To print this issue, either press CTRL/CMD + P or right click on the page and choose Print from the pop-up menu.
Click on images to enlarge.
Crop Conditions
Mud season is officially here! While it can be a nasty mess, this is also a fun time of year filled with anxious anticipation. Greenhouses are filling up with leeks and onions, peppers, and early tomatoes. The sun on your face and dirt under your nails are welcome feelings after a long, cold, snowy winter.
It may seem hard to believe, but despite the snow, most of the state is still officially in drought; three feet of snow only equals about 2.5 inches of water! See the latest update from the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, here: https://www.mass.gov/news/drought-conditions-worsen-across-massachusetts
Before things get too crazy, take some time to make a pest management plan and make sure you know what to do when pests strike. Below are some of the resources we’ve created over the years to help identify, predict, and manage the usual suspects. If you’d like some help one-on-one just give us a call or send an email and we can setup and meeting or farm visit.
- The Veg Notes Archive: You can revisit any past issue of Veg Notes at any time! Use the search function to search article titles. Issues from before February 2024 are not easily accessible online but if you need an article from before then, contact us at umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu and we can send you the issue.
- New! Vegetable Insect & Mite Pest Search Tool: Extension Entomologist Ali Shokoohi has been revamping our vegetable insect and mite pest fact sheets and developed a search tool to help you find what you’re looking for. Search by pest name, damage type, insect group, and/or host crop. A great new resource to poke around in now, or to use in real-time during the season!
- New England Vegetable Management Guide: As always, the Guide is available for free online, or you can buy a hard copy through the Extension Bookstore. This Guide contains extensive general information about vegetable production and crop-by-crop guidance on production and pest management (including cultural and chemical control options).
- UMass Pest Scouting Resources: This page contains several tools to help you find and track vegetable pests, including scouting guides with instructions for scouting major crops, scouting sheets for recording pest numbers and determining thresholds, and a week-by-week insect & mite pest scouting calendar showing when key vegetable pests emerge/arrive in MA and brief prevention measures and/or scouting actions to take. Each pest on the calendar has a link to the relevant UMass fact sheet for more information. Reference images important for scouting included! You can also view this as a Google Calendar and, if you add each event to your personal Google Calendar, you can edit them to reflect the timing that you see on your own farm!
- Request a visit from us: We are available to make site visits to commercial vegetable growers in MA! You can email us at umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu with a question or a visit request, or fill out the form at the link above. We can advise on insect, disease, or weeds pest management, crop production, food safety, soil health, and more.
Contact Us
Contact the UMass Extension Vegetable Program with your farm-related questions, any time of the year. We always do our best to respond to all inquiries.
Vegetable Program: 413-577-3976, umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu (umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu)
Staff Directory: https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/faculty-staff
Home Gardeners: Please contact the UMass GreenInfo Help Line with home gardening and homesteading questions, at greeninfo[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu (greeninfo[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu).
Strawberry Update
Be on the Lookout: Waterborne Pathogens & Black Root Rot Complex
With the harsh, wet, snow-packed winter season, expect a slower spring dry-down in many fields and a higher risk for water-driven crown/root problems as snowmelt and spring rains move through plantings. The last comparable “deep snowpack” benchmark many growers will remember is winter 2014-15, when eastern MA experienced record seasonal snowfall (Boston finished with 110.6 inches).
When soils stay saturated and cold, several strawberry problems become much more likely:
- Phytophthora diseases (e.g., red stele/Phytophthora crown & root rots) are favored by wet soils and spread with moving water.
- Black root rot (BRR) complex: a stress-driven decline syndrome that commonly shows up in low spots and compacted, poorly drained areas, exactly where snowmelt collects and where traffic ruts seal the soil surface.
Black Root Rot Complex: BRR is not one pathogen—it’s a complex that often involves Rhizoctonia spp., Pythium spp., Fusarium spp., and frequently the lesion nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans). Symptoms are made worse by plant stress (wet feet, compaction, repeated winter injury).
Red flags in the field: Start scouting here first
Patches that follow drainage lines, headlands, wheel tracks, and low spots
Plants with reduced vigor, weak runnering, and small berries, that “stall out” during spring growth
Root systems that are dark/decayed and lacking fresh white feeder roots (often without the red core typical of red stele)
Action items—these will have a high payoff this spring:
Flag wet areas now and prioritize those for early scouting once plants break dormancy.
Minimize traffic on wet ground, as compaction will amplify BRR.
Tackle drainage bottlenecks you can fix quickly (open outlets, break ruts, address chronic ponding zones).
If you suspect BRR or Phytophthora and need to distinguish between the two, dig plants—don’t guess from the canopy. Patterns and roots will usually tell the story faster than aboveground symptoms alone.
