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Biodegradable Mulch Project Applies
Textile Science To Agriculture
By Brian Charles Clark, Washington State University
Researchers at Washington State University are working to develop a biodegradable mulch that would provide an alternative to costly and environmentally detrimental plastic mulch.
The research project spans three states and five research institutions, said Debra Inglis, associate plant pathologist and project director. Inglis is based at WSU’s Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center in Mount Vernon.
The WSU Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles is playing a significant role in the research. The Textile Research Lab is responsible for testing many of the intrinsic qualities of both fabric and plastic mulches, said Karen Leonas, the department chair. Two AMDT undergraduates, Marc LaPointe and Leanne Goldstein, are conducting the physical and mechanical testing of the mulches.
“Textiles play a big role in the evaluation of the product, and with the textiles lab, we’re well situated to contribute to this project in an important way,” Leonas said.
The fabrics are being tested to determine how well they respond responds to different kinds of weather conditions and their biodegradation rate.
Leonas said the research project started when she ran into a long-time colleague who was studying biodegradable materials. Leonas asked the colleague to send her an abstract of his research, and then forwarded the abstract to the chair of WSU’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Rick Knowles, chair of horticulture and landscape architecture, realized this research could be applied to the agricultural realm, and introduced Leonas to Carol Miles, an associate vegetable horticulturalist who was researching alternative mulches for weed control in vegetable production systems.
“We found there was an overlap in the research, and decided to proceed with the project,” Miles said.
This research project has enormous potential to positively impact farmers, Miles said. The alternative mulch could potentially create a reduction in the waste stream of plastic mulch, most of which is currently disposed of in landfills. This in turn would potentially eliminate the cost farmers pay to remove and dispose of the plastic mulch.
“This alternative would also benefit communities because many agricultural communities in the United States do not currently have access to agricultural plastics recycling,” Miles said.
Miles said there is much to be learned about how biodegradable mulch would impact the health and quality of soil. Biodegradable mulch should leave no toxic residue in the soil and, ideally, would improve soil quality and decrease soil-borne plant diseases.
There is also potential to expand this research and supply alternatives to other types of plastic far beyond agriculture, Miles said.
“Only one percent of all plastics used are agricultural, and there are many other potential opportunities for this technology—plastic bags being just one example” Miles said.
USDA Planting Report
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released its 2010 Prospective Plantings report showing U.S. corn acreage at 88.8 million, up 3 percent from both 2009 and 2008. According to the U.S. Grains Council, this increase shows the U.S. farmers’ commitment to meet the increased demand for corn around the world.
“U.S. farmers step up to the plate every year,” said Tim Burrack, Iowa Corn Promotion Board chairman. “U.S. farmers use top-of-the-line technology and modern farming techniques to ensure a high quality product. We meet the domestic needs of the livestock industry and the ethanol industry and are able to meet the needs of our trading partners and customers around the world.”
Ron Gray, Illinois corn farmer and former president of Illinois Corn Marketing Board, said “We continue to hear our Administration’s empasis to expand U.S. agricultural exports. This acreage increase reflects America’s capacity to meet the domestic market demand as well as sustain U.S. market share around the world at a competitive price. Exports are a crucial component to the U.S. economy. They are good for our economy, they are good for the rest of the world.”
BeefTalk: Bull Checkup Time
By Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
Bulls need to be in physical condition to meet the rigors of an active reproductive life.
In the midst of calving, some attention needs to be given to the bull because bull fertility is not guaranteed and not something that can be turned off and on.
What we forget in the management of bulls is that the expectation is for the bulls to breed cows through a very defined breeding that ultimately produces a tight calving season.
A cow is expected to start cycling following birth and prior to the bull arriving and then settle with next year’s calf. Therefore, the cow is expected to maintain an average calving interval of 365 days. When a cow fails to meet those expectations, the cull pen gate is opened and off she goes.
Typically, at least for the those cows enrolled in the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s CHAPS program, just more than 63 percent of the cows exposed to bulls settle with a calf the first cycle (CHAPS five-year rolling average). Cows that settle with a calf during the second cycle amount to 25 percent, with the remaining cows getting bred the third or later cycles during the breeding season.
As a producer, one could ask why all the cows don’t conceive on the first 21 days of the breeding season. Is it the bull or is it the cows? Well, both could be at fault. However, once a cow calves, her annual calving date is very hard to change. If she starts her productive life conceiving during the first 21 days of the breeding season, pending no calving difficulty and proper nutrition, she should continue to maintain a 365-day calving interval (give or take a couple of days) if there is a fertile bull available.
Again, looking at the CHAPS rolling five-year average for heifers that start their productive life calving before or during the first 21 days of the calving season based on mature cows, approximately 71 percent meet the criteria. Another 14 percent calf during the second 21 days of the calving season, essentially making it very difficult, even with exposure to very fertile bulls, to ever calve in the first 21 days of the calving season.
The point is that the bull only can settle cows that are cycling, but there is a gradual drop from the 71 percent of heifers that start calving early to the 63 percent that calve the first 21 days as a mature cow. That 8 percent drop could be blamed on the cows. However, the infertile or simply poor-libido bulls also could be a factor.
