Valent U.S.A. is offering a new insecticide that offers fast and long-lasting control of soft-bodied insects of vegetable and citrus crops.
This is the first year that producers will have access to Senstar Insecticide. It provides farmers with two effective modes of action for control of soft-bodied insects, including whiteflies, aphids, thrips and pysillids.
“Southeast vegetable and citrus growers have a new tool this year to protect their crops from damaging insect pests,” said Craig Campbell, regional Valent Field Market Development Specialist. “Senstar has two modes of action, and both have translaminar and systemic activity in the plant. That allows Senstar Insecticide to control all stages of the insect life cycle, providing powerful, long-lasting pest control.
“By controlling all the life cycle stages, including insect eggs, Senstar offers a unique benefit. It breaks down the insect population cycle, resulting in less potential for reinfestation. The growers see a lower pest count and better marketable yields.”
Senstar is very effective at reaching pests on the underside of the leaves, which are hard to reach with a spray. Its translaminar action means it can move up and down the leaves and manage those pests that feed on the underside.
Campbell said two sprays of Senstar are allowed through the season.
Pest Management is Key
Pest management in vegetables and citrus is extremely important for producers. Not only do they feed on the plants and the crops themselves, pests can transmit diseases that can be detrimental to the plant. Thrips can transmit tomato spotted wilt virus in tomatoes. Psyllids vector Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening disease.
“Growers know this very well. Virus diseases can take down a vegetable crop. That’s a serious problem every year,” Campbell said.
About Valent U.S.A.
Valent U.S.A. LLC, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., develops and markets products in the United States and Canada that advance sustainable agriculture, protect crops, enhance crop yields, improve food quality, beautify the environment and safeguard public health. Valent products include a well-known line of quality herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and plant growth regulator products for agricultural, seed protection and professional use. Valent is a leader in marketing and sales of both traditional chemical products and biorational products developed by its affiliate, Valent BioSciences LLC. For more information about Valent or our full product line, please call 800-6-VALENT (682-5368) or visit valent.com.
(Washington, D.C., July 1, 2020) – Today, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters into force, replacing the decades-old NAFTA. USMCA is a better deal for America’s farmers, consumers and workers that will set them up for success for decades to come. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue penned an oped in the North Carolina Fayetteville Observer saying, “USMCA creates more market access for farmers from across our nation to sell their wholesome and nutritious products to our closest neighbors. This is a better deal for America that will grow our economy and put more money in the pockets of American families.”
“On my first day as Secretary of Agriculture, President Trump promised he’d fight for better deals for American farmers. That is why the president renegotiated the decades-old NAFTA and modernized it into a better deal for America’s farmers, consumers and workers that will set them up for success for decades to come…
“We are shown once again that President Trump has the backs of America’s farmers and thank him on the delivery of this much better deal…
“USMCA helps all of America’s diverse agricultural industries. This new and improved deal secures greater access to markets and lowers barriers for our agricultural products…
“USMCA eliminates Canada’s unfair Class 7 milk pricing scheme that was creatively developed to allow unfairly low-priced Canadian dairy products to undersell U.S. products in Canada and in third-country markets. United States poultry and egg producers will also see expanded access to Canada’s market, directly benefiting American producers in states like Iowa, Georgia, Arkansas and California…
“It includes rules to address all agricultural biotechnology, including gene editing, in support of 21st century innovations in agriculture. The agreement also improves the flow of trade with new and enforceable rules to ensure that sanitary and phytosanitary measures to protect human, animal, or plant life or health are science-based and transparent…
“USMCA also updates the rules of origin for processed fruits to ensure preferences benefit U.S. producers. Most importantly, the new agreement maintains the tariff-free access for nearly all U.S. agricultural commodities shipped into Mexico and Canada, providing America’s farmers and ranchers continued market access…
“The implementation of this deal sends a strong signal to other important export markets such as the United Kingdom and the European Union that President Trump and Congress are serious about pursuing and enacting future agreements that create better economic opportunities for all parties involved. The United States is open for business, and our farmers are ready to export more of their wholesome and nutritious products to consumers around the world…”
Additionally, Secretary Perdue joined FOX News’ Sandra Smith this morning on America’s Newsroom to talk about the USMCA. You may view their comments on the USMCA or on the image below to watch.
