FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Update

The Food and Drug Administration is moving rapidly with the new food safety act. There are public hearings almost each month on different aspects. If you want to keep up-to-date on all webinars, due dates for public comment, etc. check out FSMA. This site covers all parts of the FSMA including seafood, meat, fresh and processing fruits and vegetables.

Keep abreast of how FSMA impacts you as a Grower with these resources: Food Safety and FSMA.

-Wesley Kline, Ag Agent, Cumberland County

USDA Proposed National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement

-Wesley Kline [From Cultivating Cumberland, July 2011]
The USDA is moving forward with rule-making for the National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (NLGMA). The agreement was proposed in 2009 by produce industry representatives. USDA held 7 hearings across the country during 2009 and received over 5000 pages of testimony.
The full proposal text was published in the Federal Register on April 29. Go to www.ams.usda.gov for a copy. There is a 90 day comment period where anyone can comment anonymously if desired. All comments must be received by July 28, 2011. Read the document and make your feelings known. This will be critical for the leafy green industry in New Jersey.
They have made changes to the proposal after the first comment period among those are:

Pesticide Container Recycling July 1, Hammonton still on.

Karen Kritz, Agricultural Economic Development Specialist with the Division of Marketing & Development, NJ Dept of Agriculture, wants all to know that despite the State budget situation and possibility of a shut-down, that the pesticide container recycling event will still be held tomorrow, Friday July 1, 2011 at Helena Chemical on Route 206 in Hammonton from 9:00am to 3:00 pm.

R.VanVranken

Summer Cover Crops

There is still time to plant some summer cover crops for soil improvement on rested fields and as a rotation for vegetable crops ending from spring harvest. For more information on planting and managing Sorghum Sudangrass as a summer cover crop (can plant up to July 15) see Rutgers NJAES Fact sheet FS994 authored by Bamka and Infante-Casella.
-Michelle Infante-Casella, Agricultural Agent

Late blight found on potato in VA and DE and on potato and tomato on Long Island

All potato and tomato growers should consider adding Late blight specific fungicides into their weekly fungicide maintenance programs. To date, no Late blight has been reported in New Jersey. Weather conditions the past few days have been favorable for Late blight development. For more information on controlling Late blight please see the 2011 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations book.

For Homeowners, if Late blight is present or a threat, apply a product that contains the active ingredient, chlorothalonil, on a regular basis to help protect the plant. Always follow the instructions on the product label! The label is the law! All infected plants should be removed, put in plastic bags, and thrown out. Infected tomato and potato plants left in the home garden will act as a source of inoculum and help further spread the disease!
-Andy Wyenandt

Cucurbit downy mildew found on cucumber in New Jersey

Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in New Jersey near Vineland. This is the first report of cucurbit downy mildew in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region this year. All cucurbit growers should add a downy mildew specific fungicide to their weekly maintenance programs.
-Andy Wyenandt