After all the time spent selecting fertile cows and keeping them in good breeding condition, one should not take a chance and expose them to infertile bulls. Each year takes a toll on the bulls in the bull pen. Some obviously are incapable of a vigorous breeding schedule. The obvious includes structural problems and injuries created by the day-to-day jostling in the bull pen.
The opposite also is true when the typical coach-potato bull that is overpampered and overfed is turned out with a group of cycling cows. A lot of effort is wasted on good cow management if good bull management is lacking or nonexistent.
The bottom line: Bulls need to be in physical condition to meet the rigors of an active reproductive life. A little exercise doesn’t hurt, but the old digital exam still is required even in the healthiest appearing male, so a complete breeding soundness exam is a must. It should include a physical evaluation of its body condition, feet and legs, eyes and any other indication of illness. A rectal examination for evaluation of the prostate and other internal reproductive organs, plus an external examination of the testes, scrotum, penis and prepuce, is required.
A semen evaluation based on volume, color, motility and morphology should conclude the breeding soundness exam. All these evaluations need to be done now, one to two months prior to bull turn out, to acquire the needed replacements and correct needed deficiencies in the existing bull pen.
The last evaluation is done at bull turnout. That evaluation is mating desire.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at http://www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the NDBCIA Office, 1041 State Ave., Dickinson, ND 58601, or go to http://www.CHAPS2000.com on the Internet.
American Farmland Trust Releases
Climate Change Legislation Study
From Jennifer Morrill, American Farmland Trust
American Farmland Trust (AFT) has released a comprehensive study analyzing existing data and cost-benefit studies to assess the effects of climate change legislation on the agricultural economies of Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. AFT sponsored the research to advance understanding of the economic implications for U.S. agriculture as Congress considers legislation to address the impact of carbon emissions on the environment.
“Overall, the research suggests that while the legislation would challenge the agriculture sector in these states, there are improved revenues from higher crop prices, new bio-fuel markets, carbon-sequestration and offsets,” says Dr. Brian Hurd, New Mexico State University, and co- author of the study. And co-author Dr George Frisvold of the University of Arizona notes further that “only small changes are expected in regional land use as some farmers can benefit from reducing tillage and putting land into conservation reserve and grass.”
“It’s clear that there will be a relative rise in energy and fertilizer costs. But we were surprised to learn that provisions in the legislation would likely limit fertilizer cost increases to between 0.3 % and 2% by 2020, and that estimates from a variety of studies show energy cost increases of between 4% and 13% in 2020. Although modest increases, it’s always a factor for farmers who operate on thin profit margins,” adds Dr. Chris Goemans a co-author from Colorado State University. “However, in many cases, the higher commodity prices that are estimated by many studies will contribute to farm revenues and could largely offset these projected cost increases.”
“The Rocky Mountain region is quite diverse and has unique agricultural characteristics,” says Anita Zurbrugg, Assistant Director of AFT’s Center for Agriculture in the Environment. “We wanted to learn how the agriculture sector might fare economically under various legislative proposals to limit greenhouse gasses, and to learn more about the potential for agriculture to earn new sources of income for providing carbon offsets or renewable energy.”
In the western states, cattle and dairies are important segments of the agricultural economy. “Higher feed and energy prices will pose challenges,” Zurbrugg added. “Traditional ranchers, or those with significant feeding costs, could be the hardest hit—while dairies and concentrated feeding operations may be able to use methane digester technologies to generate income two ways: through carbon offsets and electricity generation.”
Zurbrugg noted that many producers perceive cost increases to be much more certain than revenue increases. “The study shows that the expected cost increases are well within the range of recent energy-price variability. I think this may give farmers some measure of confidence that we’re looking at a timeframe that should allow them time to adjust to the increases.”
A team of researchers from New Mexico State University, the University of Arizona and Colorado State University conducted the analysis collaboratively. They assessed eight existing studies and relevant reports to consider the implications of climate change legislation, such as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), on the region’s agricultural producers, and also looked at potential land use changes and carbon offset potential. A copy of the study is available to download at AFT’s website: www.farmland.org.
The key findings of the analysis include:
• Energy costs are expected to rise by as little as 4% or as much as 13% by 2020 while fertilizer cost increases range only between 0.3% and 2% because of rebates to manufacturers of Energy Intensive Trade Exposed Entities (EITEs) and projected decreases in natural gas prices.
• Improved revenues are expected from higher crop prices, new bio-fuel crop markets and opportunities to sequester carbon and gain offset revenue.
• While higher commodity prices along with new production and revenue opportunities will generally benefit farmers and possibly more than offset rising costs in this region, resulting feed price increases could adversely affect many livestock and dairy producers.
• Dairy producers and concentrated livestock feeding operations may be able to generate additional income by capturing and converting methane to electricity, thus providing not only revenue through carbon-offset markets but also through electricity sales.
• Even in cases where cost increases are not offset, expected increases are within the range of recent energy-price variability.
• On balance, preliminary findings suggest the possibility for increases in state-level, net farm income of 1.2% in Arizona, 2.9% in Colorado and 4.1 % in New Mexico in 2020, based on expected patterns of cost and price changes.
• Evidence suggests only small and limited changes in land use with some potential to sequester carbon from reduced tillage and conversion of cropland to grassland, as well as some limited capacity for afforestation by converting irrigated cropland to fruit and nut orchards.
