News

APHIS confirms presence of citrus greening in California
In March, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of citrus greening, also referred to as Huanglongbing, in an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample and plant tissue samples collected from a lemon/pummelo tree in a residential neighborhood in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County, Calif. This is the first confirmation of the disease in California. APHIS is working closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), County Agricultural Commissioners, and the California citrus industry to plan and implement communication, response, and regulatory activities in the affected area. CDFA collected the samples during ongoing citrus surveys conducted as part of the cooperative Citrus Health Response Program.

Currently, CDFA is regulating the area under its statutory authority and is in the process of enacting an emergency quarantine in the 5-mile radius around the detection site in an effort to prevent the artificial spread of citrus greening. After CDFA establishes an intrastate quarantine for citrus greening, APHIS will enact a parallel interstate quarantine area. APHIS will publish a description of the area on its website.

Citrus greening, a bacterial disease vectored by ACP, is a serious citrus disease that greatly reduces production, destroys the economic value of fruit and can kill trees. It does not affect human health. Once infected, there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening disease.

For more: www.aphis.usda.gov
 

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British Columbia offers carbon tax relief for greenhouse growers
From The Globe and Mail: British Columbia’s greenhouse vegetable and flower growers will get $7.6 million in relief from the controversial carbon tax this year.

Agriculture Minister Don McRae says the province is providing the temporary funding to reduce the cost of natural gas and propane used by growers.

Greenhouse vegetable growers will get $6 million in grants while $1.6 million will be available to those who grow flowers and potted plants to offset competition from other jurisdictions.

The carbon tax relief is occurring while its impact on the B.C. economy is being reviewed by the province, as announced in February’s budget.

The only tax of its kind in North America was introduced by the liberals in 2007 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one-third by 2020. The tax on fossil fuels will be increased one more time in July as scheduled before it’s frozen during the review.

Peter Cummings, president of the B.C. Greenhouse Growers’ Association, said the sector has spent about $6 million on carbon tax, giving its competitors a huge advantage.

For more: www.theglobeandmail.com
 

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Sakata Home Grown introduces expanded selection and new catalog
Sakata Home Grown recently unveiled an expanded selection that features more than 150 vegetable varieties in 33 crop classes covering all seasons – cool, warm and hot. Varieties in the expanded Home Grown lineup were carefully selected to be easy to grow, healthy and beautiful for home gardens of any size.

The Home Grown lineup now includes the AAS award-winning Tivoli spaghetti squash, a cherry-tomato called Sweet Treats and Jalafuego, one of the hottest jalapeño peppers on the market.

In its second year, Sakata Home Grown distributes seed via wholesale dealers to greenhouse growers, seed packet and mail-order customers, and smaller produce growers across the United States and Canada.

Growers interested in learning more about these varieties may request a free copy of the new Sakata Home Grown catalog or download a PDF on the Sakata website.

For more: www.sakata.com
 

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Judge grants injunction on H-2B program rule
A Florida judge has granted a temporary injunction preventing the Department of Labor from implementing the H-2B program rule. Even though the ruling was issued in Florida, it applies nationwide, said Tom Delaney, Professional Landcare Network’s (PLANET) director of government affairs. Congress has blocked the wage rule until Sept. 30.

“We do expect the Department of Justice to appeal the decision, but any legal challenge will take a quite a while to play itself out and we are well positioned to address any further legal challenge,” said Delaney.

PLANET and other organizations initiated lawsuits against the H-2B program rule in the Northern District of Florida.

For more: www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/h-2b.cfm
 

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Industry groups urge growers to take action on IR-4 Project
The Association of Horticulture Professionals and the American Nursery & Landscape Association are encouraging growers to weigh in on proposed changes to the IR-4 Project.

The IR-4 Project was established by Congress in 1963 to assist domestic growers of fruits, vegetables, herbs, nursery and greenhouse plants, and other specialty crops by facilitating the registration of safe and effective technologies, through the U.S. EPA, to protect these high value crops from insects, plant diseases, weeds and other pests.

IR-4 research has supported registration of more than half the crop protection tools now labeled for nursery and greenhouse use. Many of these tools and technologies — traditional chemicals, biopesticides, and other reduced risk materials — were also successfully labeled for landscape uses.

In the current federal budget, Congress provided about $15 million for the IR-4 effort. However, President Obama’s 2013 budget plan eliminates separate line-item funding for Minor Crop Pest Management (IR-4) and proposes to consolidate IR-4 Project funds with funds for other pest management programs into a single new project called Crop Protection.

OFA has joined the American Nursery & Landscape Association, along with many other organizations representing specialty crop producers, in the belief that budget consolidation will eliminate the activities of the IR-4 Project, which supports critical research for pesticide labeling for specialty crops. The organizations are urging growers to contact their U.S. senators and representative to ask that the IR-4 Project be maintained as a separate budget line item in the USDA budget.