University of Georgia Extension/Pictured is a grape root borer.
By Clint Thompson
The time is now for grape producers to protect their crop against the grape root borer, said Brett Blaauw, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia. He said usually in north Georgia, the grape root borers will emerge in early July.
According to the UGA Extension Viticulture Blog, if farmers have not deployed their pheromone dispensers as part of the mating disruption tactic, it is time to get those distributed.
University of Georgia Extension/Pictured is a grape root borer monitoring trap.
“Our mating disruption is probably our best option. That’s using a pheromone that basically confuses the male moths. It blocks them from finding the female moths so they can’t mate. No mating, no mates, no eggs, no larvae and then, hopefully, no disruption of the roots,” Blaauw said. “But because of its two-year life cycle, it takes a least two years for the mating disruption to start to show that it’s working in a vineyard. That can be tough because when you use something management you want to see it working right away. But the main disruption takes a couple of years to see any benefit.”
What Impact Does Grape Root Borers Have?
As the name implies, the grape root borer larvae feed on the roots. Blaauw said they have a two-year life cycle and will feed underground on the roots for almost 22 months. Unfortunately, it is out of sight, out of mind for many grape producers. Being underground, the borers go unnoticed until the vine begins to deteriorate.
“Previous research has shown that by having these larvae feeding on the roots it can reduce the vine’s yields by 50%. That’s just having one larvae,” Blaauw said. “The mature larvae are almost an inch long so they’re pretty good size larvae, a little bit like root boring caterpillars feeding for two years. Just having one can reduce yield by 50%. If you have more than one feeding on a vine, that could easily significantly reduce the survivability of the vine; it can reduce the fruit quality and eventually lead to vine death.
“Growing fruit in the Southeast is tough enough with diseases and other insects. Growing grapes is really tough. Grape vines, at least the vonifera type grapes are often subject to different diseases. One is Pierce’s Disease. Pierce’s Disease can take down vines pretty quickly, too. A lot of growers, when they have a vine that dies, they kind of assume it’s due to a disease. They’re not usually thinking about grape root borer just because it’s underground. You don’t really see what’s going on until you pull that vine out and see the roots all chewed up. Then it’s obviously too late.”
Effective Management Tool
Another effective way to manage grape root borers is to suppress the weeds under the vines. This can significantly reduce the success rate of the eggs hatching and the larvae making it to the roots. If weeds are present, they serve as protective barriers for the little caterpillars. They protect them from the sun and protect them from other insects that are going to be feeding on them.
“If you get rid of those weeds, you create a pretty harsh environment. Bare soil is not a good place for an insect, especially if you’re a tiny little caterpillar,” Blaauw said.
“Mummy berry” disease is easily recognized when the fruit begins to ripen, as infected berries become dry, shrivel and drop prematurely. (UGA Plant Pathology/Bugwood.org)
By Paul Pugliese for CAES News
Blueberries are one of the most popular backyard fruits for Georgia because they are relatively low maintenance compared to other fruit species. However, there is one particular disease issue known as “mummy berry” that can be problematic for blueberry growers.
The disease is easily recognized when the fruit begins to ripen, as infected berries become dry, shrivel and drop prematurely. These infected berries are a pinkish color rather than the normal blue. This is caused by a fungus that can survive over the winter inside the fruit mummies that lay on the ground. Spores within infected berries can remain viable for several years.
Mummy berry can cause crop yield losses as high as 25% to 50% are not unusual if left untreated. Blueberry varieties differ in their susceptibility to the disease. Unfortunately, some of the most popular varieties for Georgia are known to be highly susceptible.