“Climate and clean energy legislation has waxed and waned and there have been a number of economic studies,” adds Zurbrugg. “We believe it is important to have a well respected third-party like this team to review the studies and look at the various legislative and economic scenarios. Then we can better understand costs and opportunities and find good policy options.”
“Farmers and ranchers have a great deal at stake in federal legislation,” says Jon Scholl, AFT President. “Agriculture can play an important role in helping reduce and mitigate GHG, and if no clean energy bill is passed, the EPA is mandated by the Supreme Court to enact regulations under the Clean Air Act, which will affect agriculture. And they are implementing those regulations now. Regulations without opportunities only brings costs to producers.”
Scholl also points out that the impacts of climate change—changes in weather, some extreme and volatile—on agriculture are projected to be significant.
“AFT will continue to work with agriculture groups and policy makers to develop policy options that maximize the reduction and mitigation of GHG emissions by maximizing economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers to sequester carbon, reduce GHG emissions, and produce low carbon, renewable energy,” says Scholl.
U.S. Grains Council Opens Latin
America And Caribbean Regional Office
By Jodi Kiely, USGC Contributing Writer
U.S. Grains Council Chairman Rick Fruth announced the official opening of the Council’s newest international office in Panama City, Panama. The USGC Latin America and Caribbean Region office represents a key presence in the region as the Council continues its work of Developing Markets, Enabling Trade and Improving Lives.
“The failure of the United States to ratify pending free trade agreements in the area has caused a significant loss in grain business and trade. It also has had a consequential effect on the economic development of our friends and allies in the Latin American region,” said Fruth. “By establishing an office in Latin America and the Caribbean region, the Council is strategically positioning itself to defend U.S. markets while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life of our trading partners.”
Kurt Shultz was named the first director of the Panama City office. Shultz has worked for the Council since 1999 and previously served for seven years as USGC regional director for the Mediterranean and Africa before transitioning to his current post. In its first year of operation, the Latin America and Caribbean Region office will focus on the needs of each country, in order to extract greater value for U.S. producers.
“The United States has a significant tariff disadvantage in these countries. It is a top priority of the Council to level the playing field of the market in order to obtain greater U.S. market access,” said Shultz. The Council is appreciative of the Texas Corn Producers Board and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board for special grants they provided to support the opening of the office.
“The Panama office is very important to the future of exports coming from South Texas and Texas as a whole,” said Charles Ring, Texas Corn Producers Board director and USGC Asia Advisory Team Leader.
According to Tim Burrack, Iowa Corn Producers Board director, “The office is a great opportunity for more corn and corn products to come out of Iowa and the Midwest. The Iowa Corn Producers Board feels the new office is a great addition to the export programs the Council is conducting around the world.”
Effects Of Credit CARD Act Far-reaching
Ellen Crawford, NDSU Agriculture Communication
New credit card rules can help people manage their finances.
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (Credit CARD) Act of 2009 should help people manage their finances because they’ll have a clearer picture of their credit, says Debra Pankow, North Dakota State University Extension Service family economics specialist.
The act went into effect in February 2010.
“Its effects are far-reaching and include everything from restrictions on interest rate increases and over-the-limit fees to changed billing methods and even new rules for retail gift cards,” Pankow says.
The act also includes strict rules about issuing credit to young adults under age 21. For example, credit card applicants under age 21 must show proof of income or have a co-signer to be approved for a credit card.
Here are the major Credit CARD Act provisions:
Disclosure Requirements
Credit card issuers must provide consumers with 45 days’ notice (up from the previous requirement of 15 days) before changing key account terms, such as increasing interest rates and fees. This requirement does not apply to credit limit changes or interest rate caps, however.
Credit card issuers must display on billing statements how long paying off the existing balance and total interest cost would take if the card holder makes only the required minimum payments. Issuers also must display the payment amount required and total interest cost to pay off the existing balance in 36 months.
Credit card companies must provide on every statement a toll-free phone number and Internet address for cardholders to request payoff balances.
Creditors are required to provide a 30-day advance notice of account closure.
Interest Rates
Credit card issuers cannot raise a customer’s interest rate to a penalty or default rate (often 24 to 32 percent) because of late payments to another creditor on an unrelated account.
With the exception of clearly disclosed “teaser” rates or a change in the “index” (for example, the prime rate) used to calculate interest on a variable-interest-rate credit card, initial credit card contract terms must remain stable for an entire year before any changes are made.
So-called “teaser” rates (low initial promotional interest rates that last for a limited time) must be in effect for at least six months.
Interest rates on an existing balance cannot be raised unless payments are more than 60 days late or a teaser rate expires. If rates are raised and a consumer pays at least the minimum balance on time for six consecutive months, the previous lower interest rate must be restored.
Fees
Over-the-limit fees will be charged only if consumers give their permission for creditors to process transactions that would place the account balance over the approved maximum limit.
Credit card companies cannot impose more than one over-the-limit fee on a credit card per billing cycle.
Late-fee charges are prohibited when cardholders present proof that their payment was mailed within seven days of the due date.
Credit card issuers are prohibited from charging fees greater than 25 percent of a credit card’s credit limit.
Billing Traps
Credit card bills must be mailed 21 days before the bill is due instead of 14 days, as previously required.
