Good Agricultural Practices and Food Safety

-Wes Kline
NOFA is sponsoring two food safety trainings:  February 11th and February 19th.  Both classes will be held at the RCE Mercer County office, 930 Spruce St., Trenton, NJ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.  $25 for NOFA members/$30 for non-members.  Questions?  call 908-371-1111 x4 and visit:  Farm Food Safety: What Every Farmer Needs to Know to register for the classes.
http://www.nofanj.org/programs_foodsafety.htm

Food Safety & Audit Training

-Wes Kline
Visit the 2013 Ag Convention & Trade Show for the next Food Safety & Audit Training on February 7th, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Cost included in the convention fees.  Topics covered:  Food Safety Modernization Act Proposed Rules, Harmonized Food Safety Standards, How to develop a food safety plan for your operation and risk assessment.

Agritourism Risk Management Workshop

-Michelle Infante-Casella
Rutgers NJAES Agritourism Working Group presents:

Agritourism Risk Management Workshop 
Date: Monday, February 25, 2013
Location: Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
of Burlington County 
2 Academy Dr., Westampton, NJ

This workshop is being offered to go over some of the risk management issues that may come up on the farm when agritourism marketing is offered.

Hot Water Seed Sterilization Available at RCE Monmouth

-Bill Sciarappa

Eradicate bacterial plant pathogens before you plant your 2013 tomato and pepper seeds.
RCE Monmouth County will heat treat your seed at our office:
4000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold
Call to Schedule: Ag Assistant Vivian Quinn 732-431-7260 Ext 7273 or e-mail vquinn@aesop.rutgers.edu

Please indicate if you need hot pepper seed treated.
Please bring your seed (un-pelleted) in labeled packages as described below. Or, if you wish, we have the fiberglass material available at our office for you to prepare the seed packages. You may wait for the seeds or drop off and return on the same day for pick- up. Please make sure that all seed packs are labeled (use a water proof method) with the variety or other code that you can identify.
To package, you may use:

• Fiberglass screen envelopes (charcoal fiberglass screening) 
• Nylon stockings 
• Coffee filters, cotton bags, etc.

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