May

Volume I, Issue 2
IFAS Extension
SolutionsForYourLife.com
Tri-County Commercial Ag Newsletter
Serving Flagler, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties
~Dates to Remember~
• Friday, May 7 - Deadline to register for Tuesday, May 11 Protected Ag Monthly Meeting. Call the Hastings
Partnership (904)692-4944.
• Tuesday, May 11 - Protected Ag (shade houses, tunnels, greenhouses) Monthly Covered Dish Meeting.
6:15pm at Hastings Partnership Conference Room, $5/person registration. Bring a covered dish that goes with
Low Country Boil.
• Thursday, May 27 - Potato School at Cowpen Branch Facility (Experiment Station Farm). 4:30pm
registration, followed by sponsored meal and educational program. One and a half C.E.U.’s have been requested
from FDACS for licensed pesticide applicators who attend this school.
Travel Directions:
• Dowtown Facility - 595 St Johns Ave, Hastings, FL 32145
Map and directions can be found at http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/map/hastings.html
• Cowpen Branch Facility - 9500 Cowpen Branch Rd, Hastings, FL 32145
From SR 207, turn onto South CR-13 and continue 4.75 mi, turn Left on Cowpen Branch Rd, the facility is
located 1 mi up on the right-hand side.
If you would like to receive
this newsletter electronically,
please email Amy at
[email protected]
Editors:
Jacque Breman, Ph. D, Tri-County Ag Agent
Amy Warwick, Program Assistant, UF/IFAS Hastings Partnership
pg. 1
May Issue:
• • • • • • • • Pesticide Consdierations for May
Commercial Vegetable Considerations for May
New Super Spud Project
Road Safety
New Farm Bill Program
Livestock
2010 Small Farms Conference
Updates from Hastings Partnership
Pesticide Considerations for May
Pesticide Regulations and Actions
• Isagro USA announced in mid-February EPA approval
of its biofungicide Tenet®. The product is a combination
of Trichoderma gamsii and T. asperellum. The material
will be available for use in vegetable crops and provide
control of root and collar rot disease caused by Phytophthora capsici, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and Fusarium. The
product will be marketed in the U.S. by SipcamAdvan.
• Based on a request by DuPont, the EPA has approved
tolerances for the insecticide chlorantraniliprole (Coragen®). Tolerances of importance to Florida include tropical fruit, brassica head and stem (subgroup 5A), brassica
leafy greens (subgroup 5B), sweet corn, citrus, small
vine, grass forage, fodder and hay (group 17), okra, rice,
strawberry, sugarcane, cucurbit vegetables (group 9),
fruiting vegetable (group 8), leafy vegetable except brassica (group 4), legume vegetables (group 6), and tuberous
and corm vegetables (subgroup 1C)
Submitted by: Steven Lands, Agricultural Agent
Fumigation Laws and Regulations
New fumigation requirements will impact Tri-County Ag
Area growers. Re-registration, FMPs, and buffer zone
laws will be in affect by fumigation time next year. A site
FMP will be completed prior to daily fumigation activity,
a daily checklist will be completed prior to daily fumigant
activity, and a post application summary will be completed and archived (among other things). These topics
will be covered extensively at the May 27 Potato School,
at the Cowpen Branch Research Farm, registration starts
at 4:30pm followed by a sponsored meal and educational
program. Make plans to attend!
Submitted by: Steven Lands, Agricultural Agent
Commercial Vegetable Crop Conisderations
for May
Potatoes:
Potato season is in full swing! Although the unfavorable
weather conditions pushed crops back a bit, table stock
growers and chip potato growers finally have potatoes
ready to come out of the ground. Late Blight has been
spotted in Flagler County so keep up the good work
scouting.
Pests to look for in May:
• Early Blight
• Colorado potato beetle
• Aphids
• Leaf Hoppers
Cucurbits:
The harvesting of cucurbits is under way! However,
that doesn’t mean letting your guard down for pests and
diseases.