This year has been a terrible year for mummy berry disease due to the unusually cool, wet spring weather. Late freezes also predisposed leaves and flower buds to infection.
Mummy berry actually infects blueberry plants in two stages. The first stage occurs when spores (ascospores) are released from the fruit mummies on the ground. Wind spreads the spores to nearby plants, infecting emerging shoots and leaves. Newly infected leaves, buds, stems and flower clusters suddenly wilt, turn brown and eventually become covered in a powdery mass of spores. Secondary spores (conidia) from these blighted shoots are then carried to open flowers along with pollen. In fact, bees and other pollinators inadvertently spread the spores during pollination. During the second stage, the spores infect developing berries by growing into and colonizing the ovaries of the fruit.
Unfortunately, by the time most people notice the problem — normally close to harvest — it’s too late to do anything to salvage your blueberries for the current season. This is true of most plant disease issues. Once you’ve seen this disease in your blueberry planting, you can anticipate it will return the following year. The good news is that there are effective fungicide options that can be sprayed to prevent this disease early in the growing season. A few properly timed fungicide applications can effectively control this disease.
Sanitation is an important tactic for managing mummy berry disease with backyard blueberry growers, since fungicide options for home gardeners are limited. Burying or mulching the mummies during the winter can help prevent future infections. Rake or use a leaf blower to move mummies into row centers and bury 2” deep by disking the soil between rows or adding 2” of mulch. A bagging mower could be used to collect and remove the mummies. Shallow cultivation between rows before bud break can also kill any exposed fungal fruiting bodies. It is difficult to ensure that all mummies will be buried or removed, so chemical control is also necessary.
Fungicides should be applied soon after bud break when green tip occurs on leaf buds or less than 5% open bloom occurs on the flowers, whichever comes first. Continue sprays until all blooms have fallen. Once the flowers have been pollinated, no further infection can take place.
One control option that provides fair control is a product containing the natural bacterium Bacillus subtilis, sold under the brand name Serenade. This has been shown to reduce mummy berry infection if applied at the shortest labeled intervals during bloom.
Another good fungicide option is Captan 50WP applied every 7 to 10 days through bloom. Be sure to get a standalone fungicide that is not combined with any insecticides. Insecticides should never be applied during bloom as they will harm bees that are necessary for pollination.
For more information about growing blueberries, check out University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 946, “Home Garden Blueberries,” at extension.uga.edu/publications.
Although grower and exhibitor interest remains high, AgNet Media has canceled the 2020 Citrus Expo and Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo in the interest of public safety.
For nearly three decades, Citrus Expo has been a tradition that growers look forward to each year. Unfortunately, that tradition will be on hiatus this year, due to the recent rapid escalation of COVID-19 cases in Florida.
Robin Loftin, president of AgNet Media, the host of Citrus Expo, made the difficult decision on Monday to cancel this year’s event citing safety and health concerns associated with the increasing coronavirus pandemic. While AgNet Media had every intention of producing the event, a public health advisory issued by Florida State Surgeon General Scott Rivkees prompted the company to change its decision. The advisory, which recommends wearing masks in public places, advises all individuals to refrain from gatherings of more than 50 people.
“When we made the decision to move forward with the Citrus Expo event, Florida had just entered phase two of reopening, COVID-19 cases were down, and the decision to continue with the event made sense,” Loftin said. “Unfortunately, though, as we have seen with this pandemic over the past three and a half months, there are new developments almost daily. Cases have been spiking recently in Florida. Our top priority will always be the health and well-being of our Citrus Expo attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and the AgNet Media team. Therefore, we feel it is prudent to cancel the event amid the uncertainty with COVID-19.”
AgNet Media, in conjunction with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, is planning to host virtual seminar programs for citrus, vegetable and specialty crop growers. This will include seminars that would have been presented at Expo. The details are still being finalized, but it will take place in August.
