The U.S. Department of Agriculture Hemp Production Program’s Final Rule will go into effect March 22.
Some of the key provisions include raising the negligence threshold from 0.5% to 1% and limits the maximum number of negligent violations that a producer can receive in a growing season to one. Also, the normal 15-day window to collect samples before harvest has been extended to 30 days.
States who wish to manage hemp programs must have a plan approved under the new final rule. They have until Dec. 31, 2021 to transition to the new provisions under the Final Rule.
The final rule provides regulations for hemp production in this country and includes modifications based on public comments and lessons learned during last year’s growing season. More information about the provisions of the final rule is available on AMS’s Hemp Production webpage.
Citrus Greening has devastated Florida’s citrus industry. The state’s strawberry producers are concerned about their future with Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease.
Photo by Natalia Peres/UF: Shows the effect of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot on strawberries.
It may still be in its infancy, but Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot is taking its toll on the Florida strawberry industry. One Florida producer is concerned about its impact moving forward.
“I would call it the ‘Greening of strawberries,’” said Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida. “There’s no cure for it, as we know. This is the third season that we know what it is, and we still have more questions than answers.”
Decreased Volume
Parke said volume has been way off this year, maybe two-thirds of what last year’s crop produced. It varies from farmer to farmer. While the weather played a role in decreased production, so has Neopestalotiopsis.
“The whole industry was impacted by it, I think,” Parke said. “Just on one pick, I probably threw 400 flats to the acre on the ground. They were just totally ate up with it.
“I would say for the next three years, it’s going to take a hit on our industry.”
Disease Background
The disease has quickly spiraled out of control in three years. It was first discovered during the 2018-19 season in five farms and was attributed to one nursery source in North Carolina. More than 20 farms experienced the disease during the 2019-20 season, and the disease was attributed to two nursery sources early in the season in North Carolina and Canada.
It was discovered this year in fields that had it the prior season.
Neopestalotiopsis causes leaf spots on strawberry plants. It develops quickly and produces spores on the leaves. It can cause severe leaf spotting and fruit rot under favorable weather conditions.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to detect because of other similar leaf spot diseases that growers must contend with like leaf scorch, leaf blotch and Cercospora leaf spot.
Winter Springs, FL – March 10, 2021 – The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) held its bi-annual board meeting virtually on Saturday, March 6. Board member Jordan Carter was elected President by her peers, becoming the first woman to serve in this position. Prior to this nomination, Carter (District 3, Cordele, GA) served as Secretary/Treasurer as well as interim President since January 2021.
“I am overjoyed and beyond honored to serve as president and want to make my time in service meaningful,” said Jordan Carter, NWPB Board President. “I am so grateful to be a part of an amazing board of directors who work hard every day to promote watermelon and all of its goodness. I am looking forward to supporting initiatives that inspire each other and to developing relationships for continued growth. Together, we can bring fresh insights and energy to carry out our shared goals of increasing demand for watermelon.”
In addition to Carter’s nomination, Christian Murillo (District, 6 Nogales, AZ) was elected Vice President and Kelly Partch (District 5, Brawley, CA) elected Secretary/Treasurer. For more information or a full list of the Board of Directors and Committee Assignments, visit the industry section of watermelon.org or contact Summer Walker, Marketing & Communications Manager at swalker@watermelon.org.
A main insect pest of pecan trees is active right now.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist Lenny Wells cautions producers that Asian Ambrosia beetles are active in young pecan trees. Beetle activity has been reported from Cook County, Fort Valley and different sites in Eastern Georgia, according to the UGA Pecan Extension Blog. Activity will only increase as temperatures warm up this week.
UGA Extension photo shows damage done by ambrosia beetles in a pecan tree.
“Due to excessive rain in February, many fields are very wet, and planting was delayed,” Wells said in the blog. “These late-planted trees, especially in wet areas, are the most likely to be affected. They will still be under considerable transplant shock and will be the most attractive to beetles.”
Producers can identify beetle activity by the toothpick-sized sawdust tubes the beetles leave sticking out of holes bored in pecan trees. The less likely a tree is to survive an attack, the more often that tree is attacked by the beetles.
Wells advises growers, who have experienced past issues with the beetles or who have new trees planted in the past two or three weeks, to apply a pyrethroid like Bifenthrin.
