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April 2005
How Do U.S. Farmers Plan
for Retirement? asks Amber
Waves online (USDA, April ’05). “In addition
to working longer past traditional retirement age, farm
operator households tend to have several income sources
and different forms of wealth, as compared with the general
population. Furthermore, because of the nature of the farm
business, farm households have different savings habits
and more diverse financial portfolios than most other U.S.
households. Farm households’ financial portfolios
include more personal savings than those of the typical
U.S. household and, in general, farm households are also
less dependent on social security income during retirement.
. . . While fewer farm operators are covered by employer-sponsored
pensions than are nonfarmers, a majority of farm operators
save from current income on a regular basis and have accumulated
diversified financial portfolios, including individual
retirement savings.” Read the complete article at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/April05/Features/FarmRetirement.htm.
Blueberry research launches exciting
new California specialty crop (California
Agriculture, Apr-Jun ’05). “Observational
trials . . . indicate that new southern highbush blueberry
cultivars, which require fewer ‘chill hours’ to
produce fruit are well adapted to the San Joaquin Valley
climate. . . . Growers considering planting or expanding
blueberry acreage should develop sound business plans, accounting
for lower future prices and improved growing, harvesting
and packing efficiencies. . . . prudence is appropriate,
since blueberries are one of the most costly crops to establish.”
Read the complete article at http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu/0502AMJ/pdfs/Blueberries.pdf.
Leadership skills at grassroots level
essential today says
a column in Vegetable Growers News (April ’05). “The
vegetable and fruit industries are in constant need of effective
grassroots leadership. . . Informed and capable leaders must
help monitor and manage issues that arise inside the industry.
In addition, agriculture is put under the microscope by outsiders
who may not understand the intricacies of food production
and marketing but are not reluctant to propose heavy new
burdens on producers. Leadership must be in place to deal
with such challenges. . . . The most effective spokespersons
for an industry are those whose livelihoods are directly
affected by developing issues. Articulate growers out front
in a public discussion, whether before the legislature or
the media or in some other forum, can deliver much more punch
because the audience recognizes that the topic touches these
people right where they live.”
New America’s Heartland Public TV Series to Celebrate
Agriculture (Voice of Agriculture Newsroom, American Farm
Bureau, Apr. 21, ’05) America’s Heartland is
a weekly television program that celebrates the miracle of
American agriculture and the farm and ranch families that
help make it possible. The series, which will premiere the
first week of September 2005, will help viewers better understand
the nation’s farm and ranch families and the challenges
and opportunities they face as they produce food and fiber
for Americans and people in other countries. The program
is made possible through major underwriting by Monsanto Company
in collaboration with the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The series will be distributed to each of more than 300 public
television stations in America by America’s Public
Television, the single largest provider of programming to
public television stations. Read the complete news release
at http://www.fb.org/news/nr/nr2005/nr0421a.html.
Rent, Own or Lease: What’s best for your business? (TurfNorth, Apr. ’05). “Leasing instead of purchasing
can be a cost-effective option, especially for those companies
that don’t have cash on hand but need the equipment.
In fact, many operations with cash to invest have found that,
by leasing, they can regulate their cash flow more effectively.
. . . Obviously, each equipment acquisition option—buying,
renting and leasing—have balance sheet and tax considerations.
An operation that owns a piece of equipment has the right
to take depreciation deductions, for example. If the operation
leases, it takes an expense deduction. . . . The Internal
Revenue Service frequently challenges leases as disguised
purchases, which means you would not be able to deduct your
monthly payments. Back taxes, interest and penalties can
add considerably to the cost of any equipment acquired in
a disguised purchase.”
Conservation Easements Changes in the
Wind (Farming, Apr. ’05). “.
. . creating and transferring an easement is one of the most
mysterious concepts among those who own farm and forestland.
. . . Easements come in two forms: private and public. A
private easement, usually, but not necessarily, between abutting
owners, is a fairly common method to allow others access
rights to land. . . . A public easement is one that largely
benefits society. . . . Why would anyone knowingly dump half
or more of the fair market value of their land by granting
an easement that transfers development rights to a local
land trust? Love of the land and ensuring that one’s
family maintains its connections to the land can only account
for some of what inspires those who transfer development
rights. Lucrative tax savings on the ‘charitable contribution’ of
such easements simply sweeten the deal. . . . Tax advantages
of conservation easements . . . are now in jeopardy thanks
to a recent report of a Congressional Joint Committee on
Taxation. (The Committee) has taken the position that most
conservation easements are nothing more than tax loopholes
for the wealthy. So, legislators are contemplating limitations
on gifts for conservation purposes so that only easements
that ‘benefit a specific government conservation program’ will
allow donors to deduct 100 percent of the gift’s value.
. . . Such changes will most likely have little or no impact
on farm and forest owning families whose intentions are to
keep productive land intact.”
New Research Promising for Growers (Growing,
Apr. ’05). “U.S. Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) researchers say they are attempting to develop a new
pest control tool to combat a number of fungi capable of
plaguing . . . strawberry plants. . . . The experimental
tool is sampangine, a naturally occurring compound that was
patented by the University of Mississippi in 1990 as a treatment
for human fungal infections, but was never released commercially.