Problems to look for:
• Gummy Stem
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Aphids
• Whiteflies
• Armyworms
• Leaf Miners
Remember, accurate identification of pests is the first
step to effective management. Please call Steven Lands
(904-209-0430) in Putnam and St. Johns county or Mark
Warren (386-437-7464) in Flagler County if you need assistance in identifying or managing vegetable pests.
Submitted by: Steven Lands, Agricultural Agent with
contributions from Doug Gergela, Research Coordinator,
pg. 2
Partnership Cowpen Branch Research Farm
New Super Spud Project Under Way
How can growers alleviate the bruising of their potatoes?
Call the Super-Spud! If you want data collected from
your farm this harvest season contact:
Steven Lands (904)209-0430
The University of Florida IFAS TCAA extensions are
working to find solutions that will help relieve the pressure which causes bruising. TCAA extension offices
have invested in a computerized ball that can measure the
potential for potato bruising through G-force at different
impact zones. From the field to the cart, and the cart to
the bag or truck, ways are being found to help growers
deal with the potential downfalls of bruising. By discovering the source of where the majority of bruising occurs
and at what impact, BMPs can be used to lessen the blow
to the potatoes leaving the farm and going to storage or
market.
Submitted by: Steven Lands, Agricultural Agent
New Farm Bill Program
The 2008 Farm Bill introduced a new program for
2010, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
This program differs from other USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service programs that local
farmers are familiar with because it rewards farmers, ranchers and foresters for the conservation efforts
they have made in the past and agree to continue in
the future. Unlike the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives
Program (WHIP), which can pay a portion of the cost
of implementing conservation practices CSP provides
annual payments for five years as a reward for good
stewardship and as an incentive to “step up their game”
and increase their level of conservation activities.
The Conservation Stewardship Program encourages:
• Sustainable agriculture
• Productive working lands
• Environmental responsibility
Road Safety
Applicants are asked to document their current operation and conservation practices and agree to implement
With the beginning of harvest season comes increased
additional activities to increase environmental benefit.
traffic on local roads. Each year, accidents involving
farm equipment occur on public roads causing equipment If minimum resource concern thresholds are met payment rates are based on the level of stewardship that
damage, injuries, and even fatalities.
will be achieved in five years. Fourteen contracts
totaling $164,055 have been written with the size of the
Make roads safer by:
• Being familiar with how to operate the tractor or the farms participating being from 13 ac. to over 700 ac.
Contract amounts range from $3,375 to $61,625. The
equipment being hauled
• Obeying all traffic laws, traffic signs, and speed limits participating farms produce ferns, citrus, hay, timber,
cattle, horses, other livestock, and a diverse array of
Slow-Moving Vehicle safety considerations:
wildlife habitat.
• Have slow-moving vehicle signs and reflectors in place on all tractors and implements
• Applying reflective tape to the front, back, and sides CSP applications are taken on a continuous basis and
cut off dates will be announced for future fiscal year alof equipment
• Consider installing safety lighting on the rear of locations. For more information or to apply for CSP or
other programs contact:
equipment
• Use escort vehicles whenever possible because equip
Flagler or Volusia counties - George Johnson, DC
ment can obscure the rear lights of tractors
386-985-4037 ex 3 or [email protected].
Make sure you have proper lighting:
• ASAE (The American Society of Agricultural EnPutnam, St. Johns and Clay counties - Tom Cheyne, DC
gineers) standard 279.10 DEC02 applies to all tractors,
other self propelled farm machinery and towed machinery 386-328-2908 or [email protected]
used for agricultural operations which might be driven or
Submitted by: George Johnson, Volusia SWCD District
towed on any road that is also accessible to the public
Conservationist
For more safety information please visit
www.edis.ufl.edu or contact your local Ag Extension
office. Submitted by: Steven Lands, Agricultural Agent
pg. 3
Livestock
Update on Grass-fed Beef Production Project
This UF-IFAS Extension Community Development Project was
started two years ago to help beef cattle producers provide
locally-grown beef for consumers who wanted:
• To know who was raising their beef products
(preferably locally)
• Did not want anti-biotics nor growth implants in their beef
• Wanted to eat a healthier product (there is some evidence
of differences in fatty acid profiles of grass-fed beef
versus concentrate-finished beef)
• A tasty beef product
Beef cattle producers needed to raise and finish beef on a year-round forage system without imported concentrates
(grains) which presented a challenge. Extension worked with a beef cattle producer to develop an economically feasible beef-forage system for our area:
• Selecting beef cattle herd genetics and determining harvest age of the calves that could use grass and other forages to grow a tasty, tender and finished product.
• Planting and managing a system of winter and summer annual pastures to provide year-round grazing
Extension agents and Partnership at Hastings staff with the help of beef a cattle cooperator:
• Developed a forage rotation system: rye, limit-grazed forage turnips, millet
• Used forage quality samples to manage grazing and rotation
• Used sorghum silage as a conserved grass to feed cattle when rotation pastures were short
• Used genetic information (Expected Progeny Differences) of a herd to see if they would yield and grade to meet industry and consumer standards
• Used calf age and conformation harvest data to conduct scientific trials and demonstrations
• Arranged for taste panel sensory tests conducted at the UF-IFAS-Meat Science Lab (Dr. Sally Williams) compared locally raised grass-fed beef vs feed-lot beef
• Collaborated with First Coast Technical College to prepare and serve grass-fed beef as a way to monitor consumer acceptance
In spite of the cold winter, the system works. Data will be collected this Spring on 52 head of grass-fed, grass-finished beef calves.
Submitted by: Edsel Redden, Putnam County Extension Office Director & David Dinkins, St. John’s County
Extension Office Director
Beef and Forage Considerations for May
• Remove Bulls May 21st to end March 1st calving season
• Harvest hay from cool season crops
• Plant warm season perennial pastures
For mor information on any livestock topics visit:
• Fertilize warm season pastures
• Check for spittlebugs and treat if necessary
• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ • Apply spot-on agents for grub and louse control
• http://www.animal.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/
• Check mineral feeder
• Check Dust bags
• Reimplant calves with growth stimulant at 90-120 days
• Vaccinate and implant with growth stimulant any later calves
• Update market information and refine marketting plans
pg. 4
2010 Small Farms Conference
As the follow-up to Florida’s first successful statewide Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference in 2009,
organizers are completing preparations for a second event on July 31 and August 1, 2010, in Osceola Heritage Park,
Kissimmee. To this end, the online website for the Conference is now operational and ready for viewing by potential
exhibitors and guests who are making plans to attend. Attendance is expected to top 1,000 farmers and agricultural
professionals this year.
Early registration is encouraged and the ‘Early Bird’ registration deadline is July 12, 2010. There are a limited
number of scholarships available for FL small farmers.
The Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference is hosted by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences and Florida A&M University’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture.
Submitted by: Robert Hochmuth, Vegetable and Small Farms Extension Agent IV, Suwannee and Live Oak.
(386)362-1725 ext 103
UF/IFAS Partnership at Hastings Update
I am giving a brief update of Partnership commercial vegetable research. Although Partnership mainly conducts
research at our Cowpen Branch farm, we also conduct scientific work on commercial farms in the region.
Potato fertilization studies are critically important for farmers because they need new information. We have 7 farmer
cooperators in the Tri-County Ag Area who are helping us gather new, scientific information to replace outdated work. These large projects are:
1. The Nitrogen Rate Study evaluates:
• 5 different total Nitrogen rates and timing of fertilizer applications.
• Objective is to determine what rate or range of rates is needed for producing optimal potato yields for growers.
2. The Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) Study evaluates:
• New fertilizer products at 3 different rates, compared with grower standard rates.
• The objective of this work is to demonstrate, evaluate, and understand the new technologies available to growers.
Florida is a major supplier of winter and spring potatoes, for both the fresh market and chip processing markets. For
our farmers to remain competitive, it is critical that we continue to seek new potato varieties that will perform well
under Florida’s extreme growing conditions that:
•
Require less inputs to grow,
•
Have pest resistance
•
Have higher nutritional and culinary qualities ...continued on next page
pg. 5
3. The Potato Variety Evaluation Program at Cowpen Branch farm:
We test and evaluate new varieties that farmers may choose to grow on their own farms. 1,400 different clones are
being tested this year and will be shown at the Potato School, May 27.The Potato Variety Evaluation Program is a collaborative effort with many public and private breeding partners. We are working very closely with the USDA (Aberdeen, Idaho and Beltsville, MD), U of Maine, Cornell University, Michigan State U, Colorado State U, North Dakota
State U, U of Wisconsin, and Texas A&M University. We are growing and evaluating their newest and earliest clones
as well as their most advance breeding lines, looking for the best clones that may work well for our local farmers. In addition, we also have a very close working relationship with Frito Lay, JR Simplot, HZPC Americas Corp, Real
Potatoes, and many other small, private breeding companies. We have a strong relationship with the United States
Potato Board and Snack Food Association, (we are one of 10 national trial sites) evaluating advanced chipping potato
clones. In the last 9 years, we have assisted the USDA with their release of 2 newly named varieties, ‘Harley Blackwell’ and ‘Peter Wilcox’. ‘Harley Blackwell’ was tested and evaluated under the clone number B0564-8, and has
proven to be a variety that has excellent internal quality that holds up well for late season harvest opportunities for our
chip growers. ‘Peter Wilcox’ was tested under the number B1816-5, and is a purple-skinned, yellow fleshed tablestock variety that is a unique and promising variety for the fresh market.
We are currently in the process of gathering extensive yield and quality data on another clone that looks very promising for the chipping market. This is a potential alternative/replacement for the ‘Atlantic’ variety.
Based on work that we have done previously with HZPC, we now have some local farmers that are growing ‘Adora’
(Sunlight), ’Fabula’ (Sunlight Gold),’Vivaldi’, ‘Carrera’, and ‘Cecile’. These are fresh market, tablestock varieties
with exciting culinary and nutritional traits. This year we are testing and evaluating over at our Cowpen Branch farm.
4. Cabbage Nitrogen and Plant Population Study:
At the request of our cabbage growers, we have undertaken a large nitrogen rate and plant population study on cabbage, grown both on plastic mulch and bare ground beds. The goal of this study is to try and attain higher yields on
the same or less acreage, with the potential for double cropping on the plastic beds.
5. Strawberry Variety Demonstration Project:
Three varieties were grown with drip irrigation.
6. Summer Pumpkin, Winter Squash, and Calabaza Trials:
We will continue our 9-year objective to find varieties that can work well in our area.
Remember our Spring Potato School is May 27th, 2010 at the Cowpen Branch Farm. Registration starts at
4:30 pm and we have a great program setup for that afternoon as well as a great meal planned.
Submitted by: Scott Taylor, Director of Operations, UF/IFAS Partnership at Hastings
Mark Warren
Flagler County
Ag Agent
(386)437-7464
mwwarren@ufl.
edu
Edsel Redden
Putnam County
Extension Director
(386)329-0318
[email protected]
David Dinkins
St. Johns County
Extension Director
(386)209-0430
[email protected]
Steven Lands
Agriculture
Extension Agent
(904)209-0430
[email protected]
Scott Taylor
Director of Operations
Hastings Partnership
(904)692-4944
[email protected]
Jacque Breman
Tri-County Ag
Agent
(904)692-4944
[email protected]
The Institue of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion,
age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Board of County
Commissioners Cooperating.
pg. 6