Getting the most from the Fruit and Vegetable Market News Retail Report webinar

Patricia McAleer, Program Specialist with the USDA – National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Institute of Food Production & Sustainability sends this announcement:  Getting the most from the Fruit and Vegetable Market News Retail Report. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service invites you to an interactive webinar on USDA’s Fruit and Vegetable Market News, a Web-based resource that provides price and movement data for hundreds of agricultural commodities. The webinar will be held on March 28, from 2–3 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar is free, but you must register to participate at http://bit.ly/y6w4jS
-Rick VanVranken

Pre-Season Farm Labor Meetings

In conjunction with NJ Farm Bureau, Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension has scheduled the following 2012 Pre-Season Farm Labor Meetings:

• Wed., February 29, RCE-Cumberland Office, Morton Ave, Rosenhayn, 7:00-9:30pm
• Mon., March 5, RCE-Atlantic Office, Old Harding Hwy, Mays Landing, 7:00-9:30pm

Updates and overviews of farm labor regulations will be presented by representatives of NJ and US Depts of Labor; NJ DEP Pesticide Control Program; Rutgers Cooperative Extension and NJ Farm Bureau covering:

• Worker Protection Standards
• Federal Labor Regs including Migrant & Seasonal Ag Worker Protection Act (MSPA); Farm Labor Standards Act; and transportation issues.
• NJ Labor Regs covering Wage & Hour and Child Labor.
• Immigration Reform Updates

Rick VanVranken

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