Strawberry School Take-Home Messages
I had the pleasure of attending Strawberry School in February. The program was organized by UMass Extension and the New England Vegetable & Berry Growers' Association and taught by Dr. David Handley of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, a long-time Extension specialist known across the region for his practical, field-tested strawberry production guidance. This section pulls together the main “grower-ready” points from the program—the steps that most strongly drive establishment success, yield, and bed longevity (with weed control and site preparation at the top of the list)—as a quick reference for growers heading into the season.
- Weeds are the #1 reason strawberry beds fail early. If you only “go big” on one thing, make it weed control. The payoff is longer bed life and easier harvest.
- Start weed control before you plant (not after). Use rotation and pre-plant strategies to reduce the weed seedbank and perennial weed pressure. Other options like tarping (summer/fall before planting) and burndown herbicides (fall/spring before planting) can also be used.
- Test soil the year before planting, then fix it before plants go in. Targets: pH 6.2-6.8 and organic matter 4%+ (often 4-6%), plus balanced P/K/Ca/Mg. Correct problems ahead of time by adding lime, compost, manure, etc. the fall before planting.
- Renovation keeps matted-row beds paying rent. Typical bed life is 3-6 years when you renovate annually and keep weeds under control. Renovate every year after harvest—don’t renovate the year you plant—and evaluate bed health each season.
- Plasticulture is a 2-year system—manage it like one.
- Year 1: Establishment (bed prep → planting July to Sept → flower removal → runner control → winter protection)
- Year 2: Production (cover removal → frost protection → pest management → harvest → remove plastic and rotate out).
- Flower removal during establishment is key for plasticulture with dormant crowns, in order to drive establishment and avoid stressing young plants.
- Know your plant type tradeoffs (plugs vs. dormant crowns).
- Dormant crowns: cheaper, wider variety choice, earlier planting (June-July), but you have to remove flowers and runners and watch for heat stress.
- Plugs: later planting (September-November), more expensive and limited varieties, but generally no flower removal / no runner removal, with cautions about disease and establishment time.
- Rotation matters for long-term pest and soil management. In any given field, Dr. Handley recommends strawberries “in” for 1-3 years, then “out” for 4-5 years, using summer and winter rotation crops to support soil structure, nutrients, and pest suppression (weeds, diseases, insects).
- Provide proper nutrients. Optimal targets are: 20–30 ppm P, 120–180 ppm K, 100-150 ppm Mg, with K:Mg ≈ 4:1. Cap boron at 1lb B/season to avoid toxicity.
- Frost protection is not optional once buds/flowers have emerged. Dr. Handley emphasizes preparation (sprinkler setup/coverage, frost nozzles/risers) and a clear trigger point: start irrigation protection at about 33°F at bud height.
--Written by John Galvan, UMass Extension Small Fruit Educator
Evaluating Heat-Tolerant Broccoli Cultivars for Summer Production in the Northeastern U.S.
Broccoli is a cool-season crop that performs best under moderate temperatures. In New England, fall broccoli production typically produces the highest head quality, while summer production is often avoided due to heat-related disorders that reduce marketability. In summer, temperatures above 85°F can lead to heat-related problems in broccoli, such as bolting, head rot, and brown beading, and can aggravate the hollow stem disorder caused by boron deficiency. Research conducted by Thomas Bjorkman at Cornell University has shown that the critical period of heat sensitivity of broccoli lasts only about 10 days; temperatures above 95°F for more than 4 days during this period can lead to deformed heads. Temperatures in MA routinely rise above these levels in the summer; in 2025, the eastern US, including MA, experienced high heat indices (110°F to 120°F).
2025 Broccoli Cultivar Heat Tolerance Screening
During summer 2025, heat tolerance of different broccoli cultivars was evaluated by Extension and university researchers across six different states: Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia. The main goal of these trials was to assess plant growth, vegetation health, and yield performance of 8 broccoli cultivars.
In Massachusetts, the broccoli cultivars were evaluated by the Li Lab to identify material with improved tolerance to heat stress and regional pest and disease pressure. The Li Lab conducted a field trial of eight broccoli cultivars to evaluate their heat tolerance by assessing plant growth, vegetation index, pest and disease occurrence and yield performance by scouting the field and using a drone on a weekly basis in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Seedlings were planted in April, with 30 plants per plot with 4 replicates, on beds covered with black plastic mulch, in double rows, with 12-inch spacing between rows and a double irrigation line in the center of the bed. Cultivars evaluated were Imperial, Asteroid, Millenium, Green Magic, Castle Dome, Eastern Magic, Emerald Crown, and Eastern Crown.
Key Observations
- Imperial & Asteroid: Avoided peak heat stress by developing the head later in summer, ensuring better quality at harvest time; strong summer performance. Asteroid had the highest vegetative vigor of all cultivars at most time points.
- Emerald Crown & Eastern Crown: Consistent vegetative vigor and acceptable head quality under elevated temperatures.
- Castle Dome: Early head development led to higher heat injury risk during peak heat periods. This cultivar should be grown to be harvested in late spring or early summer, before peak heat.
Below are photos of each cultivar in the early vegetative stage and of the heads during the heat period. Click on photos to see cultivar names.
Practical recommendations for growers
Growing high-quality broccoli during the hottest part of summer is a challenging task, and while there is no simple solution to guarantee a perfect harvest, there are ways to mitigate the risks and ensure the best possible harvest throughout the summer.
- Cultivar selection: Choosing the right cultivar requires an integrated approach that considers genetics (tolerance to diseases, pests, and stress), region, weather conditions, planting schedule, production system, and market standards. Disease-resistant cultivars should be a basic criterion, especially during periods of high humidity or in parts of the field likely to be affected by known diseases. For warmer periods, heat-tolerant cultivars are often an essential choice. For cooler periods, cold-resistant cultivars and cultivars that are more stable at low temperatures may be important.
- Planting window: Diversifying and growing two to three cultivars that mature at slightly different times during the same growing season reduces vulnerability to diseases and stress caused by extreme weather conditions. This ensures that some cultivars are not in their sensitive period during heat waves or when diseases linked to high humidity are present. Cornell University's Eastern Broccoli Project has published a seasonal planting list with varieties ranked in order of maturity. For example, among the cultivars assessed in the Massachusetts trial, “Castle Dome” is best suited for early spring planting and late spring/early summer harvest or for fall harvest. “Emerald Crown,” “Eastern Crown,” and “Imperial” tolerate fairly elevated temperatures and are harvested in late summer.
- Agronomic management: Factors other than heat can lead to a decline in head quality and increased vulnerability to disease if not effectively managed, including:
- Irrigation: Use drip irrigation rather than sprinkler irrigation to prevent water from pooling on the heads and causing head rot.
- Nutrient balance: Inadequate nutrient supply can adversely affect the quality of heads and stems. Excess nitrogen can promote rapid plant growth causing delay in floret formation, while boron deficiency increases the risk of hollow stems, which is often only noticeable at harvest time. Apply fertilizers according to soil test recommendations. Fertility recommendations for broccoli and other brassica crops can be found in the New England Vegetable Management Guide.
- Harvest: Harvest as soon as the head is mature, preferably early in the morning, so that the crops are as cool as possible when they leave the field.
- Postharvest and storage: To achieve optimal quality and shelf life, broccoli must be rapidly cooled to 32°F to prevent yellowing of the heads and must be kept at this temperature throughout the post-harvest period. Ideally, broccoli should be pre-cooled in a separate facility before being transferred to the cold room where other products are stored, to quickly reaches target temperature, as broccoli has an extremely high respiration rate.
A selection checklist for market requirements
It is essential to select heads with good quality characteristics to ensure that products are accepted on the fresh produce market. Producers should prioritize the following criteria:
- Head uniformity and firmness: focus on compact head with uniform bead size with tight florets.
- Color stability: No yellowing; the head color should be uniform, dark green to bright green. Check whether the purple variety is acceptable in your marketing area.
- Freshness: The head should look firm and tender, with no signs of rot, wilting, or damage.
- Cleanliness: Free from dirt, insects or any foreign materials.
References
- Björkman, T., Pearson, K.J. 1998. High temperature arrest of inflorescence development in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.) Journal of Experimental Botany 49:101-106.
- Björkman, T. The Eastern Broccoli Project. https://blogs.cornell.edu/easternbroccoliproject/main/production/varieties/
- Nagy, A., Myers, J., Stone, A. 2021. Identifying Heat Tolerant Broccoli Cultivars for the Processed Vegetable Industry. https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/processed-vegetable/heat-tolerant-broccoli-project
- UMass Extension Vegetable Program. 2013. Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Other Brassica Crops. https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/vegetable/fact-sheets/cabbage-broccoli-cauliflower-other-brassica-crops.
- UMass Extension Vegetable Program. 2013. Broccoli and Summer Heat. https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/vegetable/fact-sheets/broccoli-summer-heat
- Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. Planting a Vegetable Garden. https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/home-lawn-garden/fact-sheets/planting-vegetable-garden
- Latham, A. 2025. The First Heat Wave of Summer 2025. Wisconsin State Climatology Office. https://climatology.nelson.wisc.edu/the-first-heat-wave-of-summer-2025/
- Cantwell, M., Li, P., Zhang, Y., Hu, H., Liu, X., Kulchin, N., Donis-González, I.R. 2025. Broccoli. https://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/produce-facts-sheets/broccoli.