David Wedge, an ARS plant pathologist, says the compound
shows promise of replacing more common fungicides that are
proving less reliable with repeated use against Botrytis
fungal strains, as well as serving as a postharvest and anti-decay
agent. . . . Specific fungi being studied . . . . include
. . . . Colletotrichum fragariae, which causes anthracnose
crown rot and wilt in strawberry plants. Other fungi showing
some initial susceptibility to the compounds include C.
gloeosporioides,
which sickens a number of crops including . . . strawberries.
Marketers must grow before they can
grow the farm, by Jane Eckert of Eckert AgriMarketing, appears in Fruit
Growers News (April ’05). “Successful farms are realizing
that tourism connections can help them grow their businesses.
. . . Working together, a group of farms and tourism folks
can really make a significant impact on the regional economy.
. . . Direct farm marketers now recognize that their real
competition is not necessarily their farm neighbors. The
competitors are the large retail operations, the amusement
parks, and even the video games . . . . As we realize whom
we are competing with, we can learn to use some of their
tricks – expanding our offerings, setting up unique
product displays, offering special activities and coupons
and so forth.. . . Your farm visitors no longer look in the
newspaper or the phone book to find out when you are open,
when the season starts, or how to find the farm. . . . If
you haven’t got a Web site, you have customers that
are turning to other farms that do.”
Strawberry Latent Ringspot Virus, a
New Virus Disease in North America is discussed in The
Strawberry Grower (Apr. ’05). “Strawberry
latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) was recently discovered in
North America by USDA ARS research scientist Dr. Bob Martin
and cooperators. They found SLRSV in 17% of the California
strawberry samples and in 4% of British Columbia strawberry
samples, and also in variegated mint. SLRSV has probably
been present in the U.S. for many years unnoticed on an ornamental
mint popular for its bright yellow color (partially induced
by the virus) and sold throughout the country. . . . The
control of this virus is very difficult once it is established
in an environment where susceptible hosts and/or the nematode
are present. Many of the chemicals that have been used to
control nematodes are being eliminated because of environmental
concerns. The most effective way to control SLRSV and other
viruses on strawberries and other small fruit crops is through
certification programs and the use of virus-tested plants.” The
original ARS news release is online at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2005/050218.htm.
Pruning and management help decrease
risk of phomopsis notes Fruit Growers News (Apr. ’05). “The
fungus Phomopsis vaccinii causes the disease known as phomopsis
twig blight
and canker. This disease can be common in blueberry plantings
in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Ohio, New England and
North Carolina. . . . Wilting and dieback of shoots in the
early summer are the most common symptoms of this disease.
. . . the first step in management of phomopsis begins during
the pruning season. Pruning out diseased canes is extremely
important to reduce inoculum levels. . . . Remove infected
wood from the field and burn it. This is important because
infected canes left on the ground will still emit spores
that can be rain-splashed onto new susceptible tissues in
the spring. Good pruning practices alone will not be adequate
to manage phomopsis if inoculum levels are moderate or high.
Fungicide applications, especially during a wet spring, will
be required.”
USDA Releases New Food Pyramid. Secretary of
Agriculture Mike Johanns has unveiled MyPyramid, a re-vamped
food pyramid symbol and an interactive food pyramid system.
This web-based system is designed to carry the message of
dietary guidelines and promote the health benefits of good
nutrition and physical activity. The new MyPyramid site can
be found at http://www.mypyramid.gov/.
New America’s Heartland Public
TV Series to Celebrate Agriculture (Voice
of Agriculture Newsroom, American Farm
Bureau, Apr. 21, ’05). America’s Heartland is
a weekly television program that celebrates the miracle of
American agriculture and the farm and ranch families that
help make it possible. The series, which will premiere the
first week of September 2005, will help viewers better understand
the nation’s farm and ranch families and the challenges
and opportunities they face as they produce food and fiber
for Americans and people in other countries. The program
is made possible through major underwriting by Monsanto Company
in collaboration with the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The series will be distributed to each of more than 300 public
television stations in America by America’s Public
Television, the single largest provider of programming to
public television stations. Read the complete news release
at http://www.fb.org/news/nr/nr2005/nr0421a.html.
Indar for Mummy Berry in PA for 2005 (Vegetable & Small
Fruit Gazette, April ’05). Kathy Demchak reports “The
U.S. EPA granted an emergency exemption for the use of Indar
75WSP (fenbuconazole) to control mummy berry disease in blueberries
in Pennsylvania for 2005.” The Dow AgroSciences website
has the Specimen Label, Materials Safety Data Sheet, and
Section 18 Specific Exemption sheets for Indar 75WSP for
Pennsylvania and for Georgia, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina,
New Jersey, Indiana, New Hampshire, Michigan and Massachusetts
at http://www.cdms.net/manuf/mprod.asp?mp=11&lc=0&ms=3691&manuf=11.
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