Proposed Rules Released for Food Safety Modernization Act

-Wes Kline

The Food and Drug Administration released their proposed Standards for “Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption” today. This is a 547 page document. There is a 7 page executive summary at the beginning which will serve most people. The comment period for the proposed rules end May 16, 2013.

We will be putting out more information for growers over the next couple weeks as there is time to digest the document. Growers should be encouraged to at least review the summary since this rule will impact most growers in New Jersey. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact Meredith Melendez or myself.

Website Announcement
Proposed Rule under FSMA for Produce: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

Document
Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

Owners of Storm Damaged Properties Urged to Apply For Tax Assessment Reductions

I hope this finds you safe and sound from the devastation of "Sandy". If your farm has suffered any crop, equipment or building damages, in addition to reporting those losses to the USDA Farm Service Agency, FEMA, and your insurance company, here are a couple other programs that you might find helpful. Note that there are strict deadlines to follow.

• All property owners whose dwellings have been destroyed or made significantly less valuable as a result of Superstorm Sandy are urged to notify their local tax assessor in writing before January 10, 2013 to see if they qualify for a reduction in their property's assessed value for tax year 2013 under New Jersey Law (NJ S. 54:4-35.1).
• The New Jersey Division of Taxation has extended the tax filing deadline for businesses struggling to recover from Superstorm Sandy. The deadline for all tax filings and payments that were/are due in the period beginning October 30, 2012 and ending November 26, 2012 has been extended to November 26, 2012.

--Rick VanVranken

Ag Convention/Veg Meetings move to February 5-7 for 2013

As we come to the end of 2012, we look forward to a new year and to upcoming winter meetings. There has been a significant change on the winter meeting schedule, so please take note. After a successful first run this year, the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ and Rutgers Cooperative Extension will once again combine their winter educational conference and trade show with the NJ Ag Convention in 2013, but the traditional dates have changed. It will not be held in January, so Please MARK THE DATE! This coming year, the NJ Ag Convention (including the NJ Vegetable Conference and Trade Show) will be held February 5, 6, 7, 2013 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Be on the lookout for registration materials that will be mailed in mid-December. If you don't receive a mailing, you may find the program and registration forms on the VGANJ's website.

Happy Holidays and all the best for the coming New Year!

-- Rick VanVranken, for the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Vegetable Working Group

Who needs Extension, anyway?

Submitted by Dr. Andy Wyenandt
From Gene McAvoy, South Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease Hotline.

"Very relevant as we celebrate 100 years of Extension."

Seaman Knapp: the Father of Extension 

So, how did this all start? How was it that this nation, rich in natural resources and vast in land, came to design a system that reached to each corner of its territory with access to education and service? ? The name behind this extraordinary accomplishment -- the name of the man whose work inspired a distinctive trait of land-grant universities and whose hands-on outreach is now replicated around the globe --is Seaman A. Knapp. During his life, Seaman Knapp was recognized for innovations that changed the course of history in America. His story is well known, especially to many in this room, yet it deserves to be told one more time.

Mid-Atlantic Pumpkin School

Mid-Atlantic Pumpkin School
to Be Held in January

The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Pumpkin School will be held at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office in Burlington County office in Westampton, NJ on January 18, 2013.

The location is easy to find, just off Exit 5 of the NJ Turnpike.

Experts from Rutgers, Penn State University and the University of Maryland will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice to pumpkin growers. Topics that often come up include which varieties of pumpkin grow best in what type of soil, the importance of identifying insect pests before spraying insecticide, agritourism, and the latest news about diseases that could affect the pumpkin crop in the coming year.

To obtain a copy of the registration materials see the Rutgers NJAES events website at http://events.rutgers.edu/njaes/.
Go to the January 18th date and choose the event.
If you have any questions please contact Michelle Infante-Casella at 856-307-6450 ext. 1 or email at minfante@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Reducing Storm Damage to Greenhouses

There is a lot of information in this article that I did not know about protecting greenhouses. It is certainly worth taking a look at:
http://extension.umass.edu/floriculture/fact-sheets/reducing-storm-damage-your-greenhouses
-Jenny Carleo

Contact Your Local FSA Office and FEMA to Report Storm Damage

Crops insured by federal crop insurance or by the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) are covered when floodwaters have rendered them valueless. USDA encourages all farmers and ranchers to contact their crop insurance companies and local USDA Farm Service Agency Service Centers, as applicable, to report damages to crops or livestock loss. More information about federal crop insurance may be found at www.rma.usda.gov. Additional resources to help farmers and ranchers deal with flooding and other damage may be found at www.usda.gov/disaster.

To find the USDA Service Center nearest you, please visit :http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=us&agency=fsa.

Additionally, sometimes farmers may not think of contacting FEMA. However, FEMA often offers assistance to small business owners after a disaster. Farms are included in that category. FEMA is not only for homeowners. Check with your local county government to find out where the temporary FEMA office will be located in your area.

Michelle Infante-Casella, Agricultural Agent