“We understand the value that Citrus Expo brings to growers and industry leaders and we are working to provide a virtual resource that will continue to benefit the industry,” said Event Manager Josh McGill. “Please stay tuned for more information.”
Applications to grow hemp in Alabama this year are “slowly but surely” moving forward, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist.
Katelyn Kesheimer
“I got approved for a couple and I’m still waiting on a couple more to get some plants in the ground. It’s a little bit later than I would have liked. We are making progress,” Kesheimer said. “Slowly but surely. I hope to have all of my approvals for my research done and approved by the end of the month so I can have plants in the ground within two weeks at the latest.”
Green Plants By July 31
Kesheimer said farmers need to have green hemp plants up and out of the ground by July 31. She estimates that if growers plant their seed by the second or third week in July, they should be fine as far as the plant emerging by the end of the month.
“If you’re planting from seed, which a lot of people are, then you have to have them up and emerged by July 31. My guess would be if it got held up further, they might make some exceptions for people who were approved really late,” Kesheimer said. “But if you were approved in May and you don’t have seed or green plants by the end of July, they’re probably not going to cut you any slack.”
According to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), if you are a first-time outdoor grower and do not have green plants up and growing by that date, ADAI will need to know why and what immediate plans you have to grow as this delayed planting will affect your crop in 2020.
All growers will also be required to respond to an emailed status report request as to growing activities by Aug. 1.
According to The South Carolina Grower, Clemson Extension agents provided updates on the status of fruits and vegetables throughout the state.
Coastal
Rob Last reports, “In our area, crops are generally looking good with watermelons and cantaloupes coming to harvest. From a pest perspective, we are finding some early pickleworm and melon worm damage occurring. In addition, cucumber beetles and squash bugs remain active. Cucurbit downy mildew is being found in the area, and as such protectant fungicide applications remain viable options. If in doubt scout.”
Zack Snipes reports, “Last week was full of heavy rain and heat. It finally feels like June. Crops are either going one of two ways right now: they either look great or they are succumbing to disease. Tomatoes are picking great and I’ve seen some really nice watermelons finish up this week. Peppers are loving this heat but I have seen an uptick in bacterial leaf spot (BLS) in the crop. Keep up with spray programs (copper and Manzate) for BLS in pepper. Tomatoes are also starting to look rough with all the heat and rain.
Midlands
Justin Ballew reports, “We finally got some widespread rain mid-week and it has rained in places most days since. Some areas received enough rain to cause temporary flooding in lower-lying fields. Remember, according to produce safety guidelines, any produce that was flooded may not be harvested. We should expect diseases to worsen in the coming weeks. Powdery mildew in cucurbits and bacterial spot in tomatoes has certainly increased in the past week.
Pee Dee
Tony Melton reports, “Raining almost every day some storms causing downed trees. Root rot bad applying a lot of potassium phosphide. A few strawberry growers still picking around rains. Pickle cucumbers continue being harvested and replanted in the same land. Many get three and sometimes 4 crops on the same land. Downy mildew bad but Ranman and Orondis are doing a good job of control.
University of Georgia pic/Watermelons on display at a farm on the UGA Tifton campus. 6-14-19
By Clint Thompson
Watermelon prices remain high for farmers in the Southeast. Unfortunately, there’s not enough crop ready for producers to take advantage, according to Bill Brim, co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia.
“Prices are still good. They’re around $155 to $160 a bin. There’s not many melons out there that’s ready right now. It’s unfortunate,” said Brim, who estimates individual watermelons are selling for an average of 24 cents per pound.
He also believes the rainy weather has played a role in watermelons not maturing as quickly as they would in previous years.
“Maybe too much water right now and they’re just not ripening as fast. We’ve got all of these showers in the afternoon, probably part due to that,” said Brim, who had to pause harvesting his own watermelon crop over the weekend. “We had some stuff that was planted later, too than what we would normally plant; because the plants weren’t ready or the fields weren’t ready. It could be anything. Fumigants hadn’t been out of the soil long enough.
