training — Plant & Pest Advisory

October 22, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

Farm Credit East to Offer Business Skills Training in Bridgeton and Virtually

Farm Credit East is a helpful partner to farmers in our region for many reasons. FCE offers training opportunities along with financial services. Starting soon, FCE is offering their GenerationNext program. This program may be beneficial to the future of your farm and can help train leadership to take care of the business-end of farming. Take some time to look over what is being offered.

GenerationNext is a dynamic workshop series designed for the next generation of ag managers and owners. Whether you’re stepping into a leadership role or looking to strengthen your business acumen, this program offers the tools and insights you need to succeed.

Program Highlights:

Format: Choose between virtual (7 sessions) or in-person (3 sessions) options
Topics: Leadership, HR, financial analysis, marketing, risk management, and estate planning
Cost: $199/person (discounted from $1900 through our Young, Beginning, Small & Veteran program)

In-person classes are 3 sessions from 9:30-3:30

Auburn ME Office: Nov 19, Dec 10, Jan 14
Bridgeton NJ Office: Nov 20, Dec 4, Dec 18
Batavia NY Office: Dec 3, Jan 14, Feb 3
Cortland NY Office: Dec 2, Jan 13, Feb 2
Potsdam NY Office: Dec 1, Jan 12, Jan 26
White River Junction VT Office: Nov 18, Dec 9, Jan 13

Online class is 7 weekly sessions from 2-4pm

Online: Jan 21, Jan 28, Feb 4, Feb 11, Feb 18, Feb 25, Mar 4

For more information and to Register: Visit FarmCreditEast.com/GenerationNext
Register at least 2 weeks before your session begins.

For questions or to discuss which format is best for you, please reach out to Chris Laughton for more information. We look forward to helping you grow your farm business!

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, training, vegetable, work shop Tagged With: business management, Farm Credit East, training

October 6, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

Agricultural Drone Training Opportunity for New Jersey Commercial Farmers

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is offering a valuable training opportunity for New Jersey commercial farmers on Friday, November 6, and Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Rutgers Snyder Research Farm, 140 Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ.

Through a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional Development Grant, the Rutgers Agricultural Drone Team, led by Agricultural Agent Stephen Komar, is offering a two-day agricultural drone training at no cost to participating farmers. Grant funding for this course is specifically intended to provide drone training to commercial farmers in New Jersey.

The course will prepare participants to learn how to obtain their FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107), which is required to operate drones for commercial agricultural purposes. Training will include information and resources to help participants prepare for the Part 107 certification examination. On the second day, participants will also receive hands-on instruction and have the opportunity to fly drones at the Rutgers Snyder Research Farm.

Limited Enrollment — Please Commit to Both Days

Enrollment is limited to 10 participants. Those pre-registered prior to the class being filled, will receive access to training materials for studying and practice tests to help prepare for the Part 107 certification exam.

Because space and training materials are limited, please register only if you are able to attend both November 6 and November 13. If you register and do not attend, you may prevent another New Jersey farmer from participating in this training opportunity.

To ensure that the training is available to as many farms as possible, registration is limited to one person per farm. Participants must also be 18 years of age or older.

Please see the bulletin below for additional information.

Registration:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/EU6CBcmpBG

Questions Contact:
Stephen Komar, Agricultural Agent
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County
Email: komar@njaes.rutgers.edu
Phone: 973-948-3040, ext. 3

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, training, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: drone, training

January 5, 2026 Michelle Infante-Casella

2 “Stop the Bleed” Trainings North and South Jersey

2 STOP THE BLEED TRAININGS SCHEDULED
FOR FARMERS AND THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
REGISTRATION REQUIRED – NO COST

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH IN SUSSEX COUNTY STARTING AT 10:00AM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY STARTING AT 9:00AM

FOR SUSSEX COUNTY ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH AT 10:00AM – CALL TO REGISTER: 973-948-3040

LOCATION: RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF SUSSEX COUNTY, 130 MORRIS TNPK, NEWTON, NJ

-OR-

FOR GLOUCESTER COUNTY ON FEBRUARY 2ND AT 9:00AM – REGISTER USING THIS LINK OR QR CODE:
https://go.rutgers.edu/stopthebleed

LOCATION: GLOUCESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
1200 N. DELSEA DR., CLAYTON, NJ

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’ Farm Health and Safety Team has 2 scheduled events for “Stop the Bleed” training for the farming community.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the life-saving skills of pressure application, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. The first 25 registrants at each location, will also receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Space is limited, register today.

If you have questions contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County (973-948-3040) or Gloucester County (856-224-8040 ext. 1)

Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Team:
Agricultural Agents: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, William Bamka, and Stephen Komar

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, vegetable, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: Stop the Bleed, training

December 9, 2025 Claudia Gil Arroyo

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge: Annie’s Project 101 Launches in January 2026

As agriculture continues to evolve, so do the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers—especially women and beginning farmers. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of the Annie’s Project 101 Course, a comprehensive farm business management training series kicking off in January 2026.

Hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension and supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Project, this six-week webinar series is designed to equip farmers with the tools they need to thrive in today’s dynamic agricultural landscape.

📅 Course Overview

Dates: Wednesdays, January 7 – February 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Format: Live webinars + asynchronous learning
Fee: $45
Registration: Click here to register

🎓 What You’ll Learn

Each session focuses on a key area of farm risk management, featuring expert-led presentations and practical strategies:

Legal Risk (Jan 7): Lease agreements and legal foundations for farm operations
Financial Risk (Jan 14): Agritourism pricing and profitability analysis
Market Risk (Jan 28): Marketing plans and niche development
Human Resource Risk (Feb 4): Farm crew management and wellness strategies
Production Risk (Feb 11): Food safety and equipment selection
Legal & Financial Risk Wrap-Up (Feb 18): Insurance and business planning essentials

🧭 Special Note

There will be no webinar on January 21 to allow participants to attend the Northeast Ag Expo at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.

Whether you’re a beginning farmer, a seasoned producer, or someone exploring agribusiness, Annie’s Project 101 offers valuable insights and connections to help you grow your farm with confidence.

📌 Don’t miss out—register today and invest in your farm’s future!
#AnnieProject101 #FarmBusiness #WomenInAg #RutgersExtension #AgWebinarSeries #FarmSmart