- Nguyen, A., Sharma, A., Prasad R. 2025. Understanding Vegetation Indices Used in Precision Agriculture. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/crop-production/understanding-vegetation-indices-used-in-precision-agriculture/
- Torres Quezada, E., Quezada, T. 2025. Selecting the Right Broccoli Cultivars for North Carolina. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/selecting-the-right-broccoli-cultivars-for-north-carolina
- New England Vegetable Management Guide. Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Other Brassica Crops. https://nevegetable.org/crops/cabbage-broccoli-cauliflower-and-other-brassica-crops
--Written by Jianyu Li, Extension Assistant Professor of Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production, and Winie Paul, PhD student, Li Lab
Cladosporium Leaf Spot of Spinach
We are seeing Cladosporium leaf spot in our spinach variety trial—a common occurrence in late-winter spinach. This disease is relatively unstudied in the Northeast but we’ve seen it every year for the last several years in our greenhouse trial spinach, and we receive reports from growers every winter.
Identification. Cladosporium leaf spot is caused by the fungal pathogen Cladosporium variabile. Early leaf spots are tan-colored, and expand to 1-3 mm in diameter. Adjacent spots may coalesce, forming irregular lesions. As the disease develops, velvety dark, green-brown sporulation develops within the lesions. In severe cases, older infected leaves may be killed.
Life Cycle. Development of Cladosporium leaf spot is favored by cool, humid environmental conditions that often occur in the fall and in winter high tunnels in New England. Optimum conditions for infection are 59-68°F and relative humidity above 80%, but infection can occur at temperatures between 50°F and 86°F and the fungus can continue growing at temperatures as low as 41°F.
In the absence of a spinach crop, Cladosporium may overwinter on crop residue, spinach volunteers, and weed hosts (although the weeds that serve as hosts for this diseases have not been confirmed). Viable spores of Cladosporium have been isolated from dried spinach leaves and seed up to 8 years old. In the field, spores are spread by splashing water, wind, workers, and equipment.
Cladosporium can be seed-borne; in one 2006 study from Washington State University, Cladosporium was found infesting 37 out of 66 seed lots tested, with infestation levels of up to 49%. Under the right environmental conditions, it’s likely that seed contamination could lead to infected seedlings, although this hasn’t yet been confirmed in the field, only in a controlled greenhouse environment.
Cultural Controls & Prevention
Till under crop residues promptly after harvest to speed up decomposition.
Hot water seed treatment can effectively eliminate Cladosporium from spinach seed. Researchers at Washington State University found that treating infested seed at 40°C/104°F for 10 minutes sufficiently eliminated Cladosporium and did not decrease germination. See our Hot Water Seed Treatment fact sheet to learn about hot water treating your own seed, or click here to learn about the UMass Vegetable Program Hot Water Seed Treatment Service.
Chlorine seed treatment also effectively eliminates Cladosporium from spinach seed and does not reduce germination. Soak seed for 10 minutes in a 1.2% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution. Sodium hypochlorite is the active ingredient in bleach; different bleach products have different percentages of NaOCl, with 5.25% being a common concentration. To make a 1.2% NaOCl solution from a 5.25% NaOCl product, dilute bleach with water at a 1:3 ratio. There are many bleach solution calculators available online (here’s an example). Note for dilution calculators: 1000ppm = 1%.
Take measures to reduce leaf wetness duration. Use drip irrigation or overhead irrigate early in the day on sunny days, when possible, so that crop foliage will dry quickly. Use horizontal air flow (HAF) fans and vent tunnels on warm, sunny days. Use row cover only if needed to speed up production; row cover is not necessary to keep spinach alive over the winter and it will increase humidity in the crop.
Control weeds within your crop, as well as around the outside edge of high tunnels, both to increase air flow and eliminate possible weed hosts.
Variation in susceptibility to Cladosporium between spinach varieties has been noted in the field, but resistance is not regularly evaluated for commercially available varieties.
Chemical Control
Few products are labeled specifically for Cladosporium leaf spot in spinach and little research has been conducted on chemical control of this disease. Strobilurin, or QoI, fungicides (FRAC Group 11) have been shown to effectively control this disease. Group 11 products that are labeled for spinach include Quadris and Reason. Note that Quadris Top and Opti are not labelled for use on spinach. In one University of Florida trial, Switch (Groups 9 & 12) significantly reduced Cladosporium incidence but performed worse than tested Group 11 materials.
