2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Tues

Day 1 is in the books. Tomorrow we start again. Please join in via the following links.

Access for all morning sessions begins at 9am Tues Feb 23 here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5

Like Monday, once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions. While you’re waiting please listen to a few welcoming remarks from our Interim Executive Dean Dr. Laura Lawson, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension Brian Schilling, NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, and Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher, as well as some instructions and housekeeping rules. The program sessions will begin at 9:15am.

All links are also available for every session at vganj.com/schedule or the direct link to the agenda page is https://go.rutgers.edu/yw2aminv. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, but afternoon sessions each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.

If neither of those options work, here is the agenda and links for Tueday’s sessions:

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 9:15am-11:45am
Access ALL MORNING sessions HERE

https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5

Organic Production
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Soil Health & Organic Sweetpotato Production
10:00-10:30am-Managing Allium Leaf Miner for Organic Onions
10:30-10:45am-What’s New from Industry/Break
10:45-11:15am-Satisfying the Sulfur Needs of Crops
11:15-11:45am-Balancing Safety and Nutrition in Organic Foods

New Orchard Establishment I
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Overview of Resources Available to New Tree Fruit Growers in New Jersey
10:00-10:30am-Orchard Site Selection and Pre-Plant Preparation
10:30-10:45am-Web Soil Survey – An Efficient Tool to Understand Native Properties of the Soil
10:45-11:15am-Orchard Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Basics
11:15-11:45am-Orchard Management in the Early Years – Principles & Practices

Hemp
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Rutgers First Hemp Trials – Observations & Future Direction
10:00-10:30am-Marketing Considerations for Industrial Hemp Production in NJ
10:30-10:50am-Laboratory Services for the Hemp Industry in New Jersey
10:50-11:15am-Hemp Diseases in NJ – What We Know
11:15-11:45am-Hemp Production in NJ – Challenges & Opportunities (Panel Discussion)

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 12:00pm-1:00pm
Access AFTERNOON sessions individually
Pesticide credit sessions require logging in within 10 minutes of start and remaining through the entire session
to be eligible for credits.
Pesticide Regulatory Review for Pesticide Applicators, Businesses,
and Agricultural Employers

https://go.rutgers.edu/cl0zmui7
(1 hour for 2 CORE credits)
Pat Hastings
A thorough review of regulatory requirements for pesticide applicator certification, recertification, and licensing
in New Jersey, including administrative changes to license renewal processes.

Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 1:00pm-3:45pm

Weed Control
https://go.rutgers.edu/p4yk2e17
(pesticide recertification credits: 4 Cat 1A; 4 Cat 10; 4 PP2)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Weed Management Update for Row crops
2:00-2:30pm-Electrical Weeders & Potential Use in Specialty Crops
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Taking Advantage of Plant Weaknesses for Improved Weed Control
3:15-3:45pm-Weed Management Update for Vine Crops

New Orchard Establishment II
https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Panel Discussion-Growers’ Perspectives on Delving into Tree Fruit Production
2:00-2:30pm-Organic Apple Production – Is it Feasible in NJ?
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Economics of Tree Fruit Production
3:15pm-Q&A/Adjourn

Specialty Crops
https://go.rutgers.edu/rxr924oy
(pesticide recertification credits: 1 CORE)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Using Demographic Information to Identify Specialty Crop Markets
2:00-2:30pm-African Marigolds for Fall Markets
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-New Crops – RU Hot Peppers & More
3:15-3:45pm-Pesticide Safety & Regulatory Update for 2021

Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 4:00pm-6:00pm
NJ Dept Health
Training Required for Farmers/Market Managers

https://go.rutgers.edu/am5l29pm

2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Mon

We’re ready to go! Are you?

Access for all sessions begins at 9am Mon Feb 22 here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/bs9ohbuk

Once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions, but while you’re waiting hear a few welcoming remarks from our Interim Executive Dean Dr. Laura Lawson, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension Brian Schilling, NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, and Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher. The program sessions will begin at 9:15am.

Don’t worry if you miss where to go because you’ll be able to find every link to every session at vganj.com/schedule. Click on the black ‘schedule’ button, then on the session you’d like to join, and it will take you to the page with the Zoom link for that session. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, so if you don’t see the link next to the session, scroll to the top of the page to find it for that morning. Afternoon sessions will each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.

If you’re new to Zoom meetings, or haven’t been on one for a few months, you might need to download the newest version or update the app on your mobile device. You will be prompted to do so if you try to enter one of the rooms without it, and it should be a simple click or two to complete the update. Easy enough if you wait until you first try to get in, but we strongly recommend that you click on the link above to see if it works now rather than waiting to find out at the last minute Monday morning.

Also, if you’re new to Zoom, our IT support team at Rutgers Continuing Education Center at Atrium recommends checking out one or more of these online tutorials so you can get familiar with using it.

On behalf of the NJAES Extension Vegetable Working Group and colleagues coordinating these sessions, and the VGANJ officers and directors, we hope you will enjoy this virtual conference and look forward to ‘seeing’ you online this coming week. Actually, maybe not ‘seeing’ as video will be turned off for all except speakers/moderators, but that also reminds me — be sure to know how to use the ‘chat’ feature as that will be the primary mode to get questions to speakers.
Here we go!

Regional Survey Seeks Input from Strawberry Growers

A team of extension educators from the University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, and Cornell University is seeking input from strawberry growers in the region on current practices and challenges faced in strawberry production. As part of the Northeast SARE project “Advancing Strawberry Production in the Northeast,” your feedback will guide research and outreach programs in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada.

The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete and be sure to submit your responses by December 31, 2020. At survey completion, you can also be entered into a drawing for some great prizes. The survey is available here: https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2nlFpEZhejOE0Pr

Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program Seeks Farmer and Advisor Applicants

 

Climate change is bringing challenges for vegetable and small fruit growers. For farmers to reduce their risk, they need to adapt. To address this increasing need, the Climate Adaptation Fellowship was created. The 1-year program provides a peer-to-peer curriculum for farmers and advisors. Its framework is designed to integrate climate science with a land manager’s knowledge that builds climate resilience within specific commodity areas.

The first full Climate Adaptation Fellowship program with northeast vegetable / small fruit growers and agricultural advisors will be offered in 2021-2022 and is now accepting applications through October 1. [Read more…]

USDA Announces More Specialty Crops, Nursery Crops, Cut Flowers Eligible for CFAP Payments

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that additional specialty crops, including nursery crops and cut flowers, are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and that the deadline to apply for the program is extended to September 11th. [Read more…]

NJ Department of Agriculture Issues Burn Permit for Frost Protection – Thru May 11

New Jersey Department of Agriculture has issued a notice concerning open burning due to colder spring overnight temperatures presently forecasted for areas of New Jersey from Thursday, May 7 through Monday, May 11, 2020, which could adversely affect fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops in bloom or near bloom around the state. For details read below the links.

Note: The NJDEP and New Jersey Forest Fire Service caution all farmers and agriculture businesses with respect to the use of open burning in high wind velocity conditions. Please take note that farmers are encouraged to utilize smudge pots is warming as necessary during higher wind conditions. Use of open burning when wind velocity is greater than 5mph is strictly prohibited, may contribute to wildfire risk, and can carry significant penalties. [Read more…]