A May frost appears to have soured North Carolina’s grape production this year, says Mark Hoffmann, N.C. State small fruits Extension specialist.
Hoffmann
“The western part of the Piedmont region, they got hit pretty bad. We have some areas where we have 100% loss,” Hoffmann said. “The Yadkin Valley got hit pretty bad, and everything west of that, really.”
The devastating impact to the state’s grape production is isolated to vonifera grapes. The area where the frost did the most damage produces about 80% of the state’s production. Fortunately, the state produced a bumper crop last year.
“We had a very good year last year and the tanks are full. It’s not going to be like as traumatic as it would be if we would have two or three bad years in a row,” Hoffmann said.
Hoffmann confirmed in an earlier interview this was the third frost event for the state’s grape crop. It was especially vulnerable this time since it happened late in the season.
Fortunately, he said muscadines that are grown in the Southeast area were spared.
Today’s talk with U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue focuses on imports of Mexican produce. It’s been a concern for farmers who are trying to compete against Mexico.
It was especially concerning this year as growers, especially in the Southeast, also had to overcome challenges with the coronavirus pandemic.
For other testimonials of unfair competition with Mexico, click here.
The Industrial Hemp Commission will hold a public meeting via conference call so members can review and approve applications, and hear an update on the North Carolina Farm Act and State plan.
The meeting will be held on Friday, June 12 at 10 a.m. Access to the conference call can be made at http://go.ncsu.edu/industrialhemp or by calling 1-929-205-6099 (U.S. toll) or 1-699-900-6833 (U.S. toll). The meeting ID is 997-8091-4021. Participants will be prompted to enter their name and email address to enter the meeting via the website or prompted for unique participant ID for the call. They should press # to access the call.
Read more at: https://hemp.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/06/nc-industrial-hemp-commission-meeting-june-12-2020/?src=rss
For N.C. Industrial Hemp Commission questions, contact Beth Farrell at 919-707-3014 or beth.farrell@ncagr.gov. For questions about the N.C. Industrial Hemp Program, go to Industrial Hemp Pilot Program in North Carolina.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue speaks at the Citrus Expo in 2017. He spoke with Clint Thompson with AgNet Media about CFAP.
By Clint Thompson
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments are already starting to be issued across the country to farmers impacted by COVID-19.
Some specialty crop growers in the Southeast have already started receiving funds.
As of June 8, in Florida, 95 specialty crop applications have been submitted with $11.5 million in payments issued by the USDA. In Georgia, 91 specialty crop applications have been submitted with $340,938.92 in payments. In Alabama, six specialty crop applications have been submitted with $40,102.30 in payments.
In North Carolina, 13 specialty crop applications have been submitted with $33,898.82 in payments. In South Carolina, nine specialty crop applications have been submitted with $27,780.48 in payments.
Farmers are currently submitting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). In some instances, checks have already been issued to producers impacted by COVID-19.
Sonny Perdue
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue talked about CFAP with Clint Thompson, multimedia journalist with AgNet Media. In particular, he discussed the cap placed on the payments issued to each eligible grower.
United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday. He attended a farmers to families food box event. It’s a new program that the United States Department of Agriculture launched to purchase $3 billion in excess food from farmers and distribute to families in need.
He talked about the program with Clint Thompson, multimedia journalist with AgNet Media.
Secretary Perdue talks about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
Hemp producers in the Southeast need to be mindful of fire ants. They will damage the stems of hemp plants if not treated, said Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist.
“My phone has been ringing off the hook with fire ant problems the last seven days, really. A couple of weeks ago, we had all of those storms that came through; a lot of rain and temperatures are increasing. We started seeing fire ant swarms about two weeks ago. All of those swarms led to newly mated females that became queens that started mounds and now are chewing on the stems of hemp,” Kesheimer said. “It’s very quick because these seedlings are no more than 20 centimeters tall in some instances. They’re just a couple of inches, not that big. The fire ants make a mound at the base of the plant and start stripping the bark and tunneling through the stem.
“I don’t even know if I was onboard with hemp this time last year, but this just seems kind of early for fire ant problems in hemp. I was caught off guard with how many issues we were having.”
Growers have already started planting this year’s crop. Fortunately, there are management practices growers can implement to control fire ant issues. But they need to do them.
“I’ve been recommending people get out there and bait because that’s going to take at least a couple of weeks but also do individual mound treatments. We have some products approved for hemp by the Department of Ag. I think a lot of growers did not heed my warning to put out bait in the fall,” Kesheimer said.
RALEIGH — Gardening can provide much needed physical activity and emotional well being to balance the effects of social distancing associated with the COVID -19 pandemic. Many people turn to their lawns and gardens to relieve stress and enjoy nature. If you are working in your yard, following are some helpful agronomic tips for best results.
Nitrogen is the nutrient most in demand by all plants, but its application rate is not based on a soil test. That is because nitrogen is very unstable in soils given the precipitation and varied climate of North Carolina, making soil testing to determine levels for a growing season unreliable.
