New Brunswick, NJ – On Friday, April 26, USDA Rural Development State Director Jane Asselta joined leadership from the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural experiment Station (NJAES) to announce a $232,378 Distance Learning grant at the university’s Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health (IFNH) in New Brunswick.
Asselta was joined by NJAES Executive Director Laura Lawson to announce the project details, which provide distance learning services and equipment to support agricultural and food business viability and sustainability for the university. More specifically, the grant funds instructors from NJAES and its Rutgers Cooperative Extension in Cumberland and Burlington counties -- including faculty in New Brunswick -- who will teach virtual courses on plant diseases, soil health, crops, health and nutrition, food safety, risk management, regulatory compliance, value-added products, beginning farmer, business development, and more.
“Serving rural New Jersey and supporting Rutgers University are two things near and dear my heart” said Asselta, a Rutgers University Douglass College graduate. “The Biden Administration is working to increase farm income, reduce costs for farmers, and provide access to high-speed internet to improve efficiencies so farming in New Jersey continues to be a way of life. Providing funding to help close the technological gap between rural areas and agricultural education opportunities is critical to long-term sustainability of New Jersey’s farmers.”
The project was funded under the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program (DLT), and will be used to equip two hub sites and two end-user sites with state-of-the-art distance learning equipment to provide critical education and training to agricultural and food businesses in the rural southern part of New Jersey:
- Rutgers Food Innovation Center
- Rutgers Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health
- Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center
- Phillip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension.
In total, the project estimates benefitting over 3,700 agricultural operations and food companies, as well as 5,000 residents. Lawson said the grant postures the NJAES and university to make significant agricultural advancements in all 21 counties throughout the state.
Following the announcement, the new equipment and capabilities were showcased during a virtual call with Professor and Center Director Peter Oudemans of the Phillip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension.
Congressman Frank Pallone of the state’s 6th District, which oversees much of Middlesex County, said “For decades, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station has served as a nationwide leader in advancing agriculture research and education programs. I’m proud that Rutgers University is receiving this federal grant, which will help NJAES better serve the people of New Jersey and connect the urban, suburban, and rural communities that they live in.”
Background: This $232,378 USDA Rural Development investment provides essential equipment and supports instructors from NJAES and its Rutgers Cooperative Extension in Cumberland and Burlington counties, including faculty in New Brunswick, who will teach courses on plant diseases, soil health, crops, health and nutrition, food safety, risk management, regulatory compliance, value-added products, beginning farmer, business development, and more that contribute to agricultural and food business viability and sustainability, benefitting over 3,700 agricultural operations and food companies and 5,000 residents.
NJAES is an integral component of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The experiment station provides a diverse range of research, extension, and education programs that serve the people of New Jersey and the urban, suburban, and rural communities in which they live. Through its Cooperative Extension offices in all 21 New Jersey counties, dedicated 4-H agents, Extension specialists, Family & Community Health Sciences educators, and Agriculture and Natural Resources agents work to serve New Jersey residents in every area of the state. In addition, off-campus field stations and farms focus on research ranging from support for fisheries, agriculture and allied businesses to support for youth and teens, while several centers and institutes on the George H. Cook Campus at Rutgers–New Brunswick engage in world-class research to provide solutions for a range of issues faced by New Jersey residents.
USDA Rural Utilities Services Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program helps rural communities use advanced telecommunications technology to connect to each other – and the world – overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. These grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the internet to improve education and health care; two of the most crucial keys to successful rural economic and community development.
USDA Rural Development funds projects in New Jersey under the leadership of its state office staff located in Mt. Laurel and is supported by offices located in Hackettstown, Columbus, and Vineland. For more information on programs, visit our state website or follow us on social media.
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