law.shtml
March 1, 2021 Rick VanVranken
Governor Murphy Announces Expansion of Eligibility for New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Secretary Fisher would like to share the following Press Release from Governor Murphy regarding the vaccination of farmworkers.
“A healthy workforce is of critical importance for agriculture and the food industry supply chain,” said New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher. “We appreciate that Governor Murphy has prioritized the vaccination of our essential farmworkers as we ramp up for New Jersey’s growing season.”
Governor Murphy Announces Expansion of Eligibility for New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Expansion Includes Educators, Childcare Workers, Transportation Workers, and Other Frontline Essential Workers and High-Risk Groups
TRENTON – Governor Murphy today announced the expansion of eligibility for more frontline essential workers and high-risk groups in New Jersey’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Eligible groups include educators and staff in pre-k through 12th grade settings, childcare workers, and transportation workers, among others.
“Our administration has built the infrastructure – including nearly 300 vaccination sites across the state – needed to support New Jersey’s COVID-19 vaccination demand,” said Governor Murphy. “As the federal government continues to make more vaccine doses available, we are confident in our ability to expand our vaccination program to reach more of our essential workers and vulnerable populations. Our goal is to provide every New Jerseyan with a vaccine when it is available and they are eligible.”
“As vaccine supply increases, this phased expansion of new eligibility groups keeps New Jersey moving forward toward our goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the eligible adult population,” said New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.
Beginning Monday, March 15, the following categories are eligible for vaccination:
- Educators, including support staff, in pre-K through 12th grade settings;
- Childcare workers in licensed and registered settings;
- Public and local transportation workers, including bus, taxi, rideshare, and airport employees; NJ TRANSIT workers; and Motor Vehicle Commission staff;
- Public safety workers who are not sworn law enforcement or fire professionals, including probation officers and fire safety inspectors;
- Migrant farm workers;
- Members of tribal communities; and,
- Individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in shelters, including domestic violence shelters.
Additionally, beginning on Monday, March 29, frontline essential workers in the following categories are also eligible for vaccination:
- Food production, agriculture, and food distribution;
- Eldercare and support;
- Warehousing and logistics;
- Social services support staff;
- Elections personnel;
- Hospitality;
- Medical supply chain;
- Postal and shipping services;
- Clergy; and,
- Judicial system.
Additionally, the eligibility list will indicate that all individuals ages 16-64 with certain medical conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that increase the risk or might increase the risk of severe illness from the virus, are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination.
For more information about eligibility, statewide vaccination site locations, and to preregister for a vaccination, visit https://covid19.nj.gov/vaccine
For more information on CDC criteria for eligibility, please click here.
January 14, 2021 Nick Polanin
Free Webinar: Strategies to Help Ag Producers Plan During the COVID-19 Crisis
Eastern farmers and agricultural producers have experienced unprecedented challenges in handling the vulnerability of our food systems. As we move forward to plan for a new season and a new year during the COVID pandemic, there is an urgent need to seek and identify best strategies to support farmers and agricultural producers in adjusting goals and achieving prosperity. This Open Forum – January 20, 2021 at 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. – will provide practitioners, extension agents, farmers, and agricultural producers an opportunity to identify gaps, brainstorm ideas, and share examples to support each other. Presenters leading the discussions will share 1-2 best practices to assist farmers and agricultural producers, including value-added production, agritourism, and other operations types.
This event is free and open to anyone, but registration is required to get the Zoom link. Registration is available by clicking here.
eXtension is embedded in the U.S. Cooperative Extension System and serves on the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). eXtension provides an array of opportunities for Extension professionals that foster innovation creation, the adoption of innovations at member institutions, and increased impact of Extension programs.