For more:  www.saveir-4.org.
 

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Growers Supply to host hydroponic workshop
Growers Supply, a division of FarmTek, will hold a day-long hydroponics workshop on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at its state-of-the-art Technology Center. Featuring the research of Dr. Lynette Morgan, this event will focus on a variety of topics, including an introduction to hydroponics, proper hydroponic plant environment, NFT and salad crops, vine crops, production factors and more.

As a partner at SUNTEC International Hydroponics Consultants, Dr. Morgan provides technical advice to hydroponic growers across the world. Attendees will leave with knowledge about running their own hydroponic production from the first-hand experiences of Dr. Morgan, as well as a workbook created by her.

The agenda includes Dr. Morgan’s presentation, a tour of the hydroponic greenhouses, hands-on demonstrations and more. Growers Supply’s greenhouse manager, Sam Shroyer, will host the day’s events.

For more: www.growerssupply.com/techcenter
 

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2013 and 2014 California Spring Trials dates announced
The steering committee for the California Spring Trials announced the days for the next two California Spring Trials. Next year’s dates will be Saturday, April 6 to Thursday, April 11, 2013, and the following year the event will take place Saturday, April 5 to Thursday, April 10, 2014. All operations are expected to be open during this time period, though some may choose to extend their participation to better serve their customers.

The participating companies of the Spring Trials appointed OFA to coordinate the Spring Trials event. OFA will host a website for attendees that will include a list of participating companies, opening dates and hours, company contact(s), and other event information.

For more: www.ofa.org/springtrials
 

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Fraudulent USDA letters target growers
The USDA reports that its officials have learned that fraudulent letters, and at least one fraudulent phone call, have been received by individuals, farms and businesses in several states. The letters are faxed and appear to be from the USDA, bearing the USDA logo and seal, signed by an individual identified as “Frank Rutenberg,” using a title of “senior procurement officer.” The phone call was received by an individual in Indiana. The letters and call are requesting personal and financial information.

The USDA is investigating the matter through the Office of the Inspector General. The USDA first learned of the letters on March 16.

For more: www.usda.gov
 

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Floriade exhibits sustainable growing
The sixth edition of Floriade, a world horticultural exhibition that takes place in the Netherlands once every ten years, will take place in Venlo from April 5, 2012, until Oct. 7, 2012. More than a hundred exhibitors from dozens of countries will attend and demonstrate how horticulture contributes to a better world. Floriade’s exhibition park is comprised of five themed worlds connected by wooded areas, and each will offer the visitor a chance to see, feel and experience nature and food in different ways.

Floriade will have an “Innovation Cluster” stand that bears the 100 percent efficiency theme and is split into eight parts. Each part explains an innovative solution contributing to sustainable growing in the greenhouse, but the different elements will be presented as a whole to show the power of collaboration between the greenhouse suppliers, growers and institutions and in turn contributes to healthy, safe and tasty vegetables grown in a sustainable manner. This stand, located in the House of Flavour, will tell the story of how the Dutch horticultural sector makes this possible.

For more: www.floriade.com
 

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Nelson and Pade shares vision for aquaponics
Nelson and Pade Inc., a company specializing in aquaponics and controlled environment agriculture, hosted a visit from Ben Brancel, secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, and Joan Ballweg, Wisconsin state representative 41st Assembly District, on March 29. Company Owners Rebecca Nelson and John Pade had the opportunity to share their vision for aquaponics in Wisconsin and throughout the world as Brancel and Ballweg toured the 5,000-square-foot demonstration greenhouse. 

With more than 20 years of history in aquaponics and controlled environment agriculture, Nelson and Pade is gearing up to service its expanding customer base by increasing its training and product offerings, all supported by qualified staff.

In the past two years, Nelson and Pade has hosted more than 500 people from 48 U.S. states and 23 countries as attendees of its three-day aquaponics training workshops. Workshops are offered bi-monthly and are open to anyone interested in learning more about aquaponics and controlled environment agriculture. 

For more: www.aquaponics.com
 

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USDA seeks grant applications for farmers market program
The USDA is seeking grant applicants for the 2012 Farmers Market Promotion Program.

Approximately $10 million is available for marketing operations such as farmers markets, community supported agriculture and road-side stands. The grants, which are administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are available through a competitive application process on www.grants.gov. The grants aim to increase the availability of local agricultural products in communities throughout the country. They will also help strengthen farmer-to-consumer marketing efforts.

Projects that expand healthy food choices in food deserts or low-income areas (where the percentage of the population living in poverty is 20 percent or above) will receive additional consideration. The USDA, in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and Health and Human Services, seeks to increase access to fresh, healthy and affordable food choices for all Americans, while expanding market opportunities for farmers and ranchers.

Applications will only be accepted via grants.gov and must be received by May 21.

For more: www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP