New Program Highlights Bee-Friendly Farming Practices
A new certification program enables growers to show consumers they are farming in ways that benefit bees. The Bee Better Certified program is launched by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, in partnership with Oregon Tilth. The development of Bee Better Certified was funded by a grant from USDA.
“Bee Better Certified is working with conservation-minded farmers to meet a growing interest from consumers to know how their food choices impact bees,” said Xerces Society Executive Director Scott Hoffman Black. “Many species of bees have suffered declines over the years, but by creating habitat and reducing pesticide use, Bee Better is generating meaningful change on working farms, helping to preserve crop pollinators and the valuable services they provide to farmers.”
After piloting the program with 13 farmers over the past few months, the Xerces Society and Oregon Tilth are now opening it to farmers nationwide. The program focuses on integrating flower-rich habitat into farms in order to provide food and nesting sites for native bees, honeybees, and other pollinators. It also requires farmers to reduce or eliminate use of pesticides known to cause harm to bees.
Oregon Tilth assesses and certifies farms based on the amount and quality of habitat created as well as the incorporation of pest management strategies aimed at protecting crop pollinators.
“When Xerces approached us as a possible partner, it seemed like a great fit,” said Oregon Tilth Certification Director Connie Karr. “We knew our missions were aligned, and we could bring our certification expertise alongside their technical expertise in invertebrates to develop this standard together. It’s important to make sure a new set of standards is credible, valuable and achievable. By working together, we could achieve all those things.”
The project received a $350,000 Conservation Innovation Grant in 2016 from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which the Xerces Society matched to develop and test the first-of-its-kind program. The Conservation Innovation Grant program aims to drive public-private innovation to support next-generation conservation efforts.
“About two-thirds of the country is privately owned, meaning the land management choices of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners can have positive impacts from pollinators,” NRCS Acting Chief Leonard Jordan said. “We’re inspired by the many men and women who step up and voluntarily implement conservation practices on their land, which benefits bees and other pollinators as well as our soil, water, and air.”
Bee Better is open to farms of all types and sizes. Those interested can submit an application to Oregon Tilth, which inspects the farm and certifies if it meets standards. Certified farmers are able to use the Bee Better Certified seal on their farmstands. Manufacturers can also use the seal on products that contain Bee Better Certified ingredients.


Gourmet Garlic, Spinach, Baby Lettuce, Arugula, Kale, Green Beans, Herbs, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Summer/Winter Squash, Melons, Apples, Carrots, Onions, S|
Grade A Gardens grows chemical free fruits and vegetables on a little over 5 acres in Johnston, Iowa. The farm is located next to ag giants DuPont Pioneer and John Deere Financial. What began as a gourmet garlic farm, Grade A Gardens now grows a variety of frutis and vegetables and markets through a CSA, the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, and Des Moines’ finest restaurants and specialty grocers.
Browse through our Products for Sale
Practices (our standards for raising or making our products)
Highlights this Month


The Austin and Central Texas Backyard Poultry Meetup Group is for people who have or are interested in raising small backyard flocks of chickens, ducks, guineas, turkeys, geese, quail, or other poultry for pets, eggs, meat, or exhibition. Our in-person meetups are headquartered in the Austin, Texas, area, with some Meetups in the surrounding Central Texas area. We welcome anyone interested in raising poultry to participate in our online forums, even if you can't always come to an in-person Meetup.
You just might be surprised at how many people living in your neighborhood are raising chickens and other poultry, in addition to gardening, composting, raising bees, and incorporating solar energy, rainwater harvesting and other clean and alternative energy solutions into their backyard food production.
If you are new to raising poultry, our members are always happy to share tips on getting started raising chickens and other poultry. We know chickens and poultry are only one part of living a more sustainable lifestyle. Nature is interconnected, so we also address integrating poultry into more general food production and environmentally conscious practices.
We vary our in-person meet up styles. We have occasional field trips to local farms and feed mills, educational lectures and workshops, and some social and educational gatherings. We are always adding new ideas and meetups to our calendar, and flock is always happy to share their experience and their ideas.
Organic chicken feed and farm fresh pastured eggs
Premier, functional, durable & aesthetic structures for your backyard
Making it easy for you to move your hen house to fresh grass.
2014 Funky Chicken Coop Tour Sponsor
Learn about backyard goats for functions incl. companionship or milking
Please visit our store at 5237 N Lamar Blvd in Austin 512-451-3469
Providing all your backyard poultry needs. Now on Facebook and Twitter!
Bi-monthly publication promoting local food in Austin and Central Texas
Providing Happy Hen Treats Raffle Prizes and 10% off for meetup members
Bluebonnet Classic Poultry Show, Egg Shows, Poultry Exhibition education
Connects people, info, events, & resources on Austin and the environment
Providing rare, endangered, and heritage breeds in Central Texas
The Urban Farmer's Resource. Proudly bringing you Pickin' Chicken!
Keeping organic materials out of landfills, returning nutrients to soil
a natural foods cooperative grocery store, serving Austin since 1976
Dedicated to learning about permaculture and sharing it with others
Volunteers working to put food directly with hungry Austinites in need
Educating, assisting, and inspiring a new generation of farmers
2,254 Happy folks
Monday, Mar 17
855 Linux Enthusiasts
Monday, Apr 07
Thursday, Mar 20
Saturday, Mar 22
1,066 Austin Beekeepers
Monday, Mar 17


