HOLD THE DATES! February 4-6, 2002. State Agricultural Convention, Trump Plaza , Atlantic City. General Session: "Farm Viability and Stewardship"

MOORE SWORN IN AS STATE BOARD MEMBER

Neva Moore, a cranberry/blueberry grower from Tabernacle, Burlington County, was sworn in as the newest member of the State Board on December 7. Representing the state's fruit industry, Moore was elected to a four-year term at the State Agriculture Convention in February. A member and president of the American Cranberry Growers Association, Moore also serves on the Burlington County Board of Agriculture and is a member of the New Jersey Farm Bureau. Moore and her husband, Sam, have 35 acres of blueberries and 41 acres of cranberries with an additional 30 acres of land being readied for cranberries. Her term runs until 2005.

NJDA RESPONDS TO McGREEVEY CALL FOR PINELANDS FARMLAND PRESERVATION MORATORIUM

Last month Governor-elect Jim McGreevey requested the Legislature to postpone legislation that would re-appropriate $14 million in farmland preservation funds, including $6 million for Pinelands farms under the state's Farmland Preservation Program. In response, I wrote to the Governor-elect, outlining the importance of farmland preservation to the permanent preservation of the Pinelands' vast environmental assets and the strong support these efforts have among the environmental community. Among other considerations, I pointed out the importance of farmland in the Pinelands to the long-term viability of the industry in New Jersey and the temporary nature of the regulatory protections now in place in the area. Since the legislative action in question was a re-appropriation of funds, rather than a new appropriation, I urged the Governor-elect to give us the opportunity to discuss it more fully with him.

TRANSITION MEETINGS COMMENCE

This week, State Agriculture Development Committee Executive Director Greg Romano met three representatives of the Governor-elect's Agriculture Transition Team. Issues discussed included allocations to the Farmland Preservation and Green Acres programs under the Garden State Preservation Trust Act, statewide transfer of development rights, the right to farm program, and farmland stewardship.

DEER FENCING 2001

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Wildlife Management (BWM), recently advised us that they had set aside $20,000 this year to purchase deer fencing for farmers. Unfortunately, due to the recently imposed state spending freeze, BWM is unable to buy additional fencing at this time. For additional details, call the Bureau of Wildlife Management, at (908)735-8793 between 8:30 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

'CONTINUATION OF GOVERNMENT' PLAN ADVANCES

The New Jersey Domestic Security Task Force has requested that each state agency prepare a plan that will provide for continuation of government with a minimum of disruption in the event that facilities, personnel or equipment become unavailable. Accordingly, NJDA is developing a plan to address the maintenance of its critical functions for short term (one- and five-day) interruptions and longer-term (thirty-day) interruptions.

The major components of this plan include the physical space needed, assuming all or part of the department's office and/or lab buildings become unusable; the staffing required to continue critical services; handling information technology issues; and issues relating to the chain of command, document handling, and mail and delivery services. Key in the development of the plan is the identification of those functions which are critical and must be continued without disruption and those that are secondary and may be deferred.

USDA SUSPENDS SPANISH CLEMENTINE IMPORTS

USDA suspended indefinitely the entry of clementine citrus from Spain after live Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) larvae were found in Spanish clementines in Louisiana, Maryland and North Carolina. USDA has also banned the sale or distribution of Spanish clementines in states where the pest could survive (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington). Fruit already imported into the United States may be shipped to states where the pest cannot survive due to climate, e.g., New Jersey. NJDA issued an advisory to chain stores, distributors and brokers concerning this action. The Medfly is one of the world's most destructive agricultural pests, threatening more than 250 kinds of fruits, nuts and vegetables. The female Medfly attacks ripening fruit, piercing the soft skin, and laying eggs in the puncture. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed inside the fruit pulp. The United States has no established Medfly populations, and USDA will remain vigilant in its efforts to prevent foreign introductions of this pest.

WEST NILE VIRUS UPDATE

As of December 10, 2001, there have been 25 confirmed cases of equine West Nile virus in nine counties in New Jersey: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Salem. Ten of the affected horses were euthanized due to their illness. Additional suspect cases are undergoing testing.

NEW JERSEY CATTLE HEALTH ASSURANCE PROGRAM UNDER WAY

The New Jersey Cattle Health Assurance Program/Johne's Advisory Committee met at the end of November. The group represents a unique partnership of government, academia and industry formed to advance the newly formed New Jersey Cattle Health Assurance Program (NJCHAP), a comprehensive quality assurance program for cattle producers that puts new and existing herd health programs under one umbrella. The group includes dairy and beef producers, Rutgers Extension personnel, practicing veterinarians, a representative from the Farm Bureau, and state and federal veterinarians. Johne's disease has been a focal point of the program since its inception and will remain an important topic as the program develops.