“It’s quite a bit of difference from last year. Last year we were probably through by the (July) 4th. We won’t be through for three weeks after the 4th (this year),” Brim said.
This is typically a busy week for producers leading up to the July 4th Holiday on Saturday. Demand is normally very high this week.
Drop in Georgia Acreage
According to Samantha Kilgore, executive director of the Georgia Watermelon Association, acreage is projected to decrease this year to 19,000 acres. It would mark a significant drop from previous years’ harvests. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, from 2016-2018, Georgia averaged a harvest of just more than 23,000 acres.
Wet Planting Weather
According to Andre da Silva, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist, wet weather in February and early March could have delayed farmers’ planting window. If growers had to wait to plant their crop, it could have also impacted when their crop would be ready for harvest.
He said that watermelon planting season in Georgia starts as early as March 1, but the bulk of farmers start March 15 and continue to the end of April. The watermelon market in Georgia begins in early June and usually concludes a week after July 4.
Growers take steps to protect farmworkers’ health so they can continue to ensure an abundant, safe food supply is available to U.S. consumers.
Image source: The Pajaronian
By Amy Wolfe
While the country finds itself navigating unprecedented circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, growers across the Southeast have continued forging ahead in producing the safest possible food supply. That work has included a variety of challenges, including how best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the farm while considering the safety, health and well-being of the agricultural workforce.
COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS
There are a variety of precautions to evaluate and implement on the farm to ensure the safety of farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owners and management need to consider the following:
Communicating with Workers
The need for daily communication with workers is essential. The misinformation available through social media and other outlets has led to critical misunderstandings around how the virus is spread and what steps employers and employees need to take to minimize risk. As such, it is critical that employees receive the following information:
Remind workers about steps you are taking to keep them protected and identify who (supervisor, human resources or safety manager, owner, etc.) they should come to if they have questions or concerns.
Social Distancing
During the start of the shift, breaks and lunch, keep workers at least 6 feet apart.Provide additional seating, such as plastic or folding chairs, to ensure workers are off the ground.Stagger breaks and lunch if additional seating is not available.Stagger meetings and trainings at the start and end of the shift if additional seating is not available.
In the field, space workers out to provide distance between them. One row should be separating them when planting, pruning, thinning, harvesting or doing other field work. Make more than one pass through a field when harvesting product with equipment.
Drinking Water for the Crew
Assign an employee to serve drinking water to crew members from the communal water receptacle. Ensure the worker serving the water has proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including disposal gloves and a face mask or covering. Sanitize the spigot after filling disposable cups each break. Sanitize the spigot if it comes in contact with a reusable water container drinking area (example: mouth of a water bottle).
Hand soap, paper towels and potable water must always be available in portable restrooms.
Image source: Kerkstra Services
Portable Restrooms and Handwashing
Assign an employee to sanitize portable restrooms (door handles, locks and toilet seats) and handwashing facilities (spigot, soap dispenser, paper towel dispenser) frequently during the day. Ensure the worker has proper PPE. Provide sanitizing products and train workers on how to properly sanitize. Frequently communicate the expectation that sanitation procedures are followed and assign a supervisory employee to monitor compliance.
Worker Transportation
If company vehicles are provided to workers, ensure that those vehicles are being cleaned and sanitized on the inside and outside regularly, ideally once a day. If it is essential to use transportation, such as a van or bus, to transport workers:
Sanitize at least twice a day (following employee pick-up and drop-off) all points of contact (seats, seat belts, knobs, doors, handles, buttons, etc.) that employees touch.
Ensure ample ventilation and airflow inside the vehicle.
If possible, seat workers spaced at least 6 feet apart.Consider additional trips to allow spacing of workers.
Assign seating so if a worker becomes ill, it is easy to identify those in proximity and take the appropriate next steps around informing them, as well as asking them to stay home from work for 14 days.