Late fee “traps” such as weekend due dates, shifting payment dates and early morning deadlines are prohibited. Payment received by 5 p.m. on the due date will be considered on time.
Payments greater than the required minimum payment must be applied, in descending order, starting with the balance with the highest interest rate.
Lenders cannot use the balance from the previous month to calculate interest in the current month.
Gift Card Regulations
Gift cards cannot expire for the first five years after they are issued. Of course, card holders have no guarantees if the gift card issuer goes out of business.
Inactivity fees cannot be assessed unless a gift card has not been used for 12 months.
“While the Credit CARD Act has made substantial strides in eliminating abusive credit card billing practices, there still are many ways that credit card customers can pay dearly for borrowed money,” Pankow says.
They include:
• Transaction fees, such as balance transfer and cash advance fees, which were not affected by the Credit CARD Act and can be raised
• Annual fees that can be raised or imposed on credit cards that previously did not charge a fee
• Changes to policies on credit card grace periods
• Annual percentage rates imposed as a penalty
• Credit limits and minimum payment requirements, which are subject to change by creditors
“When dealing with credit card companies, knowledge is power,” Pankow says. “This includes knowledge of the Credit CARD Act and knowledge of the terms of individual credit cards.”
She recommends credit card holders:
• Read all bill inserts and other correspondence from credit card companies to be aware of changes in key terms, such as interest rates, required minimum payments and fees.
• Call the card issuer’s toll-free number and request an explanation of questionable items.
• Try to pay monthly credit card bills in full or, at the very least, make more than the minimum payment.
• Always pay credit card bills on time and make debt repayment a high-priority financial goal.
• If you have credit cards with rewards programs, use them before you lose them.
• If you have credit cards that you want to keep but use infrequently, consider using them every four to six months to avoid having these accounts closed because of inactivity.
‘Waterwise’ Plants Are Beautiful And Efficient
By Judy Scott, Oregon State University
Some of the most popular garden annuals and perennials are “waterwise” plants, which once established, survive in gardens with little or no irrigation. They include lavender, blanket flower, black-eyed Susan and California fuschia, for example.
“Often these sturdy plants are planted in mixed perennial or shrub borders and given the same care as the surrounding plants,” said Linda McMahan, Oregon State University Extension horticulturist with Yamhill County. “But this intermixing uses more water than is necessary and does not take best advantage of the drought-hardy plants.”
If the plants are placed together, they not only make beautiful gardens but are an efficient way to reduce landscape water use. “About one-third of our public water is used for landscape irrigation,” McMahan said. “Waterwise plants can save both money and water quality.”
To create a waterwise garden, first choose plants known for their efficient water use, McMahan advises, then check to make sure they are hardy in your growing zone. Local OSU Extension offices can help. For profiles of many waterwise plants, visit this WaterWise Gardening Web site.
Lavender is a popular waterwise plant with many species and color forms available. The small English lavender is known botanically as Lavendula angustifolia, and has a shorter stature than the Spanish lavender, Lavendula stoeches. Most gardeners count lavender as an herb and are often surprised to learn of its drought-hardy properties. However, lavender and other herbs such as sage and rosemary originated in the Mediterranean, where dry summers have lead to adaptations for drought-resistance.
Many other popular waterwise plants originated in the U.S. prairie states or the American Southeast. These include popular plants such as black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), purple coneflower (Echinacea), blanket flower (Gaillardia), and tickseed (Coreopsis).
Purple coneflower (Echincea purpurea) is a popular choice. Color forms vary from purple and lavender found in wild plants to white. Popular new varieties include colors ranging from yellow to orange as well.
“Don’t forget the sunflower,” McMahan said. “This old standby originated on U.S. prairies and counts among the annual plants that are waterwise.”
In this country, the closest climate to Mediterranean is in California, and it’s not surprising that many of our waterwise plants come from there. One of the best is the California fuschia, usually sold as Zauchneria californica, McMahan said. The late summer and early fall blooms are typically a reddish orange, and the pendant blooms attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Other selected color forms including yellow, white and salmon, have also been developed and often are available in local nurseries.
Another good pick is the California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica), a hardy annual that will self-seed in the garden. “These plants, like most waterwise plants, will tolerate water, but it is best to plant them together so they all receive their own special care and produce water savings,” McMahan said.
“Many plants native to Oregon also qualify as waterwise. Oregon iris (Iris tenax) is a good choice. The lavender-to-purplish blooms are a welcome addition to late spring gardens. Other Northwest-native iris and many local wildflowers are all worthwhile.”
Grasses Help Suppress Weeds In Noncrop Areas
From Robin Barker, Allen Press, Inc.
Weeds often thrive in noncrop areas such as levees, roadsides, and field borders, but they can be suppressed by planting native grasses and treating the area with herbicides, according to an article in the January–March 2010 issue of Invasive Plant Science and Management.
The article, “Integrating Herbicide Use and Perennial Grass Revegetation to Suppress Weeds in Noncrop Areas,” examines perennial grass revegetation efforts from 2004 to 2007 at three sites in Northern California. Authors Rob G. Wilson, Steve B. Orloff, Donald L. Lancaster, Donald W. Kirby, and Harry L. Carlson evaluate how weedy noncrop areas can be managed by establishing a stable plant community.