EUROPEAN SEAFOOD MARKETS ARE EXPORT TARGET

NJDA's Fish and Seafood Development Program staff have developed a plan for the coming year with industry input to help the state's fish and seafood companies increase market share in Europe. Over the past few years the focus has been on Asian markets. For the European effort, NJDA is recruiting companies to participate in two major trade shows, Alimentaria in Barcelona and the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels. To facilitate export activities, several companies are investigating the possibility of forming an export trade company. This would allow them more flexibility in marketing their products and would reduce the burden of promotion/sales on individual companies that often lack the personnel and resources to handle these tasks effectively.

GROUP DISCUSSES RESEARCH, EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FOR LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

The Food Animal Integrated Research (FAIR) conclave met in Maryland last month. More than 250 leading animal scientists, farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, animal welfare proponents, commodity group representatives, government staff, rural advocates, agribusiness and food service representatives gathered to determine the most pressing research and educational needs of the animal industry. Goals for developing research priorities and objectives included the necessary steps to ensure that we raise the best quality animal products in ways that are economically competitive, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable. They included:

• developing the systems needed to keep American animal agriculture competitive in the global market;
  
• improve animal food products to improve the quality of human lives;
  
• developing strategies and technologies to prevent, diagnose, and treat animal diseases;
  
• safeguarding public health and reducing the risk of food-borne diseases;
  
• devising animal production and processing systems that sustain or improve the environment;
  
• enhance animal well-being throughout the food production cycle.

GYPSY MOTH SPRAY PROPOSED IN 29 MUNICIPALITIES

Following gypsy moth egg mass surveys throughout the central and northern counties of the state, 21,284 acres in 29 municipalities in Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Hunterdon, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem and Warren Counties have been proposed for treatment. Over 75% of the proposed acreage is in the northern counties of Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic and Warren Counties. A total of 69 municipal surveys have been completed with nine municipalities in Sussex County remaining to be done. All ground surveys should be completed by the end of the month.

ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORY EARNS FEDERAL CERTIFICATION

NJDA's animal health laboratory has successfully executed another round of serologic certification/ proficiency testing administered by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL). The tests encompassed equine infectious anemia, bluetongue, bovine leukemia, brucellosis, equine viral arteritis, pseudorabies, Johne's ELISA and Johne's culture, a non-serologic test. The proficiency tests often involve borderline positive or negative samples, requiring an experienced technician to properly evaluate them. The certification not only demonstrates the lab staff's proficiency in performing the exams, but also allows the division laboratory to perform efficient, cost-effective in-state regulatory testing for New Jersey farmers.

NEMATODE SURVEY ANALYSIS CONTINUES

Plant pest survey staff continues to examine soil samples collected as part of a preliminary survey to document the absence or presence or nematodes of concern to foreign plant protection agencies. Data gathered in this project will be used to support export certification of international shipments of USA?grown produce and nursery stock. Survey targets include the Columbia root knot nematode, golden nematode, soybean cyst nematode, potato rot nematode, and two root knot nematodes. Soil samples were collected from fields in Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem Counties. All 38 samples were free of Columbia root knot nematode, potato rot nematode and the root knot nematodes. Testing continues for golden nematode (all samples clear to date) and soybean cyst nematode (found in two samples from Salem and Gloucester Counties where fields will have to be re-sampled).

SMART GROWTH GRANTS REVIEWED

The state agencies that sit on the State Planning Commission met with the representatives of the counties that received Smart Growth Grants from the state Department of Community Affairs (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren). Each county provided an overview of its funded project, a status update, and an outline of the major issues and goals of the planning process they have undertaken. A similar presentation was made to the full Plan Implementation Committee. NJDA staff will compile a brief overview of the projects in each county and indicate the agricultural interests involved if appropriate.

NJDA VISITS MAJOR PENNSYLVANIA FOWL AUCTION

Staff from the Division of Animal Health visited Roots Poultry Auction in Manheim, PA, one of the largest in the state, to observe routine processing of the 4,000 birds consigned there. Many of the birds consigned are subsequently sold to New Jersey live bird markets. The visit focused on logistical obstacles that may occur for New Jersey producers or marketers as a result of recently adopted avian influenza regulations aimed at eliminating low-pathogenic avian influenza from the markets and their sources. Eradication of the low-pathogenic virus eliminates the possibility that it will revert to the high-pathogenic form, which would have devastating medical and economic results. While there, NJDA staff worked with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture personnel through their monthly avian influenza surveillance program to help educate the dealers, auction staff and other stakeholders about the New Jersey avian influenza regulations.