Northeast
New actions to protect pollinators announced by New York state
The New York State Departments of Agriculture and Markets and Environmental Conservation announced July 26 new actions to better protect pollinators and support the health of honeybees across New York state. Signed by Gov. Andrew... more »
Vermont’s marketing campaign marks farms’ focus on food safety
This summer, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets’ Produce Program partnered with growers to celebrate the steps they take to bring food from the field to customers. The campaign features Vermont farmers telling their stories, a message that puts a face with... more »
Black dot root rot found in high tunnel tomatoes
A root disease that is most commonly associated with potato has turned up on tomato in a high tunnel. This disease goes by the delightful name of black dot root rot. The causal agent is Colletotrichum... more »
What’s the best method to scare birds from sweet corn?
Scaring birds out of sweet corn and other crops is not new, based on the centuries-old placement of scarecrows dressed in old clothes (oftentimes filled with straw) in fields. However, there are many newer methods... more »
Rutgers Extension gets USDA-NIFA funding to promote vaccine education
There is significant concern among farmworkers and farmers about on-farm transfer of the COVID-19 virus. The ability to connect with vaccine providers has proven difficult for those language and technology/internet barriers, and those without established... more »
Proper steps identified to control pumpkin disease
I was recently asked about disease control programs for pumpkins. The following was modified from an article by Kate Everts in 2019 that I have added updated fungicide recommendations and additional information about certain diseases.... more »
June 23 is date set for Rodale Institute’s Organic Field Day in Pennsylvania
Rodale Institute, a supporter of regenerative organic agriculture, is set to hold its annual Organic Field Day on July 23 from 8:30 a.m.to 3:30 p.m. The Field Day is located at Rodale Institute’s 333-acre experimental... more »
With no clear improvement, beekeepers report high colony loss rates
Beekeepers across the United States lost 45.5% of their managed honeybee colonies from April 2020 to April 2021, according to preliminary results of the 15th annual nationwide survey conducted by the nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership.... more »