The Rutgers Environmental Stewards Program, a certificate program that trains adult volunteers on important environmental issues in New Jersey in areas such as sustainable climate change solutions, storm water management, and habitat conservation marks its 20th anniversary this year. The milestone will be celebrated at the program’s annual Impact Summit on November 1 at the […]
Teens Learn Urban Farming, Food Distribution While Giving Back to the Community
This article first appeared in Kearny Life Community Magazine and is reproduced with permission from the author, Jaimie Julia Winters. When teens Ester Fernandez and Zulema Vargas were looking for something to do this summer, they decided on something that would get their hands dirty while giving back to their community. “I was looking for […]
Research Center Administrators Society Fall Meeting Showcases Innovation and Collaboration Across New Jersey’s Agricultural Research Network
Rutgers University hosted the 2025 Fall Meeting of the Research Center Administrators Society (RCAS)—a national organization dedicated to the professional development and collaboration of administrators who manage agricultural research and experiment stations across the United States. Held from September 21–24, the meeting welcomed approximately 80 participants from across the United States—from California and Florida to […]
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Presents Dynamic Program on Risk Management for Farm Businesses
Agricultural agents from Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) of Cape May, Essex and Somerset counties have joined forces to offer a program, called “Networks to Reduce Risk: Annie’s Project Builds Viable Farms in Urban and Rural NJ.” “Farm viability is an annual concern raised by the agricultural community in New Jersey, and farm business management assistance […]
4-H STEM Ambassador Youth Program Welcomes its 17th Cohort to SEBS
Over the summer, New Jersey youth from around the state gathered at the Rutgers George H. Cook Campus for the annual 4-H STEM Ambassadors program kickoff. Now in its seventeenth year, the program empowers high school students from urban communities across New Jersey through year-round experiences that foster STEM identity and promote college readiness. 2025 […]
Rutgers Unveils “Scarlet Sunrise,” a Sweet Bicolor Grape Tomato
After nearly a decade of painstaking research, a new tomato variety is ready for its moment in the sun. “Scarlet Sunrise,” a bicolor grape tomato developed through a long collaboration between Rutgers researchers Peter Nitzsche and Tom Orton, is a sweet, crack-resistant tomato with a golden hue and a reddish blush. Its name is meant to be evocative […]
NJ 4-H Members Attend International Leadership Conference in Ireland
Five New Jersey 4-H members attended the 2025 Foróige Leadership for Life Conference from July 28-Aug. 1 at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, Ireland. Foróige’s Leadership for Life Conference, now in its 16th year, hosted 250 high school age youth from Ireland and the United States. NJ 4-H participants included Brooklyn Bilge of […]
Annalise VanVranken is the new Family and Community Health Sciences Educator in Atlantic County
Announcement by Sara Elnakib, chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences Please join me in welcoming Annalise VanVranken as the new Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) Educator in Atlantic County, effective August 1. A lifelong advocate for an equitable and sustainable food system, Annalise will be part of the Community Food […]
RCE Agents Honored and Played Key Roles in NACAA’s 2025 Annual Meeting
The 110th National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference was held from June 29 to July 2 in Billings, Montana, with more than 1,000 Extension agents and staff in attendance. NACAA, whose mission is to further the professional improvement of Extension agents, fosters communication and cooperation among all Extension. […]
Announcement: David Hlubik is the New RCE Agent in Burlington County
Announcement by Nicholas Polanin, chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, NJAES Please join me in welcoming David Hlubik to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE). David’s new role is effective July 1. He is affiliated with the Burlington County office of RCE in Westampton, NJ, and joins […]










