Networks To Reduce Risk: Building Viable NJ Farms Webinars and Field Trips

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Departments from Cape May, Essex, Somerset, and Union Counties in New Jersey have joined forces to create networks to reduce risk and build viable New Jersey Farms. They are partnering as part of a grant funded project to create a program connecting urban and rural farmers with risk management resources. The project features field trips to sites where risk management strategies will be demonstrated such as value added product creation and farm safety techniques.

Field trips scheduled in 2025 include:

• November 1: Farm to City Center, Newark, and LifeCap Farms, Jersey City
• November 18: Food Innovation Center, Bridgeton.

In 2026, two field trips will take place:

• April 11 to Clover Valley Farm in Vincentown
• April 28 to Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown.

Transportation options will be available for field trips, however, spaces are limited at some field trip locations.

In addition to field trips, five online workshops, each focused-on risk management tactics identified by producers, will be offered via a Canvas Course site. The course will feature live zoom lectures by industry and government agency professionals; recordings of the lectures, including captioning in Spanish; resource materials, assignments, evaluation tools and discussion groups to facilitate networking. The Annie’s Project 101 Webinar series, which is open to all, will be held on Wednesday evenings from January 7 through February 18, 2026.

The program is free, however, registration is required. For more information and to sign up to receive registration materials, go to: https://go.rutgers.edu/57at76ts.