Fertilizer Prices Spiking Again

"Fertilizer prices jumped last fall on global demand and expectations for a large increase in corn plantings in the United States."  Worrisome news for all growers.

Rick VanVranken

U.S. farmers may fail in fertilizer face-off

By Tom Polansek

CHICAGO

Mon Feb 13, 2012

Source: www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/us-fertilizer-sales-idUSTRE81C0DX20120213

For the complete story click either link above or

Small Farm, Beginning Farmer, Organic Farm Workshop

What:

• Backpack sprayer calibration
• Hand tools for weed control
• Rutgers kaolin clay observations on: apple, eggplant and pepper
• Planning for crop insurance

Where:
RCE of Mercer County
930 Spruce Street, Lawrenceville
Contact 609 989 6830  cszmauz@mercercounty.org

When:
Tuesday February 7, 2012
10:00 – 1:00 Lunch provided

Register by Wednesday February 1st,
$20 per person

Registration form available here!
http://events.rutgers.edu/pdfs/2_7_2012.pdf

-Meredith Melendez

NRCS Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Initiative Deadlines Approaching

A number of financial assistance initiatives, including high tunnels, are available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a first come first serve basis for the following "ranking periods": February 3, March 30, and June 1, 2012.
Apply early while funding is still available.
See EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative
See National EQIP Initiatives and Statute Supported Programs
-Rabin, VanVranken

Food Safety & Audit Workshops January – March 2012

Get up-to-date Food Safety Information by attending one or more sessions.

Topics

• Food Safety Modernization Act 
• Harmonized Food Safety Standards 
• How to Develop a Food Safety Plan for Your Operation 
• Worker Hygiene 
• How to Prepare for a Third Party Audit 
• USDA Verification Audit Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices

Dates & Locations

January 27 

NOFA-NJ, Duke Farms. 80 Rt 206 South, Hillsborough, NJ. 

Registration: 908.371.1111

February 22 

RCE Cumberland Co. 291 Morton Ave, Millville, NJ.

Registration: 856.451.2800 x1

February 23 

RCE Middlesex Co. 42 Riva Ave, North Brunswick, NJ. 

Registration: 732.398.5262

March 20 

Marucci Center. 125A Lake Oswego Rd, Chatsworth, NJ. 

Registration: 609.726.1590

How consumers use social media to connect with food retailers - Penn State Extension podcast series

Food retailers, large or small, have an opportunity to use social media tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, to connect with the public, including their customers. Many are using these tools with various levels of success. To use them effectively, one must understand how consumers are, or may, use them to connect with food retailers.

Research completed at Penn State provides insights into consumer use of Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and online review sites (such as Yelp!). The results of the research are being released as a series of short videos. The first one, an introduction to the research, is available now at http://www.youtube.com/user/PSUFoodandFarmBiz/videos. Videos are scheduled to be released each Tuesday and Thursday over the next 10 weeks.

To receive regular notifications when new videos are released, you can Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FarmBusiness) or send an email to farmbusiness@psu.edu.

--Rick VanVranken

Small and Beginning Farmer Workshop

With modifications, low cost backpack sprayers are an accurate, efficient tool for your small operation.
In this workshop, John Grande, Director Rutgers Snyder Research Farm, teaches more effective ways to use a backpack sprayer: increase sprayer accuracy, successfully apply alternative organic products, create greater farmer/operator ease, make better use of precious time and money, and improve safety.

When: Tuesday, February 7th 2012 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Where: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, 930 Spruce Street Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Topics Included:

• Backpack sprayer calibration - John Grande,
  Director Rutgers Snyder Research & Extension Farm
• Hand tools for weed control - Ed Dager,
  Farm Supervisor Rutgers Snyder Farm
• Surround trial results: apples, potatoes, & eggplant - Win Cowgill,
  Hunterdon Co. Ag Agent  
• Crop insurance options for small farms -
  Garden State Crop Insurance Education Initiative

For more details and registration visit:
http://events.rutgers.edu/pdfs/2_7_2012.pdf

-Meredith Melendez

Upcoming Conferences - North American Direct Marketers and New Mex Chile

For NJ farm marketers, the North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association's annual conference expands the programming that used to be available at our old MADMaC show, and again this year, will be hosted in our old territory in Williamsburg, VA, Feb 10-16, 2012. Details about the event and registration materials can be found at http://nafdma.com/VA2012/.

Likewise, if you'd like to learn about all things pepper, check out the 2012 New Mexico Chile Conference to be held Feb 6 & 7 in Las Cruces, NM. Details on their website at http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/conferences.php.

Before that, of course, we'd like to see you in Atlantic City, Jan 17-19, for the combined 2012 Atlantic Coast Agricultural Conference & Trade Show and NJ Ag Convention.


Wishing you the best for the holidays and for a prosperous New Year!

--Rick VanVranken