New Jersey Agricultural Water Summit - March 21, 2012

All New Jersey Farmers are invited to the Second Annual Agricultural Water Summit, developed to answer all questions regarding permitting, use of I maps, what constitutes good quality irrigation water, how nursery can reuse safely use run-off, proper pond management and much more.

March 21, 2012 - 9am to Noon

Location: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

2 Academy Drive

Westampton, New Jersey 08060

609-265-5050

No registration is required

-Ray Samulis, Burlington Co. Ag Agent

NY 2011 High Tunnel Pepper Variety Trial Results

From Cornell Unversity Cooperative Extension Regional Vegetable Programs' March 2012 VegEdge newsletter Vol. 8(3):  14. 

by Judson Reid, Kathryn Klotzbach and Nelson Hoover, Cornell Vegetable Program.

Alliance, Gordo, Sandpiper, Yellow Crest, and Vanguard (left to right).
Photo: Judson Reid, CCE Cornell Vegetable Program

Introduction - If you read last month’s VegEdge newsletter you know that tomatoes can give excellent yields in high tunnels. However peppers offer a viable option to tomatoes as they require less labor, and suffer from fewer insect pests and diseases. In 2011 the Cornell Vegetable Program completed its third year of high tunnel pepper trials.

-submitted by Rick VanVranken

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