June 30 Derecho disaster assistance follow-up

Residents and Businesses Are Encouraged to Report June 30 Storm Damages at www.ReadyAtlantic.org as Atlantic County Seeks to Appeal FEMA Denial for Individual Assistance

Atlantic County residents and businesses that suffered damages to their properties and incurred losses as a result of the June 30 super derecho are strongly encouraged to submit that information to county or municipal emergency management officials who are seeking financial assistance and reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert!

Rutgers Cooperative Extension at the New Jersey Experiment Station

Plant & Pest Advisory

Vegetable Alert!

Date: 8/10/2012

Alert Authors: Holmstrom/Mahar/Wyenandt

Pest: Cucurbit downy mildew
Found: Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on pumpkins in Middlesex County. This is the first report on pumpkin this growing season.
Crop(s) at risk: all cucurbit crops in New Jersey.
Potential impact: Significant losses will occur if not controlled properly
What growers should do: Control of Downy mildew begins with regular scouting, recognizing symptoms and weekly protectant fungicide applications. The following are the most effective materials:  Vegetable alert - Cucurbit downy mildew 8-10-2012
Once Downy mildew has been detected in the state or region, basic fungicide maintenance programs for cucurbit crops should be adjusted to include fungicides for downy mildew control.

Farm Food Safety: Farm Irrigation Waters, Animals, Previous Land Use

Part 9 of Preparing Your Farm Food Safety Plan

- Meredith Melendez and Wes Kline

This is the ninth article in a series dedicated to preparing a farm food safety plan. Remember you may not need a third party audit; it depends on who is purchasing your produce.  However, everyone should have a food safety plan.

The farm review is an overview of how you minimize the chance of contamination through irrigation waters, wild animals and past land use.  This can be as simple as three paragraphs, one focusing on irrigation waters, the next on wild animal activity on the farm and the last on the previous use of the land.  The following items should be included:

Irrigation waters

-          What is the source(s) of irrigation water used on the farm?

-          How do you irrigate your crops with these waters?

-          How often, when and what, do you test irrigation waters for to determine possible contaminants?

Beet armyworm increase in pheromone trap

We have seen a sharp, 8-fold increase in the number of beet armyworm moths (Spodoptera exigua) caught in the Hammonton area in the past couple of days.  Moth counts in other areas remain low, but this demonstrates how patchy insect populations may be and this patchiness is probably enhanced by the storm cells moving across the state.  Beet armyworm is a migratory pest and is brought in on weather fronts, especially from those coming in from the south and west.

Beet armyworm is a general plant feeder but seems to prefer solanaceous crops, especially peppers.  With a past history of insecticide resistance/tolerance, farmers must be vigilant not to let the populations build up in the field.







Joe Ingerson-Mahar