CNH Recently Attended FIRA 2024 Event for Agricultural Robots
With connectivity, autonomous equipment and new technologies at the core of New Holland’s strategy, the brand displayed some of its advanced solutions and met customers, dealers and startups. Whilst there, they showed the brand’s investments in robotics and discussed future evolutions.
Taking place twice a year – in the US and in France – FIRA has become the world’s leading ag robotics static and field demo event. New Holland has attended since it was first held, and this year sponsored the French edition, after supporting the US event a few months ago.
On the stand was the Stout Smart Cultivator, New Holland’s software-controlled implement for tractors that uses cameras, AI and proprietary vision technology to distinguish crops from weeds. Once identified, the implement simultaneously cultivates crops and removes weeds with an accuracy of 99%, decreasing reliance on labor and chemical inputs while improving farming practices. CNH invested in the US-based company Stout Industrial, acquiring a 10% minority stake at the end of 2022.
New Holland’s tractors were present in the event’s demo zones, where visitors saw robots and tractors in action. One vineyard tractor and three specialty tractors together with a T5 utility tractor were displayed.
Attending and sponsoring this event is a testament to CNH’s commitment to innovative products that promote a more sustainable future.


This petition closed 5 months ago
The input costs for the farmers for any crop is lower than chemical farming . The yield per acre is the same or more than chemical farming. The farmer has three options for the sale of his produce.
1) In the local wholesale haat / market along with other chemical crop producers.
2) The national food chain stores, hospitality industry, residential schools that use or sell organic produce. This is his exclusive domain - no chemical producers can get additional value for his crops here.
3) Global exports - as there is a huge requirement for safe organic food. The farmer gets a very handsome price for his organic produce.
By joining this campaign we can network to eliminate consumption of chemical food from the food chain, usher in a socio economic change through the farming community.
Ngo's , govt agencies and pvt CSR activities can be jointly implemented to expedite this across .


a Hudson Valley, NY fruit farm offering pick-your-own apples
FREE PARKING AND ADMISSION
We respectfully ask that you adhere to our strict no pets policy.
Visit our Bakery and Winery
We make our hard cider from our own apples.
What to DO?
Local craftsman John Nicklin constructed an old-fashioned wagon to escort our visitors to pick apples, or to enjoy a leisurely ride around the farm (weekend afternoons only).
The kids will enjoy the petting zoo.
Picnic By The Lake
Enjoy a relaxed lunch along with the fruits of your labor.
Pirates of the Hudson Corn Maze
Includes a tower in the middle with a lookout and a 7 foot tunnel slide into the corn maze.
Every weekend we have a wonderful chicken barbeque with sweet corn, baked beans and corn bread.
DJ Tony is on staff most weekends to provide entertainment and lead the games and contests for the kids.
Buy Two 1/2-Bushel Bags and get One FREE!


In the spring of 2019, a cyst nematode was discovered from soil samples collected from an alfalfa field in Millard County, Utah. The soil samples were submitted to one of us (SH), who extracted the nematode cysts and sent them to the USDA-ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory (MNGDBL), Beltsville, MD for morphological and molecular identification. Cysts and living nematode juveniles (J2) recovered from the cysts were examined morphologically and molecularly for species identification which indicated that the specimens were Heterodera medicaginis. This represents the first record of H. medicaginis in Utah and the second report of this nematode in North America.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Agronomy and Crop Science


