February 2005

Using Fungicides to Control Strawberry Fruit Rots (Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers News, Feb. ’05). Michael Ellis, Ohio State, presented this information at the 2005 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. “Botrytis or gray mold is the most common disease and is probably the easiest to control with effective fungicide use. Most fruit infections by Botrytis occur only during bloom. Therefore, most growers that apply fungicide during bloom generally do a good job of controlling Botrytis and do not need to apply fungicides pre-bloom or during harvest. . . . In plantings and in growing seasons (warm and wet) where anthracnose or leather rot are problems, the need for a more intensive fungicide program is greatly increased.” Dr. Ellis goes on to discuss fungicide use prebloom, during bloom, and post bloom through harvest. The article includes a table detailing fungicide, rate/A, and comments. The article and table are available in .pdf format at http://www.nevbc.org/sessions/strawberry/using_fungicides
_control_strawberry_rots_ohio.pdf

U.S. fresh vegetable harvested acreage up 2 percent (Vegetable Growers News, Feb. ’05). “Strawberry area planted for major states (Florida and Oregon) in 2005 is forecast at 10,400 acres, unchanged for the same states last year but 2 percent below those same states in 2003. The 2005 Florida strawberry crop is slightly behind at this time. Planting was delayed by the hurricanes that blew up the plastic. Harvest began in November. Oregon strawberry production is moving to the southern areas of the state where yields are higher and labor and harvest costs are lower.”

How good are your advisers? asks the “Tools for Profit” feature in Dairy Herd Management (Feb. ’05). The author, ag financial consultant Darrell Dunteman, advises, “Protect yourself . . . even a trusted adviser can become involved in a situation beyond his capabilities. Most good advisers know their limitations. . . . If something seems beyond an adviser’s ability, do not hesitate to seek the advice of another firm.” Five tips are offered for selecting and adviser suited to handle the task at hand: word of mouth; ask your other advisers; never delegate total responsibility; always discuss any concerns with your adviser; and when interviewing a potential adviser, always ask for the names of clients as references.” Read the complete article at Advisers (registration is free).

Estate Planning—Why You Need to Think About It Now (Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable Growers Assn., Feb. ’05). “A recent study by Successful Farming magazine shows that two-thirds of all US farmers and food producers have not named a successor for their business. In addition, more than half of those producers have no estate plan. If you think about the billions of dollars in assets held by farm producers, the findings of the survey are certainly concerning. If your family and business goals are to keep the farm business in the family and insure the business continues on, a current transfer plan and associated estate plan are essential. Read more at Farm Survival.

SWOT: Defining Your Business for 2005 (Country Folks Grower, Feb. ’05) recommends SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis as “a good way to measure your business success from many different angles and in doing so, look for ways to improve your performance and bottom line. . . . If you face a number of weaknesses and threats to the business, you need to begin figuring how to turn the threats into opportunities. . . . Likewise, utilize your important strengths and opportunities to seize new customers and sell more product or services. In other words, capitalize on what you already do well and improve on those features even more. . . . There’s no magic or mystery to a SWOT analysis, in fact the process can be a fun way to engage your family and employees in a brainstorming session that will ultimately pay dividends in the long run.”

Climate Change and Agriculture (Farming, Feb. ’05) asks “Scientists have found that even a little change in temperature has a powerful effect. The frost-free growing season in New England is one week longer than it was a century ago. Lake ice breaks up about five days sooner. Across the Northeast, lilacs and apples have been shown to be flowering earlier in the spring than they were in the 1960s. . . . many scientists believe the main culprit behind climate change is human activity that generates carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily by burning fossil fuels. . . . The United States currently leads the world by generating over 5 tons of CO2 per persons per year. . . . There are many ways that farmers can cope with climate change. This could be with a different mix of crops, modified production systems and changes in pest management.” The article also details things farmers can do to “work to mitigate their contribution to the problem.” Read the complete article at Climate Change.

Growers should build and sell the value in their business (The Fruit Growers News, Feb. ’05). “Value itself is not a new concept in the business world. In fact, it has been recognized by the accounting profession in a term called ‘good will.’ . . . When a business is sold, it is not uncommon for the buyer to pay more for ‘good will’ than the tangible assets of that business. A critical and key task is to assign a financial value to this ‘good will’ that is believable by the rest of the world. . . . Essentially, value attributes are anything that could separate you, your product or company from direct competition . . . . One important and key attribute not to be dismissed is one’s reputation. . . . awareness of personal relationships as well as past business relationships must be considered in determining what value might be present.” Read a similar article by the same author by clicking here: Smart Marketing and selecting the September 2004 article.

Mulch in small fruit provides moisture, steady temperatures writes Penn State’s Kathleen Demcheck in Vegetable Growers News (Feb. ’05). “Straw mulch is used in strawberries for winter protection. Soil temperatures remain warmer in mulched plantings and soil freeze/thaw cycles causing root breakage are minimized. Besides protecting the crowns from wind and cold, mulch also provides weed control, helps to keep the berries clean during harvest and helps control leather rot and anthracnose. . . . Remove mulch when the soil temperatures again reach 40°F. This is usually in late March or early April. Growers sometimes delay mulch removal in order to delay bloom. While this works to a limited extent, bloom will be delayed by only a couple of days and yields will be decreased if mulch removal is delayed too long.” Read the complete article at http://ipm.osu.edu/fruit/02icm27.htm#linkb.

