New Jersey Department of Agriculture

08/21/2026

Extreme heat can pose significant challenges for New Jersey communities, but municipalities have tools and resources to help prepare and respond.
Join the NJ Interagency Council on Climate Resilience (IAC) and Sustainable Jersey for Extreme Heat and Protecting New Jersey’s Communities on September 16, 2026, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

This webinar will bring together community experts to discuss how municipalities can prepare for and respond to extreme heat events, including:
• How extreme heat impacts New Jersey communities
• Local and municipal responses to extreme heat
• Planning and resilience resources for communities
• How to stay informed and prepared

Learn more and register: https://dep.nj.gov/heat-towns

08/21/2026

Fresh market vegetable producers in the Northeast just gained another important tool to manage risk. The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has expanded Fresh Market Pepper crop insurance coverage into additional states and counties.

08/20/2026

Property transitions can be complex enough, let alone the related expenses.

Farm Transfer and Succession Planning Grants are available until June 2027, thanks to support from American Farmland Trust.

Up to $10,000 per generation or party is available to help cover the costs of professional services or infrastructure and equipment needed for a farm transfer.

Better yet, both the senior and junior generations (or the outgoing and incoming farmers if unrelated) can apply and receive the grant; i.e., farms could receive up to $20,000 to develop or implement their plans.

The Next Generation Farmer staff invite you to a webinar to learn all about the grants and more!

Two webinars are scheduled for August 25th (12:00pm) and September 1, 2026 (7:30 PM).

Click here for the registration links on SADC homepage for both the August 25th at 12:00pm and September 1 at 7:30 pm webinars. https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/

08/20/2026

August 20 is World Mosquito Day! Take a moment to think about mosquito-borne disease prevention as part of your horse’s routine health care. Talk with your veterinarian about the best prevention plan for your horse. Learn more about mosquito management: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/mosquitoes/mosquitoes-at-home/. Tips for reducing mosquito-borne disease in horses:https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/10_Tips_for_Reducing_Your_Horses_West_Nile_Risk.pdf

08/19/2026

The New Jersey State Board of Agriculture will hold its Monthly Meeting on Wednesday, August 26 at 1:00 PM.

📃Agenda: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/boards-councils-taskforces/state-board/meeting-agendas/

🔗Teams Meeting Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/29140189804940?p=s34HALU9DV1fspydjr

08/19/2026

If your operation has been impacted by drought, USDA is here for you. FSA offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan programs to assist you in your drought recovery efforts. https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/drought

08/19/2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on August 13th, 2026, issued a disaster designation for New Jersey due to drought.

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator.

Primary Counties: Mercer and Monmouth
Contiguous Counties: Burlington, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Ocean, Somerset

Additional information on USDA’s disaster assistance programs can be found at www.farmers.gov/recover.

08/18/2026

The application for the Charity Racing Day 2027 is now available at 🔗https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/njequine/sirestakes/

08/18/2026

Hurricane season is here ⛈️

Whether you manage a farm, ranch, or other agricultural operation, preparing ahead can help protect your livelihood and speed recover after severe weather strikes. Visit www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery for more preparedness resources.

08/18/2026