Because Group 11 fungicides have a single-site mode of action, pathogens frequently develop resistance to this group of fungicides. A few rules of thumb for using materials in FRAC Group 11 are:
Limit the total number of Group 11 applications. Product labels often provide information on maximum number of applications allowed per season. If no guidelines are given, make no more than 3 applications.
Use a maximum of 1 Group 11 spray out of every 3 fungicide applications, whether or not you are using Group 11 alone or in a tank mix or combination product.
Do not make consecutive applications of Group 11 fungicides.
Tank mix with a contact fungicide or use a combination product containing a contact fungicide (e.g. chlorothalonil, mancozeb, sulfur, oil).
Copper products are effective protectants for this disease but must be applied before the disease begins to develop.
No research has been conducted on control of Cladosporium with OMRI-listed products. Copper is the most effective OMRI-listed material for controlling foliar fungal diseases, in general. Adding a Bacillus subtilis (e.g. Serenade) or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (e.g. Double Nickel, Stargus, Taegro, Triathlon) product to copper has a synergistic effect, meaning that applying copper + Bacillus provides better control than either product alone. Hydrogen dioxide products (e.g. OxiDate) will kill spores on contact but do not kill the fungus within the plant or offer any protection against future infections.
--Written by Genevieve Higgins, UMass Extension Vegetable Program
News
Acreage reports due to FSA 5pm TOMORROW for Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program eligibility
The USDA has announced $1 billion for an Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program, for specialty crops and sugar, commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance program.
Producers must be registered with FSA and report their 2025 acreage by 5pm on March 13, 2026 to be eligible.
Other details:
- These are one-time payments.
- Payment rates will be announced by the end of March 2026.
- There is no crop insurance requirement for eligibility.
Click here for the full press release from USDA.
Click here to find your FSA office to register and/or report your acreage.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Survey - Report Blizzard Damages by Monday!
Last month’s winter storm caused significant impacts throughout Massachusetts, including record or near-record historical snowfall, power outages, coastal flooding and infrastructure damage. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is initiating the Initial Damage Assessment process to determine whether the Commonwealth and its communities may be eligible to receive federal disaster assistance under a Presidential disaster declaration as a result of the February 22-23, 2026, Winter Storm “Hernando.”
For this storm, MEMA is seeking to determine eligibility to request Public Assistance program funding, including snow assistance, Individual Assistance, and Small Business Administration programs for some Massachusetts counties. To be eligible, the Commonwealth and impacted counties must meet certain fiscal and impact thresholds.
Businesses and individuals are encouraged to fill out MEMA’s online form to report blizzard damages to homes or businesses in Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Bristol and Norfolk Counties.
Response Deadline: Next Monday! March 16
Click here to respond to the MEMA survey.
UMass Extension and Stockbridge School of Agriculture Hiring Two Horticulture Positions
UMass Extension: Educator II, Sustainable Turf & Landscapes
UMass Extension is excited to be hiring an Extension Educator II for Sustainable Turf & Landscapes to work in UMass Extension’s Commercial Horticulture group. This position will support development and implementation of educational resources and programming and participate in delivery of research-based information to meet stakeholder needs. The sustainability and viability of managed spaces will be central to this role, within a framework of economic, human, and environmental health and enhancement.
This is a full-time position is based in Amherst, MA, with the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule. The successful candidate will have achieved at least a bachelor’s degree and have two years of relevant professional experience. Special consideration will be given to candidates with a master’s degree, experience in turf, landscape, and/or weed management systems, adult education experience, and/or project management experience.
This is an entry level position with the possibility to grow into a more advanced educator role. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until the position is filled and we will begin reviewing resumes at the beginning of March.
Click here for more information about the Educator II position.
UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture: Lecturer in Horticulture and Online Program Coordinator
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture invites applications for a Lecturer in Horticulture and Online Program Coordinator.
The position is split 50% teaching and 50% online program management and advising. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate horticulture courses (e.g., plant propagation) and advise online students, plus oversee all online course offerings for SSA.
This is a full-time, 12-month position, based in Amherst, MA. Minimum qualifications include a master's degree in horticulture, plant science or a closely related field, and experience in teaching, preferably including online instruction, and program coordination or academic program management. For full consideration, apply by March 26, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.
Click here for more information about the Lecturer position.
MDAR Grants Currently Open:
Climate Smart Agriculture Program. Provides reimbursement funding for capital improvements that increase farm sustainability, efficiency, and climate resilience through one streamlined application. Maximum funding is $30,000 for early-stage farms and $150,000 for established farms, with a 20% cash match. Project areas include food safety improvements, compost systems, soil health & water management, climate-resilient infrastructure, energy-efficient upgrades, and renewable energy. This program is best fit for farms that are planning larger infrastructure or equipment investments, want to apply for more than one project area, and can complete projects within the contract timeline. Applications due: May 7. Project completion: June 30 Contact: Laura Maul, Laura[dot]Maul[at]mass[dot]gov (Laura[dot]Maul[at]mass[dot]gov), 857-507-5972.