Florida Grower: It’s not going to be like it was last year
File photo shows highbush blueberries.
It’s a tale of two seasons for Florida blueberry growers. Producers were early with last year’s crop but encountered COVID-19 that kept prices low.
This year’s cooler weather has slowed the growth of the blueberry crop, which means it’ll likely be ready for its normal timeframe. Hopefully, that’ll mean better prices for growers like Ryan Atwood.
“The weather was colder for January and for a good bit of February. Weather’s been warming up of late. We’re probably catching up here a little bit lately. It’s not going to be like it was last year,” said Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries, manages another 350 acres and is part-owner of the largest packing house in the Southeast United States. “That was horrible the way that all played out last year. It was almost like the rug getting yanked out underneath your feet. But you live to fight another day.”
Warmer Temperatures in 2020
A milder winter last year accelerated growth in last year’s blueberries. Atwood started picking high volumes of blueberries around March 18. But it also coincided with the pandemic shutting down the country. Market prices reflected the pandemic’s impact.
Early harvests have already begun for this year’s crop.
“We started scrapping, lightly picking on Evergreen stuff,” Atwood said. “We’re a ways off from the main part of our crop. We grow a small acreage of evergreen production. But most of our production is deciduous production, and that won’t crank up til later. “We picked 400, 500 pounds two weeks ago. Then we picked 1,800 pounds last week. Now, we’re picking 3,000 pounds this week.”
South Florida farms had record levels of Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations last week. Others experienced a reduction in thrips counts, however.
According to the University of Florida/IFAS, farms in southeastern Hendry County reported infestations as low as 0.2 ABT per bud and between 0.1 and 0.2 ABT per bloom (at full bloom) but were as high as 1.9 ABT per bud and 6.2 ABT per bloom (at full bloom). This is the highest reported population levels at this stage in Hendry County and may lead to yield loss.
ABT populations at this location in the previous cycle of Dec. 18 were just 0.1 ABT per bloom at full bloom.
In central Hendry County, populations increased, but there was a wide range of 0.2 to 0.8 ABT per bloom at full bloom, while in northern Collier County, ABT was reported at 0.2 ABT per bloom in plantings at full bloom, with most plantings already harvested.
In eastern Palm Beach County, reports indicate background populations have steadied between 0.1 and 0.3 ABT per bloom amid aggressive insecticide programs.
Farmers themselves are hinting that the end is near for their career in the field, amid increasing costs, decreasing prices and steady imports from Mexico.
One significant help would come in reform to the current H-2A guestworker program, according to Allison Crittenden, Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation. American farmers need it now more than ever.
“Without addressing Ag Labor reform and without making changes to the H-2A program to enable farmers to have access to a workforce and still be able to make the business structure work and enable them to become competitive; if we don’t fix these problems, then American agriculture is in danger,” Crittenden said. “If we don’t have a workforce, how can we produce crops in this country?”
Rising Wage Prices
Reform is mainly needed because prices have risen significantly over the past five years. Crittenden said the national average for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate has increased by 20% in the last five years. Following the latest wage increase, Florida’s hourly rate is $12.08, while Georgia and Alabama are $11.81. That’s not counting additional costs for housing and transportation.
“This is all occurring against the backdrop that prices are rather stagnant in terms of labor-intensive crops. There’s a lot of downward pressure from imports from other countries where those employees in those countries get paid in a day where American H-2A workers get paid in an hour here,” Crittenden said. “We have to find a way to enable farmers to remain competitive while providing them access to that labor force that we so desperately need.”
Potential Solution?
Two members of the House of Representatives introduced a potential solution last week with the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. It would reform H-2A wages to better reflect real-world wages while protecting against sudden wage increases.
“We need an immediate solution, but we have to be careful about what we consider to be a solution. We haven’t addressed Ag Labor reform in a substantive way in over 30 years. It’s critically important that we get it right this time around when we do,” Crittenden said.
No matter what environmental conditions grape producers face this season, they are likely to encounter either downy mildew or powdery mildew.
Early powdery mildew on a grape leaf in this UGA photo. Note the white fuzzy patches on the upper side of the leaf (photo courtesy of Brooke Warres; UGA Plant Pathology).
“Powdery mildew actually does better in a drier environment. That’s why it’s a major problem in places like California. But when we have dry conditions, it can be worse for us. Even in wet conditions, we have it,” said University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen.