Net Farm Income up 24% in 2004 reports a feature article on the ERS-USDA website. “2004 was an exceptional year for U.S agriculture. Net farm income, value of production, value-added, and net cash income all registered historic highs, substantially topping their previous highs in 2003. (Net farm income was up 24 percent; value of production, up 12 percent; net value added, up 16 percent; and net cash income, up 13 percent.). . . . In 2005, net farm income is forecast to be $64.4 billion, down $9.2 billion from the record $73.6 billion estimated for 2004. Income is forecast down in 2005 only because in 2004 income rose $14.4 billion to an unprecedented level. In 2004, both crop and livestock commodities experienced exceptionally favorable market and/or production conditions. 2003 and 2004 were truly exceptional years for U.S agriculture. Net farm income, net value-added, and net cash income registered historic highs in successive years. Two consecutive years of record high corn production and large harvests for other major crops and unusually high prices for livestock and milk created record earnings for the farm sector, and participants who assume the risks of production (farmers, partners, and contractors) reaped the benefits.” Read the complete article at http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/farmincome/nationalestimates.htm.

National Survey Shows Americans Are in the Dark Regarding Genetically Modified Foods (Kansas City InfoZine, Feb. 1, 2005). “According to a national study of 1,200 Americans commissioned by the Food Policy Institute (FPI) at Rutgers-Cook College, while most Americans say they are interested in the technology and have opinions about it, most lack the tools and background needed for an informed assessment. . . . the FPI study found that fewer than half of Americans (48%) are aware that such products are currently for sale in supermarkets, and fewer than a third (31%) realize they regularly consume GM foods. Even those who say they are aware of GM foods are confused as to which foods are out there; the majority (79%) incorrectly believed that GM tomatoes are available, possibly due to Calgene's highly publicized (but now defunct) GM tomato marketing effort in the mid 1990s.” Read the complete article at http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/5618/.

New Plasticulture Book Can Help Growers Extend Production, Maximize Yields (Vegetable and Small Fruit Gazette, Feb. ’05) “A new book, “Production of Vegetables, Strawberries and Cut Flowers Using Plasticulture”, covers all aspects of the growing system, including plastic mulch, drip irrigation, fertigation, season extension, windbreaks, crops establishment, weed management, soil sanitation and managing used plastics. Production systems for strawberries and cut flowers are described in depth. Over 85 photos and 18 figures supplement the text. The book is intended for new and experienced growers, serious gardeners and educators. “Production of Vegetables, Strawberries and Cut Flowers Using Plasticulture, NRAES-133 (Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service), costs $24 plus $6 S&H (within the continental US). To purchase contact NRAES, Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557, Ithaca, NY 14852; phone (607) 255-7654; fax (607) 254-8770; email NRAES@cornell.edu; website www.nraes.org.”

Organic Farming – Is It For Me? asks an article by Brad Brummond, Extension Agent, Cropping Systems -- Walsh County, ND, reprinted on the Penn State Agricultural Marketing website. “The first thing a farmer switching to organic production needs to understand is what organic farming is and what it is not. Organic farming is working in partnership with nature to produce food. . . . Organic farmers do not claim their product is chemical-free. No one can make that statement in today’s world. All you are certifying is that the product was handled in a manner consistent with the rules and standards of the certification organization to which you belong. . . . There are two major types of risk in organic farming: pest outbreaks – resulting in lower yield and inferior products – and marketing and financial risks.” Read the complete article at http://agmarketing.extension.psu.edu/Business/orgfarmisitme.html.

Fuzz-free strawberries forecast with new food safety treatment (Purdue University News online). Rich Linton is professor of food science at Purdue and one of the leaders of the current study on decontaminating strawberries. Linton and his colleagues at Purdue's Center for Food Safety Engineering, published a study in the current issue of the Journal of Food Protection comparing two different chlorine dioxide treatments, called "batch processing" and "continuous processing." Both treatments provide greater than a 5-log, or 99.999 percent, reduction in the numbers of E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes on strawberry surfaces. “Not only does Linton's treatment significantly reduce the number of potentially harmful pathogens growing on strawberries, it also extends their shelf life without sacrificing quality attributes such as color and taste.” Read the complete article at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/2004/041122.Linton.strawberries.html.

Fiscal 2005 U.S. Agricultural Exports and Imports Forecast To Balance at $56 Billion reports the Economic Research Service (ERS:USDA). “Large U.S. and foreign crops, lower prices for grains, oilseeds, and cotton, and increased foreign competition combine to reduce forecast fiscal 2005 U.S. agricultural exports to $56 billion. . . . Continued strong domestic economic rowth and consumer demand boost agricultural imports to a projected $56 billion, the same as the export forecast. Expected U.S. agricultural trade hovers between a surplus and a deficit, as it last did in the late 1950s. . . . The value of forecast 2005 U.S. agricultural imports led by wine, beer, fruits, vegetables, and beef continue to expand, although at a slower pace than in recent years. A weaker dollar and rising U.S. household incomes raise the import value.” Read the complete article at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/so/view.asp?f+trade/aes-bb/ [click on U.S. Agricultural Trade – Outlook for Agricultural Trade – 2004 - Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade, 11.24.04 (revised)].

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