Farm Viability Enhancement Program – for established farms. Provides business planning and technical assistance to owners of established commercial farms that own and operate on farmland that is not protected by an APR or other restriction. Operators may be eligible for grants to implement capital projects on the farm that have been identified in the business plan completed through the program in return for a short-term covenant to keep the land in agricultural use. Grant levels are up to $90,000, $130,000, or $175,000, depending on the size of the farm and acreage protected, in return for a 10-year or 15-year term covenant. Examples of recent grant projects include livestock barns, equipment repair and storage buildings, wash/pack/storage facilities, farmstand improvements, and the purchase of tractors and hay equipment. Applications due: April 14 Contact: Melissa Adams, Melissa[dot]L[dot]Adams[at]mass[dot]gov (Melissa[dot]L[dot]Adams[at]mass[dot]gov), 857-276-2377.
APR Improvement Program – for APR farms. Helps sustain active commercial farming on land that has already been protected through the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program. AIP provides business planning and technical assistance to farmers selected to participate in the program and grants may be available to APR owners to implement identified capital improvements on the farm to increase productivity and profitability. Grant levels up to $80,000, $125,000, or $150,000, depending on the size of the farm and acreage under APR, may be available on a cost reimbursement basis with a 10% match contribution. AIP funds are used primarily for capital improvements to farm infrastructure such as new or improved buildings for equipment, hay storage, livestock housing, farm stores or processing facilities; or resource improvements for agricultural use, such as orchard renovations or perimeter fencing. Applications due: April 14 Contact: Jess Camp, Jessica[dot]Camp2[at]mass[dot]gov (Jessica[dot]Camp2[at]mass[dot]gov), 617-823-0871.
Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture - for beginning farms. Assists beginning farms in business at least 1 and no more than 10 years with the goal of developing their farm into a commercially viable operation. Applicants who do not own the land that they are farming must have secure access to the land through a written agreement. This program provides business planning and technical assistance, and grant funds may be available on a one-to-one matching cash reimbursement basis. Grant levels are up to $15,000, $20,000, or $30,000, based on the number of years the farm has been in business, minimum gross income, and whether the farm has received a prior MEGA award. Funds may be used for equipment, infrastructure, or other capital improvements identified through the business planning process that will have a positive impact on the viability of the farm business. Common uses of MEGA grant funds include, but are not limited to, greenhouses, barn renovations, tractor implements, chicken coops, farmstands, and refrigerated trucks. Applications due: April 14 Contact: Jess Camp, Jessica[dot]Camp2[at]mass[dot]gov (Jessica[dot]Camp2[at]mass[dot]gov), 617-823-0871.
Stewardship Assistance and Restoration on APRs – for APR farms. Helps resolve stewardship issues caused by a prior owner to restore active commercial farming on land that has already been protected through MDAR’s APR Program. Funds may be used for materials and contracted labor or equipment rental costs to clear or reclaim inactive fields that are out of production at no fault of the current owner. Examples of eligible projects include clearing vegetation, stabilizing soil loss, correcting drainage issues, cutting back grown in field edges, or reseeding or applying soil or crop amendments to inactive cropland or pastureland in order to bring it back into production. Grant funds of up to $50,000 are available on a cost reimbursement basis with a 15% match of total project costs required by the farm participant. Applications due: April 14 Contact: Julie Weiss, Julie[dot]Weiss[at]mass[dot]gov (Julie[dot]Weiss[at]mass[dot]gov), 617-913-5317.
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. For enhancing the competitiveness of Specialty Crops, including fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture (including maple syrup and honey), and nursery crops (including floriculture). The goal of SCBGP is to leverage efforts to market and promote specialty crops, assist producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops, expand availability and access to specialty crops, and to address local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Projects may be up to three years in length. The suggested value of projects is $40,000-90,000 per project. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applications include farmers/ranchers, eligible non-profit organizations, local government entities, for-profit organizations, industry trade associations, and producer groups. Applications due: April 3 Contact: Keri Cornman, Keri[dot]Cornman[at]mass[dot]gov (Keri[dot]Cornman[at]mass[dot]gov).
Massachusetts Agriculture Youth Council Now Taking Applications
This opportunity is open to rising high school juniors and seniors enrolled in any public or private high school in Massachusetts.
Participating in the Council provides students with an opportunity to learn about the varied agricultural sectors in Massachusetts, emerging trends and innovation in farming, and deepen understanding of other states’ agricultural issues through connections with youth councils across the United States. Members of the Council also have the opportunity to share ideas which may be used to help in the further development of MDAR programs and support of agriculture in Massachusetts.