“Downy mildew is one that we deal with year in, year out. They don’t even have it in California because it’s too dry out there. With our wet environment, it’s the one we have the most of on a year-in, year-out basis and gives us the most trouble trying to control.”
Comparing the Two
While the two diseases sound similar, they are much different.
Downy mildew is not a fungus, but powdery mildew is caused by a fungal organism.
Downy mildew attacks all the green parts of the vine, but the leaves are especially susceptible. The disease can cause up to 100% crop loss if unmanaged. Oil spots will develop on the top of the leaves, which can lead to desiccation and defoliation.
Powdery mildew causes issues on the leaves and fruit. It opens channels into the fruit which allows other organisms to rot the fruit. Signs of white powdery growth will show up on the surface of the fruit and leaves. Any amount of the disease will cause an off-flavor in wine production.
Potential Resistance
What is especially concerning for grape growers is the pathogens that cause both diseases are developing resistance to several fungicides in use. According to Brannen, downy mildew Qol resistance is widespread in Georgia vineyards. Resistance development has also been reported in powdery mildew in Qols, DMIS and SDHIs in various parts of the world.
“The pathogens that cause those diseases are developing resistance to quite a bit of the fungicides we utilize for controlling them. They’re becoming more and more of a challenge to manage from the standpoint of developing a spray program,” Brannen said.
The most important decision farmers can make when growing tomatoes in Alabama is variety selection.
Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, insists that growers understand what varieties grow well in Alabama before they plant this spring.
“Easily the most important decision you can make is picking which varieties to grow. You can buy local transplants. It’s always great when you can do that. But what I’ve typically found is, often, the selection tends to be pretty narrow,” Kemble said. “There are literally thousands of tomato varieties out there. Many of them are adapted very well to growth in Alabama but unfortunately, some of them are not.
“Sometimes you may be growing varieties and you’ll say to yourself, I really don’t know why these are doing so poorly. The problem is, it may be the fact that it’s just not a very good variety to grow.”
Kemble said it is important to choose variety that will spread your season. Some are better for early in the season. Others are more tolerant of the high summer temperatures and can be grown in mid-to-late season.
“Try to pick varieties that are actually suited to the time of year you wish to grow them,” Kemble said.
Disease resistance is also an important factor to consider. Try to select varieties with resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus, nematodes, fusarium, late blight and early blight. Resistant varieties mean growers don’t have to apply fungicides to control the disease.
Kemble recommends the following tomato varieties: Bella Rosa, Carolina Gold, Crista, Mountain Gem, Mountain Magic, Mountain Merit, Red Bounty, Red Defender, Red Mountain, Rocky Top and Tribute.
Another vegetable season means another chance for Mexican imports to deflate market prices. For one Florida producer, the consistent supply of imported cucumbers and squash could lead to an unexpected early retirement.
Cucumbers.
“We cannot make a move without checking to see what Mexico’s doing first. It’s very disheartening for a man that was charged by God to feed the world,” Sam Accursio said. “It’s a strange feeling that this is all I’ve done for the last 35 years and I see it ending.
“Free trade is putting growers out of business. The ones that are lucky enough to have assets, they will sell their assets, and we will rely on third-world countries to feed this great nation. We’re selling what we harvest but at below production costs.”
Background
Accursio produces pickle and cucumber, green beans, and yellow and green squash on 4,400 acres in the Homestead, Florida area. Between unfair trade and the lack of skilled labor, challenges continue to mount for Accursio and other producers like himself. He insists they will farm next year. But who knows after that?
“We still have (around) 60 days of harvest. I feel we’re going to pay the bills. I’m optimistic that we are,” Accursio said. “We will go again next year. But the battle we’re fighting, I think there’s too many obstacles.”
USITC Investigation
The U.S. International Trade Commission is currently seeking input for two factfinding investigations on the impact of imported cucumbers and squash on the domestic seasonal markets. The USITC will hold a public hearing with the investigations on April 8. But considering the unanimous verdict the USITC already rendered that said imported blueberries do not cause serious injury to the domestic crop, there is little hope for vegetable farmers like Accursio.
“I think as a nation we’re screwed until we do something about the imports coming through that border. We’ve been fighting this fight for 40 years, 35 years. Growers are dropping left and right and there’s no young bucks coming in to take our place,” Accursio added. “It’s a little scary for young people.”