“Rangeland research suggests revegetation of disturbed land can greatly improve long-term weed suppression,” according to the authors. “The interaction between weed control and individual grass species for perennial grass cover was significant at all sites all three years, suggesting weed control influenced the establishment and vigor of perennial grass species.”
Herbicides were used for the first two years of the study but not the third, so the researchers were able to observe the perennial grasses’ ability to suppress weeds. At each site, herbicides were not applied to one block, where the perennial grass species did not thrive. Also, in herbicide-treated plots where grass seed was not planted, weed cover was more extensive.
“These results suggest that weed control can be essential for perennial grass revegetation in weedy noncrop areas,” according to the authors.
Although the herbicides used in the study were selected to minimize their effects on the perennial grasses, one—imazapic—caused significant injury during the seeding year. This resulted in “a trade-off between weed control and nontarget plant injury that land managers should consider when using herbicides,” the researchers say. “Herbicide treatments that provided wide-spectrum weed control with soil residual activity resulted in the best weed control one and two years after seeding.”
Of the 15 perennial grasses planted during the study, the researchers identified 4 that provided the best weed suppression: crested, western, tall, and bluebunch wheatgrass.
The full text of the article, “Integrating Herbicide Use and Perennial Grass Revegetation to Suppress Weeds in Noncrop Areas,” Invasive Plant Science and Management Volume 3, Issue 1, March 2010 is available at http://www2.allenpress.com/pdf/IPSM_3.1_81_92.pdf.
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OSU Middle School Summer Science Camp
By Judy Scott, Oregon State University
Oregon State University is taking applications for 54 Oregon middle school students to attend the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp this summer at OSU. All selected campers will be funded by scholarship.
Application deadline is Friday, April 16.
The application includes a student essay and recommendations from science and math teachers. More information is available on the OSU Summer Science Camp Web site. Interested persons may request a printed copy from camp coordinator Andy Hoffmann by calling 541-737-4081.
The two-week residential camp, which is Aug. 2-13 on the OSU campus, offers students entering grades six, seven and eight innovative ways to enhance their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Leadership and citizenship are main themes, and students are encouraged to stay in school.
The full cost of the camp’s education program, field trips, food and lodging is covered by a grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation and The Bernard Harris Foundation.
The Summer Science Camp is a team effort of the Department of 4-H Youth Development Education, the Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) Program, the College of Engineering and the College of Science’s Department of Science and Mathematics Education.
Control Blackberry Thickets
By Judy Scott, Oregon State University
It can take years to eradicate a large, prickly patch of blackberries, because even after the plants are gone, many of their seeds remain in the soil.
“Blackberries can remain an issue also because of their tremendous and effective dispersal potential,” according to Andy Hulting, weed control specialist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. “Birds and animals disperse the berries—and therefore seeds—over long distances, allowing blackberries to reinvade an area.”
Nevertheless, with good timing and dedication, property owners can reduce a sprawling blackberry thicket to a few manageable stragglers.
Contrary to the notion that the blackberry is as native to Oregon as rain, this hardy relative of the rose was introduced by the famous Luther Burbank. The western European blackberry he introduced in 1885 as “Himalayan giant” has become a giant problem. A single blackberry cane can produce a thicket six yards square in less than two years and has choked out native vegetation from Northern California to British Columbia.
“Several control methods work well as long as anyone going to battle against blackberry vines is armed with the benefits and drawbacks of the most common methods,” Hulting said. He recommends an OSU Extension publication, “Managing Himalayan Blackberry in Western Oregon Riparian areas,” EM 8894. It is available online.
The publication, although specific to riparian areas, contains guidelines and precautions for chemical use. Listed here are suggested mechanical and biological methods.
Digging up or plowing under can eliminate existing plants but also create an ideal seedbed for the next generation of plants not completely killed by tillage. Planting a perennial such as grass in the area provides competition with new weed seedlings, and the soil surface is no longer disturbed to bring up new seeds. This is the best practice for long-term control.
Goats or mechanical mowing both work by removing the leaves so the plant can’t turn sunlight into food. The root eventually starves. Both goats and mowers must be brought back often, however, and both have the same drawback: They also mow down everything else in their path.
Another problem with goats is that they will eat only around the edges of a patch. “A lot of people find inventive ways to get goats to the center of the patch, such as mowing pathways or placing boards that goats can walk on or smashing down canes so the entire patch can be grazed,” Hulting said.
Effective herbicides are available and used to control blackberry throughout the year. Each has different use rates and application restrictions depending on the intended use area; always refer to the product label for specific instructions for use on blackberry. Specific herbicide use instructions for blackberry are summarized in the Control of Problem Weeds Chapter of the online version of the Pacific Northwest Weed Mangement handbook.
Contrary to some popular misinformation, it is usually best not to cut down blackberry plants prior to treatment with herbicides unless the plants are too big to reach with spray equipment, Hulting said. Cutting down the plant reduces the leaf area, and the plant may not take in enough herbicide to kill the large root.
No matter if you’ve grubbed, chopped or sprayed, after you’re rid of your blackberry plants, don’t forget to plant hardy alternative vegetation that can crowd or shade out new blackberry seedlings.
“You can’t treat a patch of blackberry and then walk away,” Hulting said. “The control methods can take several years, at least, to eradicate a large patch. Don’t take a break and let the blackberries regain their strength.”