This opportunity is open to rising high school juniors and seniors enrolled in any public or private high school in Massachusetts. Members will serve a 1 year term from June to May of their junior or senior year. MDAR will select 14 students to serve on the Council, with 1 student selected from each Massachusetts county.
Click here for more information on the MA Ag Youth Council, including the application.
Events
Mass Aggies – Blueberry 101
When: Saturday, March 14, 10am – 12pm
Where: Online
Registration: $50. Click here to register.
The Mass Aggies series is designed for the home gardener. Blueberries are among the most popular fruits to grow in the home garden. They are healthful and well suited to growing in New England conditions. Come learn the basics for pruning blueberries for your home landscape. This session will lay down the foundation for growing blueberries, covering horticultural practices, site selection, soil and planting, pruning, fertility, pest management and IPM, and history.
Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Virtual Asparagus School
When: Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 12:30-4pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Registration: $20/farm. Click here to register.
Join to dive deep on growing asparagus! Bringing together experts from the Cornell Vegetable Program, Michigan State University, OMAFA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness), and industry, featuring seed companies and a pair of experienced growers.
Agenda:
- Asparagus: What to Know Before You Grow – Elaine Roddy (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness) and Ben Werling (Michigan State University)
- Asparagus Variety Overview from Industry – Fox Seeds and Walker Brothers
- NY Variety Trial Research Updates – Elizabeth Buck (Cornell Vegetable Program)
- Grower Panel and Q&A | Paul Fenton (Fenton's Produce, Batavia, NY) and Pier-Luc Hervieux (Ferme CPL Hervieux, Lanoraie, QC)
Click here for talk descriptions and more information.
3 pesticide recertification credits are available for New England participants.
Questions? Contact Elisabeth Hodgdon, eh528[at]cornell[dot]edu (eh528[at]cornell[dot]edu), 518-650-5323.
4th Annual UMass Soil Health Mini School
When: Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 9:30am - 3:15pm
Where: UMass Research Farm, South Deerfield, MA
Registration: $30, including lunch and snacks. Click here to register.
Join extension personnel for the 4th Annual UMass Soil Health Mini School! The full-day workshop will include hands-on workshops and presentations on current soil health topics. The workshop is designed to support agricultural service providers, agency professionals, and industry professionals conducting soil-health related work. Farmers, nonprofits, master gardeners, and community leaders are also welcome.
Talks will include:
- Soils and Services: MA Updates from NRCS - Kate Parsons, Resource Conservationist, NRCS
- Managing High Organic Matter Soils: What We Know, What We Don’t, and Early Research Insights - Winie Paul, Stockbridge School of Agriculture Li Lab
- Tillage and pH Management: Lime Application and Movement - Artie Siller, UMass Extension Soil Health Educator
- Soil Solutions: A Facilitated Discussion - Sam Glaze-Corcoran, UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Lab
Click here for full event description.
Questions? Contact Artie Siller, asiller[at]umass[dot]edu (asiller[at]umass[dot]edu)
APR Program Review: Updates and Listening Sessions
In-person:
- Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - Lakeville Library, 12:30-2:30pm
- Thursday, March 26, 2026 - Shrewsbury Town Hall, 12-2pm
Virtual Session: Monday, March 30, 2026 - 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
RSVP to the listening session of interest.
These sessions will include:
- APR Program Updates - MDAR staff will speak about policies, procedures, regulations, guidance, and efforts to improve and modernize the APR program after input from the 2023 listening sessions. Some questions submitted in the RSVP form will be addressed before opening the session to the comment period.
- Listening Session - MDAR would like to hear your thoughts on what works well and your concerns or challenges with: dwellings on APR, your ability to conduct non-agricultural commercial activities on APRs (Special Permits), alternative energy on APR, the sale and transfer of APRs, APR Eligibility and ranking, the use of ACEP ALE program to leverage APR funding and other APR related issues.
- MDAR is also interested in hearing from you about other topics like planning for climate resiliency: soil management, no-till agriculture, soil health, carbon sequestration; and weather-related issues like storms, flooding, and increased frost/thaw frequency.
UMass Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
When: Thursday, March 26, 2026, 8 am to 5 pm
Where: UMass Cranberry Station, 1 State Bog Rd, East Wareham, MA 02538
Registration: $35. Click here to register
Registration includes the required PSA Grower Manual ($60 value), a Certificate of Course Attendance from AFDO ($35 value), plus door prizes, lunch and refreshments. Participants will only be eligible for the PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if they are present for all modules of the course.
