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March 2004
Crop Insurance for Northeast Nursery
and Greenhouse Crops. “In 2002, northeastern
producers with crop insurance received around $7.44 for crop
losses for every $1 they paid in. . . . Nursery crops account
for about 18 percent of the total value of crop insurance
protection in force in the Northeast. . . . Nursery crop insurance
. . . will apply to all field-grown and containerized nursery
plants that meet the following criteria: appears on the eligible
plant list; meets all the requirements for insurability; is
grown in an appropriate medium acceptable for production practices;
has cold protection if the eligible plant list requires it
for that crop and hardiness zone; individual pot or cell is
at least 3 inches in diameter at the widest part of the pot.”
The complete article, by Robin Brumfield (Rutgers) and Jayson
Harper (Penn State) includes detailed information and is available
at http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~farmmgmt/cropinscasestudies/cropins_nursery.pdf.
Effect of Pre- and Post-Infection Period
Applications of Cabrio on the Development of Anthracnose on
Strawberry is reported in the Canadian publication
The Grower (March 2004). Cornell plant pathologists
Werner and Turechek note that research in the laboratory with
Tristar strawberries suggests “that growers may have
some options for managing anthracnose. Currently, growers
. . . are advised to apply fungicides on a calendar schedule
or prior to a rain event. In the Northeast, this recommendation
is difficult to follow mainly because wetting events during
fruit set and harvest are associated with sporadic thunderstorms
that are difficult to predict. . . . Our study suggests that
for short wetting events, such as those associated with seasonal
thunderstorms, growers may have the option of waiting until
the infection event occurs before applying a fungicide. However,
our study also suggests that for longer wetting events, such
as those associated with a weather front, growers should apply
fungicides protectively, i.e., before the rain starts.”
Read the complete research report at http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/extension/tfabp/newslett/nybn31.pdf.
Census: farm acres still on decline
reports The Fruit Grower News (March 2004).
Between 1997 and 2002, “the number of acres of farmland
decreased . . . from 954,752,502 to 939,506,813. The average
size of farms, however, has grown from 431 acres per farm
to 441 acres per farm – an increase of 2.3 percent.
As farms grow bigger, there are more farms between 50 and
179 acres than in any other size range. . .” The number
of farms with 2,000 acres or more also increased from 74,426
farms in this size range in 1997 to 78,037 in 2002, an increase
of almost 5 percent.
Information resources abound for organic
growers The Fruit Grower News notes in its
March 2004 edition. The article cites four sources from the
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture: Appropriate Technology Transfer
for Rural Areas (ATTRA) at www.attra.org;
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) at
www.nal.usda.gov/afsic;
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program
at www.sare.org; and Economic Research Service (ERS) at www.ers.usda.gov.
Other sources not sponsored by USDA include: The New Farm
(Rodale Institute) at www.newfarm.com;
Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) (University
of Illinois) at www.aces.uiuc.edu/~asap/;
and Market Maker (University of Illinois Extension, Rock County)
at www.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/.
Six acres net New York family a comfortable
income details market gardeners Paul and Sandy Arnold.
“The Arnolds produce 40-plus crops on just six acres,
selling their produce at four farmers’ markets located
in Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs, cities about 30 minutes
from their farm. They consistently gross $125,000 to $150,000
a year and pocket roughly 40 cents on the dollar. There’s
profit enough for a comfortable lifestyle, to put money away
for retirement and their children’s future – and
to carry health insurance. One key to their success is the
system they’ve developed to rate the profitability of
their various crops. The gross return for each is translated
on paper into a per-acre basis for comparative reasons. Crops
that fail to return at least $10,000 per acre are either dropped,
or changes are introduced to improve profitability.”
The Need for Uniform Certification Standards
for Strawberry Plants (The Strawberry Grower,
March 2004). “The increased interdependence of strawberry
producing regions in the U.S. and throughout the world has
shown the need for uniform certification procedures and standards.
. . . The use of pathogen-indexed planting stock is one of
the most effective control methods for strawberry anthracnose,
Phytophthora, and other devastating diseases. This is achieved
at little or no cost to berry growers. . . . It is important
for fruit growers to realize that at least a two-year lead
time is necessary to increase Certified plants to meet their
needs for high quality planting stock.
Empire State Strawberries.
New York is the featured state in the continuing “National
View” series in The Strawberry Grower (March
2004). New York “ranks seventh in the nation in strawberry
production (by value of production). . . . About 95 percent
of the crop is marketed directly to consumers. Most growers
have a few acres; the largest growers have perhaps 20-25 acres.
Demand continues to grow while the number of farms producing
berries decreases. This situation has led to an upward pressure
on price . . . New York growers receive a higher price for
their berries than growers in any other state. . . . Almost
all New York strawberry growers use the matted row system.
. . .There are a few growers raising organic fruit on a small
scale, but very little greenhouse production or plasticulture.”
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