Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a temporary policy regarding eligibility for the qualified exemption under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. The policy is designed to provide flexibility to growers during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The policy and guidance may be found on FDA’s website at https://www.fda.gov/media/138316/download. Under…Read more about FDA Announces Temporary Policy During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
As we continue to move toward harvest for many of our produce crops, numbers of workers will continue to increase on produce farms. Management of worker health has been, and continues to be, critical to insuring that farms have adequate labor. The following are a few resources available to growers as they continue to monitor…Read more about COVID-19 Resources for Agriculture Workers and Employers Available[Read More]
USDA will soon begin taking applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. As part of applying for the program, you’ll need to contact the Farm Service Agency county office at your local USDA Service Center to schedule an appointment. Find your office at farmers.gov/cfap. Your local FSA staff will work with you to apply for…Read more about Coronavirus Food Assistance Program[Read More]
Have you thought about produce your own value-added products that increase the value of your fresh produce? What are the challenges for you to start or expand your value-added business? How does COVID-19 affect your business? We would like to invite you to participate in the online survey to share your perspective and experiences on…Read more about Are You Interested in Value-Added Production?[Read More]
About the culprit insect Cutworms are the larval (caterpillar) stage of moths in the family Noctuidae, which typically fly at night. Although the adult moths are not damaging, the voracious larvae can be! The caterpillars typically hide during the day and emerge at night, curling around young, tender plants to feed. How many kinds of…Read more about Beware of Cutworms in Young Veggie Crops![Read More]
Dual Magnum® is registered for use in numerous row crops and specialty crops in the state of Indiana. While some vegetable crops (beans, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, rhubarb, and tomatoes) appear on the specimen or national label (Section 3 label), most do not. Numerous specialty crops that do not appear on the specimen label are included…Read more about Instructions on Finding the 24(c) Dual Magnum® Herbicide Label[Read More]
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, farmers’ markets and farm stands are considered ‘essential businesses’ in Indiana. Therefore, statewide Executive Orders permit their operation during periods when only essential businesses may remain open, as long as proper social distancing measures are used. The guidelines below outline best practices for farmers’ markets in order to be considered…Read more about Farmers’ Market Guidelines for Social Distancing[Read More]
Farmers markets and farm stands will be opening soon if they aren’t already open. Vendors and market managers will be implementing new practices to reduce the spread of the novel corona virus. Guidelines for practices at Indiana farmers markets are summarized in a new publication from Purdue in cooperation with Indiana State Department of Health,…Read more about Keeping Produce Fresh at Markets and Farm Stands[Read More]
This webinar will provide more information about the Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance funding opportunities for farmers and other small businesses. It will be held on May 7, 2020, 11:00am EST. If you can’t view the webinar live, please consider registering to receive a link to the recording. Navigating the SBA Disaster Funds Webinar (May 7th at…Read more about Small Business Administration Disaster Funds Webinar[Read More]