By Heather Cooper •
HAMILTON SQUARE, N.J., August 12, 2025 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s(USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Jersey is now accepting FY2026applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural ManagementAssistance (AMA) program and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).While NRCS accepts applications year-round, New Jersey producers and landowners should applyby October […]
By Heather Cooper •
Wes Kline, Meredith Melendez, Jennifer Matthews, Kate Brown Anna Loewald, Research Specialist with the Northeast Center for the Advancement of Food Safety(NECAFS), in collaboration with an advisory group of regional regulatory and educational partners,has developed an Agricultural Water Assessment Questionnaire. This tool guides growers through astructured series of questions- helping to simplify the assessment process […]
By Heather Cooper •
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed extending the deadlinefor the traceability rule (Section 204) under the Food Safety Modernization Actuntil July 2028. The rule was to go into effect in 2026, but FDA is allowing moretime for the industry to comply based on the complexity of the rule. Theextension only relates to implementation. […]
By Heather Cooper •
Fall and winter are the prime time for food safety training. We will be startingin October with basic hands-on training for anyone starting to farm or wantinga basic refresher. That is followed by a two-day online Produce Rule Training.This training is required for most fresh fruit and vegetable growers before theNew Jersey Department of Agriculture […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 11, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt In 2004, cucurbit downy mildew re-emerged in the US with a vengeance causing significant losses in cucurbit production. In most years prior to this, concern for CDM control was minimal, since the pathogen arrived late in the growing season (in more northern regions), or […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 8, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Cucurbit powdery mildew (CPM), caused by Podosphaera xanthii, is one the most important diseases ofcucurbit crops throughout the world. The pathogen is an obligate parasite, just like cucurbit downy mildew, meaning it needs a living host in order to survive. In northern regions that […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 10, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Most of New Jersey has been wet making current conditions ideal for pathogens such as Phytophthora and Pythium. Unfortunately, Pythium cottony leak and Phytophthora blight can be found on most farms in the southern part of the state. Poor crop rotations with susceptible hosts […]
By Heather Cooper •
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)in New Jersey is now accepting FY2026 applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program(EQIP), the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). While NRCS accepts applications year-round, New Jersey producers and landowners should apply byOctober 17, 2025 to be considered […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 9, 2025 On July 3, 2025, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service released 3 new addenda to the Harmonizedand Harmonized GAP Plus+ Standards: Warehouse, Food Defense, and Integrated Pest Management.All of which will require additional records. Requirements in the existing Harmonized andHarmonized GAP Plus+ standards have not changed. These new […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 11, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt As the summer heats up in New Jersey, the control of Phytophthora blight in cucurbit plantings canbe extremely difficult (even with the use of fungicides) as hot, wet weather has set in these past fewweeks. Mitigating losses to Phytophthora blight in cucurbit crops begins […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 1 2, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Verticillium wilt has been reported in eggplant this summer. It is a common soil-borne fungal pathogenthat once it has infested soil can remain for a very long time. Verticillium wilt is caused by eitherVerticillium albo-atrium or Verticillium dahlia and has a wide host […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 1 2, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Phomopsis blight is caused by the fungal pathogen, Phomopsis vexans. It survives between seasonsin the soil on infested plant debris. Although the pathogen can infect stems and older leaves, fruitinfections are most prominent. Cankers that develop on stems and branches can cause the […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 27, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Symptoms usually begin to appear on random plants throughout the field as green fruit begins tomature. The bacterium (Pseudomonas corrugata) is ubiquitous to soils and develops when weatherconditions (cooler nights/very hot, humid days) and cultural practices (i.e., excess heavy N use) leadto favorable conditions […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 23, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Asparagus growers should consider scouting their fields regularly during the summer months for foliardisease development. Important pathogens that growers need to scout for on a regular basis includePurple spot, Cercospora, and Rust. These pathogens are easily diagnosed by the characteristicsymptoms they produce on infected […]
By Heather Cooper •
Plant & Pest Advisory – July 23, 2025 – Andy Wyenandt Angular leaf spot, caused by the bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans), is common inNew Jersey and the region. Although it often shows up during cooler, wet weather; it can show upalmost anytime during the production season with favorable weather conditions for its development.Angular leaf […]