“Typically, from growing season to growing season, the nitrogen available for plant growth will generally be low,” said agronomist, Jagathi Kamalakanthan. “For that reason, it is important to replenish nitrogen levels in each growing season.”
NCDA&CS fertilizer recommendations will provide a fertilizer grade or analysis to supply nitrogen plus additional phosphorus or potassium based on soil test results if needed. In general, most plants will benefit from 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, except for centipede grass where only a half-pound per 1,000 square feet is recommended.
Every bag of fertilizer has three numbers such as 10-10-10 or 21-0-0. The first number represents nitrogen (N); the second number represents phosphorus as phosphate (P2O5); and the third number represents potassium as potash (K2O). Each of these numbers is a percent on a weight basis. For example, 100 pounds of 10-10-10 N-P-K fertilizer has 10 pounds each of nitrogen, phosphate and potash.
A nitrogen application is usually timed at the beginning of the growth cycle for plants and some plants require more nitrogen than others during the growing season. For example, Bermuda turf grass needs 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, in the months of May, June and September. In contrast, centipede requires a very low nitrogen rate of a half-pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, only in mid to late May. Vegetable and flower gardens usually do well with 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet applied at planting or soon afterward. “Some vegetables, such as sweet corn, may require additional nitrogen during the growing season,” Kamalakanthan said.
Nitrogen in appropriate amounts and at the correct time are good for plant growth; however, applying nitrogen amounts beyond plant needs can do harm.
“Too much nitrogen encourages excessive vegetative growth and may delay the onset of flowering and fruit production, plus excess nitrogen may pollute our ground and surface waters,” Kamalakanthan said. “Additionally, very lush plant tissue may be more susceptible to disease or insect damage. Winterkill of warm-season grasses may also be more prevalent since extra nitrogen may promote growth and delay dormancy. Fertilizer burn from excess soluble fertilizer is another concern.”
Use nitrogen correctly and it will promote healthy green plants for your enjoyment. For more information on fertilizers, refer to this link. Contact us at 919-733-2655 if you have questions or need more information.
(Washington, D.C., June 4, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already approved more than $545 million in payments to producers who have applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. FSA began taking applications May 26, and the agency has received over 86,000 applications for this important relief program.
“The coronavirus has hurt America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers, and these payments directed by President Trump will help this critical industry weather the current pandemic so they can continue to plant and harvest a safe, nutritious, and affordable crop for the American people,” said Secretary Perdue. “We have tools and resources available to help producers understand the program and enable them to work with Farm Service Agency staff to complete applications as smoothly and efficiently as possible and get payments into the pockets of our patriotic farmers.”
In the first six days of the application period, FSA has already made payments to more than 35,000 producers. Out of the gate, the top five states for CFAP payments are Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota. USDA has released data on application progress and program payments and will release further updates each Monday at 2 p.m. ET. The report can be viewed at farmers.gov/cfap.
FSA will accept applications through August 28, 2020. Through CFAP, USDA is making available $16 billion in financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5%-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.
In order to do this, producers will receive 80% of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date nationwide, as funds remain available.
Getting Help from FSA
New customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is a recommended first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.
Producers can download the CFAP application and other eligibility forms from farmers.gov/cfap. Also, on that webpage, producers can find a payment calculator to help producers identify sales and inventory records needed to apply and calculate potential payments. Producers self-certify their records when applying for CFAP and that documentation is not submitted with the application. However, producers may be asked for their documentation to support the certification of eligible commodities, so producers should retain the information used to complete their application.
Those who use the online calculator tool will be able to print a pre-filled CFAP application, sign it, and submit it to your local FSA office either electronically or via hand delivery through an office drop box. Please contact your local office to determine the preferred delivery method for your local office. Team members at FSA county offices will be able to answer detailed questions and help producers apply quickly and efficiently through phone and online tools. Find contact information for your local office at farmers.gov/cfap.
Policy Clarifications
FSA has been working with stakeholder groups to provide further clarification to producers on the CFAP program. For example, the agency has published a matrix of common marketing contracts that impact eligibility for non-specialty crops and has provided a table that crosswalks common livestock terms to CFAP cattle categories. Updated information can be found in the frequently asked questions section of the CFAP website.
More Information
To find the latest information on CFAP, visit farmers.gov/cfap or call 877-508-8364.
USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than five million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sonny Perdue
“The Farmers to Families Food Box Program was designed to put American farmers and distributors of all sizes back to work while supporting over-burdened food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other non-profits serving Americans in need, and the program is doing just that,” said Secretary Perdue. “It’s encouraging to see the passion with which farmers, distributors and non-profits have gone above and beyond to make this program work in support of the American people. Although a momentous milestone, this is only the beginning for the program, and with continued support we expect up to 40 million boxes will be delivered throughout the country by June 30.”
“Since our launch of the Farmers to Families Food Box, 5 million boxe have been successfully delivered to Americans most in need all across the country. Through this innovative program, small and regional distributors are bringing back their workforce to procure food directly from our American farmers and ranchers. Fresh food is getting to those in need, even in the hardest to reach places, through partnerships with food banks, non-profits and faith-based communities,” said Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump.