Comments Sought On New Rule To Enhance Food Safety
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently announced that it is seeking comment on proposed measures to enhance food safety. The proposed rule would implement a provision of the 2008 Farm Bill and is a priority for the Food Safety Working Group (FSWG).
“One year ago the President called on government to do more to ensure our food is safe, and we are working aggressively every day to improve the food safety system in the United States,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The steps we are announcing today will help prevent foodborne illness as well as speed our response when illnesses occur - two goals of the Food Safety Working Group.”
The new proposed rule would require that regulated establishments:
1) Promptly notify FSIS if any unsafe, unwholesome or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce;
2) Prepare and maintain current procedures for the recall of meat and poultry products produced and shipped by the establishment; and
3) Document each reassessment of the establishment’s process control plans or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans.
The new proposed rule supports the Food Safety Working Group Key Findings announced on July 7, 2009. President Obama created the Food Safety Working Group on March 14, 2009 and charged Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the co-chairs of the group, with working to upgrade our food safety laws for the 21st century; foster coordination throughout government; and ensure that we enforce these laws to keep the American people safe. Representatives from all federal food safety related agencies, including FSIS, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meet regularly to discuss how producers, processors, retailers, consumers, and all levels of government can work collaboratively to make the food Americans eat as safe as possible.
Comments regarding the adopted regulations must be received on or before May 24, 2010, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail to: Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 2-2127, George Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mailstop 5474, Beltsville, MD 20705-5474. All submissions received through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or by mail must reference the Food Safety and Inspection Service and include the docket number “FSIS-2008-0025.”
For further information, contact Philip Derfler, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Policy and Program Development, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 350-E, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-3700, by phone (202) 720-2709, fax (202) 720-2025, or e-mail Philip.Derfler@fsis.usda.gov.
More information on the Food Safety Working Group can be found at www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov.
Winter Grain Mite Causing Damage To Bluegrass Fields
From Diana Roberts, WSU Area Extension Educator
A damaging infestation of winter grain mite (Penthaleus major) was reported in a Timothy grass field at Valleyford, Spokane County, earlier this week (March 29). However, there are also reports that infestations are widespread in Kentucky bluegrass fields in the county. Farmers should check their fields without delay as this is the peak season for the pest. Affected areas appear as brown, circular patches in a field.
The mite is best viewed with a hand lens as it is only about 1 mm long. The body appears blue-black, roundish, and with 8 bright, red-orange legs. In 2009, Oregon State University Extension published a bulletin on the mite that you may download at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/em/em8976-e.pdf
Hosts of the winter grain mite include many crops in the grass family, plus some broadleaved plants. It is seldom an economic problem in wheat, but can be damaging in perennial grasses such as Timothy and orchardgrass. Populations peak in March and April, especially following mild winters. Rain can reduce the mite populations drastically, especially in wheat. However, grass seed crops are more susceptible to prolonged damage.
Economic thresholds are not well known. However, Glenn Fisher, OSU Entomologist, outlined a simple technique to determine mite numbers. Using a tool similar to an orchard augur about 2 inches in diameter, collect 12-14 soil cores per field, about 6 inches deep, close to or over grass plants. Put each samples in a separate Ziploc™ bag and take them indoors. As the mites warm up they will become more active. If there are only a “few” in each bag, then spraying the field is not warranted. However, “100’s” of mites per bag indicate an economically damaging population.
The PNW Insect Management Guide lists the following chemical controls for the winter grain mite:
1. Dimethoate at 0.25 to 0.33 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 2 days. Do not graze or feed hay, forage, seed, or use screenings from treated fields. Seed conditioners must be informed if seed is from a treated field. Apply in fall (late September or October) or late winter (usually February) to prevent mite populations from increasing to an injurious level.
2. Lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) at 0.02 to 0.03 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days for grazing and cut for forage, 7 days for straw and seed crop. REI 12 hr.
Glenn Fisher said the pyrethroid Mustang Max has been used successfully in Oregon trials. The lower labeled rate is adequate. However, users should always read and follow label directions.
If you have further questions, contact Diana Roberts, WSU Extension, at 409-477-2167 or robertsd@wsu.edu
Unsigned Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Erodes U.S. Market Share
From Marri Carrow, USGC Global Update
Last week, U.S. Grains Council Chairman Rick Fruth lead a team of 10 USGC officers, board members and staff on a mission to evaluate grain market opportunities in the Caribbean and Latin American regions. The delegation spent the week meeting with government officials, customers and industry experts in the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Panama.
According to Fruth, the mission was received “extremely well” by feed grain end-users and potential customers in the region. Fruth, however, expressed shock at the scope of lost grain business and trade in Colombia due to the failure of the United States to ratify the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA). USGC Treasurer and Illinois corn farmer Wendell Shauman said, “I was stunned at the volume and value of lost corn sales to Colombia from 2008 to 2009. Not only did we deprive U.S. corn growers of almost $314 million in corn sales, but the impact on our barley and sorghum members, and our wheat and soybean colleagues, was equally stark with additional losses of between $200 and $300 million.”
