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NJFB President Allen Carter advises that caution should be observed with outdoor activity today and until the wildfire smoke conditions are alleviated. Governor Phil Murphy has declared an Air Quality Action alert for particulate matter because of it; he urges those with heart or lung conditions to stay safe and limit strenuous activity. The state Department of Agriculture has information on its social media platforms with similar precautions for human health protection as well as livestock animals.
Consider the use of facial protection like N-95 masks that were useful during the covid pandemic. The air quality consequences from prolonged exposure is important to consider, especially for your labor force.
Thank you.
New rules governing many livestock antibiotics go into effect in June. Producers will need a veterinary prescription to purchase most antibiotics.
Click here for more information from Michael L Westendorf PhD, Rutgers University; Jon E Higgins VMD Acorn Farmvets LLC and Dan Wunderlich, New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
May 18, 2023
TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) today announced a new online application for teenagers who need working papers – at MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov – launching June 1.
Minors who need working papers to start a job – and any employer who hires a worker under age 18 in New Jersey – will visit the site and register, following the prompts to complete the working papers application online. NJDOL will administer this digitized, streamlined process in accordance with A4222/S2796, a law Gov. Murphy signed last year to enhance protections for the state’s young workers.
Schools will no longer be involved, but minors, employers, and caregivers all play a role and will receive email notifications when it’s their turn to take action. The minor and employer will receive an email letting them know the application has been approved or rejected.
“This is a significant update in how minors acquire their working papers, which they need for employment in New Jersey,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “It’s quicker, easier, and this new process gives NJDOL a welcome opportunity to reach minors and their caregivers about career and apprenticeship opportunities, and to make minors aware of their work rights when it matters most – when they start their first job.”
Here’s how the new application works:
As part of its responsibility to serve and protect the state’s workforce, NJDOL has developed a suite of online information and services specifically for young workers. It contains information on resume writing and interviewing skills, child labor laws, and more. Information on wages, hours, and types of work permitted for minors can be found here.
Anyone who needs working papers before June 1 should visit NJDOL’s young worker hub to get the paper form.
The Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, in collaboration with several other business organizations, will host an informational webinar on this subject on Wednesday, May 24 at 2:00pm. Click here for details and to register.
For additional information, please visit MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov.
The New Jersey Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee is seeking nominations for the 2023 NJFB Woman of the Year. The mission of the committee is to develop public understanding of the value and need for agriculture in everyday living through education while empowering women to be strong, effective leaders and advocates in agriculture.
If you know a women who is proud to be in the agricultural field – be it on a tractor, milking a cow or teaching in a classroom – please take a few moments to nominate her.
Nominations are due by May 31st. The recipient will be presented at the NJFB Annual Dinner in November.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall today emphasized the importance of the farm bill during testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade. The hearing focused on commodity programs, credit and crop insurance.
Click here for the full story, and a copy of President Duvall’s full statement.
New technology makes it nearly impossible to tell fake video or audio clips from real ones. Now, as the software used to create these “deepfakes” becomes more widespread, scammers are using it to steal money and sensitive information.
Click here to learn what a deepfake is, and how to protect yourself from deepfake scams.
On Wednesday this week, the 4 co-chairs of the NJ Forest Stewardship Task Force presented their findings to a joint committee hearing of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. The report makes 16 recommendations that the committee feels should be taken as a whole and not cherrypicked to have the most success in helping to improve the health and sustainability of the state’s publicly-held forest lands. The first 9 of the recommendations focus on how NJDEP can better inventory and plan for forest health and climate adaptation. The remaining 7 policy recommendations focus on management and implementation. These include maintaining important fire management strategies, aggressive reductions in deer populations to match environmental carrying capacity and funding the department and to make sure the programs outlined can be implemented.
A Zoom meeting providing guidance to County Board of Agriculture leaders was held on Tuesday, January 3. The agenda included a review of Robert’s Rules of Order, expectations of officers, fostering leadership development as well as some legal guidance for counties.
A recording was made for those who could not participate live, or for those who would just like to review it. Click here for the recording.
The Gladys “Beth” Pool Memorial Scholarship was established in 2021 to honor the memory of Beth Pool. Beth was dairy farmer and an agricultural advocate from Gloucester County. Alongside her husband and family, Beth owned and operated Sebowisha Farms, a dairy farm where they milked Holsteins and raised their own crops. Beth’s passion for the agricultural industry was evident when she gave farm tours for school children to learn and experience the world of agriculture.
Aside from her hard work on the farm, Beth dedicated her time to serving others. She served on the New Jersey Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee (NJFBWLC) for 30 years for which part of that time she served as 1st chair. For 10 years, she represented the Northeast serving on the American Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Leadership Committee. Beth also participated in many school programs through the Ag Education Committee of NJFBWLC. Beth also served as a 4-H Leader in Gloucester County, teaching children how to cook and sew and was a member of the Gloucester County 4-H Fair Association, most notably running the food concession stand that served thousands of people during the Fair.
Any high school senior who has participated in New Jersey 4-H or FFA, and is interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, is eligible for this $1000 Scholarship. Students interested must submit the completed application along with an essay on how agriculture “feeds your soul” and a letter of recommendation from a 4-H Leader or FFA Advisor. The application, essay and letter are due by April 1st. The Scholarship winner will be selected and notified by April 30th. Please email your application to traced444@gmail.com.