Who Should Attend: Fruit and vegetable growers interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety. This course will also cover the Massachusetts Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) and Rhode Island GAP, the voluntary 3rd-party audit programs in these states. This training satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement for covered farms that “at least one supervisor or responsible party” completes “food safety training … recognized as adequate” by FDA (21 C.F.R. §112.22(c)). For more information on the Produce Safety Alliance and the Grower Training Course, click here.
This program is co-hosted by UMass Extension, the MDAR Produce Safety Program and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Produce Safety Program
This is an in-person event. Space is limited. In the event that the course fills up, registration priority will be given to farms that are required to receive training to comply with federal and state produce safety regulations and/or audit programs.
Questions? Contact Lisa McKeag, lmckeag[at]umass[dot]edu, 413-658-8631
2026 Massachusetts Urban Farming Symposium
When: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Where: UMass Boston Campus Center
Registration: Early bird registration (through Feb 28): adults $75, youth $25. After Feb 28, adults $100, youth $50. After March 16, $125. Click here to register.
The Massachusetts Urban Farming Symposium is a one-day, in-person convening bringing together urban farmers, growers, youth, policymakers, and local government leaders from across the Commonwealth. Hosted by the Urban Farming Institute (UFI) in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), the symposium focuses on strengthening resilient, locally rooted food systems through farmer leadership, collaboration, and practical action.
Agricultural Commission Roundtable Meetings
MDAR continues to support Conservation Works as their team travels around MA helping to build the capacity of municipal agricultural commissions. Pete Westover and Sarah Gardner have provided direct support to many AgComs, and have held five recent regional roundtables around the state to hear from farmers, AgCom leaders, and other stakeholders about the needs of the community and how AgComs can support them.
They are holding 2 more upcoming meetings:
Essex County
When: Saturday, March 28, 10:30am-12:30pm
Where: Newbury Town Library, 0 Lunt St., Byfield
Registration: Click here to register.Plymouth County
When: Saturday, April 11, 10am-12pm
Where: Carver Public Library
Registration: Click here to register.
Discussions from past regional meetings, more information about their work, along with resources for local AgComs, can be found at the Ag Commissions webpage.
Creating a Buy-Protect-Sell Program for MDAR - Presentation and Discussion
When: Thursday, April 2, 12-1:30pm
Where: Online
Registration: Click here to register.
MDAR is moving forward with the development of a Buy-Protect-Sell (BPS) program, supported by newly granted legislative authority to buy and sell land while ensuring its permanent protection. This will allow the department to purchase farmland when it becomes available for sale and apply permanent restrictions to ensure it does not convert to other uses in the future. MDAR staff have been actively researching and shaping the framework for this initiative and are now ready to share preliminary concepts for feedback. Input from community members, farmers, land trusts, landowners, and other stakeholders is essential to help shape a program that reflects the needs and values of Massachusetts’ agricultural community.
Join a presentation and discussion on MDAR’s Buy-Protect-Sell (BPS) Program, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about MDAR’s vision for the program, ask questions, and share your perspective. More details about this event will be emailed to those who are registered.
This is the second virtual event being held on this topic. If you attended the first meeting, the presentation will be the same, but the discussion portion will be focused on ways the needs of farmers can be best incorporated into the program. As such, this event is open to everyone but is oriented towards farmers, prospective farmers, beginning farmers, and organizations that work closely with and/or represent farmers.
Using Crop Budgets in Farm Decision-Making
When: Thursday, April 9, 12-1:30pm
Where: Online
Registration: Click here to register.
Join UMass Extension and guests for this lunchtime webinar to learn about enterprise, or crop, budgets and using crop budgeting data in farm financial decision-making.
We'll share some examples of enterprise budgeting tools and how and why to use them, along with one farmer's experiences using crop budgeting tools and how he uses this information to make decisions about his farm. Understanding how much your crop is worth to you can give you a better idea how to protect it! We'll also cover some tips on using crop budgeting data when considering how to protect your crops through insurance or FSA financial program participation.
Speakers:
- Vern Grubinger, UVM Extension
- Jim Ward, Ward's Berry Farm, Sharon, MA
- Bailey Albert, MA-FSA
This work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Vegetable Notes. Maria Gannett, Genevieve Higgins, Lisa McKeag, Susan Scheufele, Alireza Shokoohi, and Hannah Whitehead, co-editors. All photos in this publication are credited to the UMass Extension Vegetable Program unless otherwise noted.
Where trade names or commercial products are used, no company or product endorsement is implied or intended. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for product use. Disregard any information in this newsletter if it is in conflict with the label.
The University of Massachusetts Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer, United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Contact your local Extension office for information on disability accommodations. Contact the State Center Directors Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 413-545-4800.