USGC Secretary and Montana barley producer Don Fast, stated, “More appalling is the negative impact the lack of free trade agreement is having on our allies and neighbors in the region. The reluctance of the U.S. Administration and Congress to pass the CTPA already approved by Colombia is responsible for directly increasing the cost of food products to the Colombian people. In a country where 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, any tariff barrier effectively gets passed on to the population in the form of higher feed and food prices.”
The team was made aware that Colombia’s imports of white corn imports from the United States face a 40 percent import tariff. All of this corn is destined for the lowest economic strata in the form of pre-cooked corn porridge. Fruth said, “If the intent of U.S. foreign policy is to bolster the economic development of our friends and allies in the Latin American region, the failure to ratify the CTPA does not just penalize U.S. farmers, it penalizes our business partners while bolstering the messages of those forces in the region who are antagonistic to the United States.”
Thomas C. Dorr, USGC president and CEO, indicated that the absence of a signed free trade agreement in Colombia is threatening U.S. trade with other countries in the region. For example, the Dominican Republic, where the United States typically holds a 100 percent market share, imported a shipment of corn and soybean meal from South America in 2009. “The lack of CTPA is fostering change in trade patterns in this area, eroding the U.S. market share. The longer the U.S. Administration waits to pass this agreement, the more U.S. markets will diminish, resulting in a lower bottom line for U.S. producers,” said Dorr. “The question remains as to the Administration’s perception of urgency, when CTPA will be signed, and at what social and market consequences to our Latin American friends and farmer members.”
Exports: The Only Solution To A Saturated Market
By Thomas C. Dorr, USGC President and CEO
The U.S. domestic market demand for distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is becoming more and more saturated. This has become increasingly clear to many of the ethanol plant members of the U.S. Grains Council. As the supply for DDGS increases, ethanol plants must discount the price to persuade end-users to increase DDGS use in their cattle, swine or poultry ration.
However, there is a limit. Certain regions and certain animal species can’t increase the use in the ration further without risking loss of animal performance. That is a pretty steep price curve to buy into. Alternatively, the export market is only at about 2 percent to 4 percent of the total world potential. While we have achieved 35 percent in the limited markets our budget allows, there is a lot of room to absorb additional tonnage without demanding such steep price discounts. That is, if the U.S. Grains Council keeps doing what it’s been doing for the last five years.
Ethanol and DDGS production will continue to grow through 2015, driven by the mandate of the Renewable Fuels Standard II. In 2008/2009, the United States exported 22 percent of total U.S. DDGS production, with a value of roughly $900 million. China was the DDGS biggest success story in 2009 as it went from imports of nearly zero metric tons to 400,000 tons in the last half of the year. Although a number of new opportunities, like China, have great potential, it is imperative that we deal with market expectations appropriately in order to capture and retain the markets.
So what happens when we lose one major export market and those tons come back home to compete for space in the feed rations? From 2004-2009 the European Union (EU) went from importing well over 4 million tons of U.S. corn gluten feed (CGF) to roughly 500,000 tons. When that export market was lost, which was the largest market for U.S. CGF at the time, U.S. wet millers did not produce fewer tons. As a result, those additional tons were sold back to the U.S. cattle markets where it displaced corn and DDGS. In fact, U.S. producers had to compete on price and it was not pretty. In the summer months from 2006-2008, producers lost as much as $20.00 per ton more than they would have if the EU market had remained opened.
The United States currently exports 5 million tons, on its way to 10 million tons. If we lose one of the top 10 markets because of a foreign government regulation change and no one fights it, it will have a significant cost effect on the industry and U.S. producers? Since 2004 the U.S. Grains Council has worked to build export markets for DDGS. Our corn grower members approached us and pointed out that strong exports of DDGS would be important to sustaining good DDGS prices here in the United States. The Council set to work to build export markets for this new product. Our staff around the world followed a consistent and highly successful pattern for introducing DDGS around the world. We’ve been at it for 50 years and we have the tools, relationships and insights necessary to be effective market developers.
Council Capitalizes On Central America Snack Foods Industry
From Marri Carrow , USGC Global Update
As part its mission of Developing Markets, Enabling Trade and Improving Lives, the U.S. Grains Council continuously seeks market opportunities for U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and their co-products around the world. The snack foods industry in Central America is a growing and vital market segment.
Due to relations made at the USGC 2009 International Marketing Conference, several teams made of Central American snack food industry representatives have traveled throughout the United States for training sessions and market insights on U.S. corn, barley and sorghum production.
This week, snack food industry leaders from Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala traveled to Texas to attend a processing course at Texas A&M University. This program highlighted recent advances in corn and sorghum snack food processing techniques. It also allowed the Council to promote increased usage of U.S. corn and sorghum in Central American snack food production.
USGC Regional Consultant Alejandro Gonzalez, who escorted the team, said, “This team has expressed the advantage gained from the marketing programs conducted by the Council. Developing closer relations with this industry will help to expand the market segment for specialty grains such as hard endosperm corn in this market.”
Wait For Warm Soil To Plant Beans
By Judy Scott, Oregon State University
Want to know the key to success in starting bean plants? “Use a thermometer,” said bean expert Jim Myers.
Most beans will germinate at about 50 degrees, but at temperatures that cool, bean seeds tend to crack, allowing access to microbes, explained Myers, an Oregon State University vegetable breeder.
