In an effort to convert a 6th Ward warehouse into a center for assisting start-up food businesses, the City of Paterson has awarded a $70,000 consulting contract to a Rutgers-based group. Paterson already has allocated more than $2 million for the project, including $1.3 million in federal community development funds to buy the building at 163-177 Pennsylvania Avenue. Included in the $2 million already allocated is $700,000 in federal money to acquire equipment for the program. The contract with the Rutgers Food Innovation Center will help the city determine the scope of the program and how it will operate…”We are very excited to have been given the opportunity to assist the City of Paterson in moving forward with this project,” said Lou Cooperhouse, director of the Rutgers food center.
GARDENER STATE: Just a few cures for your cabin fever
Are you suffering from extreme irritability and restlessness during these post-holiday weeks with seemingly no one visiting and nothing to do? The tree is long recycled or boxed and the lights and decorations are all put away. And even your New Year’s …
Dirty Little Secrets: In Your Fish
Standing on the bank where the Passaic River meets the Newark Bay in New Jersey, Oswaldo Avad reels in a small bluefish and a piece of a grocery bag. “One piece plastic and one fish,” Avad said in broken English. The Passaic River is one of the most contaminated bodies of water in the country. More than 100 companies are potentially responsible for dumping toxic waste in it for decades before that was outlawed. Fifty-four of the liable companies have formed a consortium and given Rutgers University $1.1 million to create a fish exchange program. Rutgers buys young tilapia from a fish farm in New Jersey and raises them in a Newark greenhouse. The waste produced by the fish is used to grow lettuce and herbs for a local food bank.
Rutgers Clean Energy and Food Innovation Incubators Leading Efforts to Improve Environmental Sustainability within New Jersey Food Industry
Rutgers EcoComplex was awarded a $157,517 grant from the U.S. EPA, Region II Pollution Prevention Program that’s aimed at helping New Jersey’s food processors, storage and distribution facilities to become more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable through upgrading refrigeration systems, using safer chemicals, reducing water and energy use, and increasing employee training. “This project will […]
Unseasonably warm weather brings bounty to local farmers
With some days this month topping 70 degrees, it’s not feeling particularly seasonable. But the mild weather is helping local farmers extend their season. But it’s not all good news. Rick Van Vranken of Rutgers’ Cooperative Extension in Atlantic County…
Cumberland County Extension Service Employees Recognized
Cumberland County employees Cheryl McCormick and Tammy Commander were recognized Dec. 7 with awards for excellence by Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The awards are presented annually to one individual within the state. McCormick, 4-H Program Assistant,…
Cumberland County Hosts South American Food Industry Executives
Cumberland County was host to food industry executives from Brazil last week and again hosted more from other parts of South America, who came to learn more about the area’s food commerce. Rutgers Food Innovation Center (RFIC) in Bridgeton coordinated the event in partnership with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority… “All together we entertained more than a dozen South American company representatives and I can honestly say each one was very impressed with our area, it’s location and abundant resources – both from an agriculture and a transportation standpoint,” CCIA Construction and Economic Development Director Jim Watson explained about the groups. “I expect to hear from at least of few of them after they have had a chance to process and distribute the information we were able to convey to them in such a short time span.”
‘Dine In’ Campaign on Dec. 3 to Improve Family Health and Finances
The evidence shows that preparing wholesome meals at home can have a significant impact on both family health and household budgets, and experts from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension have summed up the basics in two articles packed with tips and facts. The articles are available on the Union County website, ucnj.org/rce… The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County is supported in part by the Freeholder Board. It belongs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nationwide Extension program, aimed at providing the public with scientific research about community health and economics. Extension offices throughout the country are encouraging families to join the “Dine In” campaign on Dec. 3, as part of an annual celebration of the family and consumer sciences profession… People tend to eat healthier meals when they eat at home because they can better control portion sizes and the use of sauces, dressings, and other high-fat ingredients.
It’s Easy to Confuse Thanksgiving, Christmas Cacti
This article was written by Lisa Chiariello, Master Gardener Coordinator for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Sussex County… There are actually two different species of the genus Schlumbergera which flower in November and December that are found as h…
Going Green, Up On the Roof
This article is written by Barbara and Wolf Skacel, Rutgers Master Gardeners of Burlington County since 2014 and active volunteers and gardeners in their community… What is a green roof? It’s not a roof covered with moss, although it could be, if tha…