Sanitizing Equipment and Tools
More frequent sanitation of all equipment and tools is critical. Ensure teams already responsible for cleaning do so at least daily. Do not forget the following items, which can be overlooked:
Tractors, forklifts, ATVs and UTVs, including seats, seat belts, knobs, doors, handles and buttons.
Areas of congregation and meeting, both inside and outside. This includeschairs, shade trailers, buckets, refrigerators, coolers, water jugs, vending machines, garbage cans, bottles and containers used daily
Employee equipment and tools, including bins and hand tools
GENERAL FARM SAFETY
With the emphasis currently on new COVID-19 protocols, don’t overlook other tried-and-true agricultural safety measures. It is essential that one risk isn’t traded for another. With the summer months fast approaching, growers need to be mindful of the potential for heat-related illnesses. Ensure workers have access to ample drinking water and shade and that they are aware of the steps they should take if they begin to experience overheating symptoms.
In addition, be sure workers using equipment like tractors, forklifts and ATVs receive proper training on safe operation. Training should occur annually and include the process for inspecting the equipment prior to use, the correct operation of the equipment and the protocol for reporting any mechanical issues.
Lastly, it is important that growers remember to be mindful of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and the importance of ensuring workers now receive their appropriate annual training. The WPS was updated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 to include annual training for farmworkers not involved in pesticide application. They need to be provided details on routes and types of exposure, signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning, first aid care, after-work care of contaminated clothing, field postings and the concept of the re-entry interval, where to find the field worker decontamination site, the contents of safety data sheets, and how to stay out of the application exclusion zone.
The continued safety and health of farmworkers is paramount. It is critical that growers maintain vigilance with year-round safety issues, as well as consider the unique circumstances now impacting the industry as it navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amy Wolfe is president and chief executive officer of AgSafe, headquartered in Modesto, California. AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing training, education, outreach and tools in the areas of safety, labor relations, food safety and human resources for the food and farming industries. For more information, visit www.agsafe.org, call 209-526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org.
Wednesday, July 1 marks a new era for North American Trade.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will enter into force July 1. But according to economists and industry leaders, the agreement still does not provide much protection for vegetable and specialty crop producers.
Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner:
“When Congress passed USMCA, we unfortunately did not get the provisions we were hoping for in USMCA. The Florida delegation, to the person, hung together. Because they hung together, we were able to get a commitment from Ambassador (Robert) Lighthizer to come up with a plan as to how we’re going to address this issue,” Joyner said. “We felt like that was a strong commitment. It’s in writing. We trust Ambassador Lighthizer. Right now, all indications are USMCA will go into effect July 1.
“If you go back and look at the letter, the commitment that the delegation was able to get, that within 60 days of entry into force, Ambassador Lighthizer has to have a plan. We’ll present some information to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office that they need to consider. It’s data that clearly shows what’s happening with Mexican produce. We’re hoping that over the next two or three months, we can work with Ambassador Lighthizer and his team and come up with something that will help solve this issue.”
University of Georgia Extension Ag Economist Adam Rabinowitz:
“The concern with the USMCA, in terms of specialty crops, is that there are a lot of lower priced crops, low cost labor in Mexico that are coming into the U.S. and competing with southeast fruits and vegetables. There was hope that there would be some restrictions or some assistance that would help with the ability to compete with those Mexican imports. But there was nothing within that. As a result, it’s looking like there’s going to be a challenge in terms of being able to compete on price with the southeast fruits and vegetables with the imports from Mexico.”
Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association:
“It’s insulting to the specialty crop growers who are suffering with COVID-19. It’s taken away markets. Then on top of that, we’ve got Mexican products coming in on top of us to drive the prices even further down.”
According to the USMCA press release, the agreement marks the beginning of a historic new chapter for North American trade by supporting more balanced, reciprocal trade, leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America. However, Southeast farmers still will compete against imports of Mexican produce.