Beans grown at home are fresh and flavorful, but don’t be in a hurry to plant. The soil needs to be at least 60 degrees for beans to produce a healthy and vigorous seedling. The best way to make sure the soil has warmed enough – usually from late April into July – is to insert a thermometer into the soil.
White-colored bean seeds are particularly sensitive to cracking, and he recommends planting darker-colored bean seeds if you plant them before the soil warms to 60 degrees.
“It is better to plant on the late side of May, rather than risk cold snaps, and you can plant through June,” Myers said. “Plant another batch in July and you may get a fall crop, depending on how soon frost arrives in your area.
“It also is better to plant into a moist seed bed rather than planting dry and watering up,” Myers added. “The combination of cold and wet soil is particularly deadly to white-seeded beans.”
Home gardeners can grow several types: bush beans, pole beans, runner beans, dry beans, lima beans, wax beans, snap beans, French filet, Haricot vert and edamame. Many of the varieties grown commercially in the Pacific Northwest and by home gardeners today were developed at OSU. Recommended vegetable varieties for 2010 can be found online.
“Runner and lima beans are a different species than the common bean,” Myers said. “Scarlet runner beans often are used as an ornamental although they can be eaten. Lima beans are usually shelled. The large-seeded ‘Fordhook’ limas require a long season, and growers in our region do better with the small-seeded baby limas.”
Bush beans were bred to save the cost of trellises needed for pole beans and to allow mechanical harvest. They include French filet beans, coveted by gourmets for their texture and flavor and harvested at a young age, when the pods are no more than a quarter inch in diameter.
Plant bush bean seeds two to three inches apart and one inch deep in rows 18 to 36 inches apart in a sunny, well-drained area. They are ready to harvest about three weeks after flowering. Keep plants picked for more production.
Pole beans should be planted like bush beans, except they have to be trellised or grown up a pole. If planting at the bottom of poles, plant about six seeds at the base of each.
Edamame are a specialty soybean. Pods are picked when green and boiled in salted water with the beans inside for a healthy snack. Grow them like bush beans.
Beans are subject to several viruses, root disorders and white and gray mold, Myers said. Avoid watering the foliage, remove dead plants at the end of the season and rotate crops from year to year.
The Useful Cucumber
Did you know these facts about cucumbers? I didn’t—here’s some ‘fresh’ ideas.
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache-free... cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
Use Your Tax Return Wisely
From Ellen Crawford, NDSU Agriculture Communication
If you are getting a tax refund this year, plan how you will use the money.
“Without a plan, you may use the money on the first important thing that comes to mind and then later realize something else was more important,” says Debra Pankow, North Dakota State University Extension Service family economics specialist.
Here are some smart uses for your money:
• Pay off high-cost debt, such as credit card bills.
• Start or replenish an emergency fund to cover three to six months’ worth of expenses.
• Start or increase deposits to tax-deferred employer savings programs, such as a 401(k) plan, and use your refund to offset the reduced take-home pay that will result from making increased plan contributions.
• Fund a traditional or Roth individual retirement account.
• Start or increase deposits to a 529 college savings plan for your children or grandchildren.
• Refinance your mortgage and use the refund to pay closing costs.
• Make extra principal payments on your mortgage to shorten its term and lower the total cost.
• Invest in home improvements, such as landscaping and kitchen upgrades, that have a high payback.
• Purchase necessary business equipment, such as a computer, if you are self-employed.
• Buy a needed “big ticket” item, such furniture or a major appliance, for cash instead of using a credit card.
• Purchase a few hours of a certified financial planner’s time to get advice and a financial checkup.
• Donate all or part of your refund to support a worthwhile charity and receive a tax write-off.
The IRS will allow taxpayers to direct deposit tax refunds in up to three different accounts, such as checking and/or savings, at up to three different U.S. financial institutions, but you must complete form 8888 to do it.
“There’s one more item that taxpayers should consider doing,” Pankow says. “Change your tax withholding to increase your take-home pay now and lend less money interest-free to the federal government. To do this, contact your employer’s payroll office and file a new W-4 withholding form.”
Korean Swine Production
From Marri Carrow, USGC Global Update
Korea’s swine sector is the largest consumer of feed grains in Korea, consuming more than 3 million metric tons in 2009. According to U.S. Grains Council Director in Korea Byong Ryol Min, Korean production only met 79 percent of the nation’s total demand for pork in 2009, forcing importation of the remaining demand.
Min said imported pork will continue to grow unless Korea can maintain its current level of swine production. Korea imports 97 percent of its feed grains supply with the United States holding a 58 percent market share. “Korea’s swine industry is hindered over its inability to supply quality products at competitive costs. This is mostly due to limitations in available land, causing small and independent hog farmers to dominate the market,” said Min. “The Council is working with the industry on their business models and management techniques to help them capture efficiencies of larger-scale production.”
This week, a team of Korean swine integrators traveled to Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri to learn U.S. swine business and management practices. This program provided the team the opportunity to thoroughly study coordinated business models, swine production systems and large-scale sow farm management. “In 2009, Korea imported 5.8 million tons of U.S. feed grains. We don’t want to lose this market. Team members now have the knowledge needed to maximize their business practices. The Council will follow up with the groups to ensure successful application of the production and business model recommended by the Council,” said Min.
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