Organic Allspice - Ground - Australian
Biodynamic Organic Ground Allspice - the highest grade premium organic allspice.
Portion size: 35g packs.
Add it to sweet dishes where you want a bit more spiciness such as gingerbread, apple pie or dark chocolate desserts. Its subtle peppery overtone adds depth to stews, curries and soups. Make jerk chicken using ground allspice, a typical Jamaican dish that reflects the spice's Caribbean origins.
Farmers: Warrakin Valley Farm in Queensland, Australia
The most important health benefits of allspice include its ability to act as a pain reliever, increase , protect the system, improve mood, boost the immune system, eliminate fungal infections, lower , and reduce inflammation.
What is all spice? This powerful spice is actually derived from the dried fruit of the pimento tree, which is why it is commonly called Jamaica pepper, pimenta, or pimento, among other geography-specific nicknames. Native to Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and Mexico, the allspice bearing tree has the scientific name of Pimenta dioica and has gradually spread throughout the world due to its unique flavor and its healthy quality. The name allspice is because of the dried brown berries (which look like large ), smell and taste like a mixture of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The berries are picked when they’re ripe and allowed to dry in the sun, ending up as the slightly shriveled, hard berries known as allspice. These can then be ground up into spice for culinary use, or the essential oil can be extracted.
Bio-Dynamics is an enhanced organic farming method using soil and plant enlivening natural preparations, producing clean food free of all chemicals inputs and GMO's.
The Australian Demeter Bio-dynamic farming method has being adopted all over the world as the number one Bio-dynamic farming method.
Bio-dynamic farming confirms to us the benefits of naturally grown food without the use of chemicals and synthetic stimulants producing vibrant healthy soils and in turn healthy plants, animals and healthy humans. This type of farming leaves the soil rich in humus and bursting with life. For the consumer that means wholesome nutritious food full of flavor!


Monarch butterflies are beautiful visitors to our gardens, but over the last fifteen years there have been fewer and fewer making an appearance. During the winter of 2009-2010, the number of monarchs from eastern North America overwintering in Mexico reached an all-time low. The numbers came up somewhat for the 2010-2011 winter, but are still low. What's behind this decline?
Researcher Lincoln P. Brower and colleagues, in an article published in the March 2012 journal Insect Conservation and Diversity, suggest three factors that have contributed to the bust in butterflies. First is the degradation of the forests in Mexico that provide overwintering habitat to the monarchs. Much of this habitat has been lost due to illegal logging in areas that have been set aside as reserves.
Another big factor is the increased cultivation of genetically modified glyphosate-resistant corn and soybeans in the U.S., which has resulted in more extensive use of the herbicide glyphosate in farm fields. This herbicide use has led in turn to a sharp decline in the milkweed plants in the fields that provide breeding habitat for monarchs.
The third factor noted is the role of extreme weather interfering with winter survival or summer breeding. For example, overwintering butterflies experienced record-breaking precipitation over the 2009-2010 winter during what is normally the dry season, which caused flooding, landslides, and high winds that wreaked havoc on their habitat. In 2009 high spring temperatures in Texas limited breeding. As the climate warms, the expectation is that these types of weather extremes will increase, further harming butterfly populations. The study's authors suggest that only with better stewardship in both the U.S. and Mexico will we be able to count on having these lovely lepidopteron visitors continue to frequent out gardens.
To read the entire article on the decline of monarch butterflies, go to: Wiley Online Library.


We recently heard from our friend Helmut from Finca El Origen in Colombia. As we mentioned when we first introduced you to his farm , Helmut is involved in a non-profit tree planting project to combat the effects of deforestation and climate change in his community. This tree planting and environmental education project in schools and local communities is now in its 11th month of a planned 18 month duration. Together with Bachaqueros, a non-governmental organization, Helmut has contributed to the seeding of 80,000 trees and the planting of 30,000 trees so far. Bachaqueros led 20 workshops in 4 different regions. These workshops allowed residents of these communities to learn how to identify local endangered tree species, collect seeds and how to plant trees so that they have the best possible chance of growing.
During the next dry season, the group will start to geotag all the planted trees so that they can better protect them during the next two summers, which Helmut says will be a crucial period in the growth of newly planted trees. Helmut was very happy to tell us that the group managed to convince the Colombian army to plant 3000 trees in their coastal military areas and that Bachaqueros is doing a lot of work with schools so that children can participate in the cultivation of trees and eventually at their planting. We are proud to be able to share this news with you and look forward to telling you about the progress of this initiative over the coming months.
One Tree planted
Beyond the trees that are planted by Helmut, we have also been working for more than a year, in partnership with the non-profit organization One Tree Planted, to have one tree planted for each subscription that we send out. One Tree Planted works on local reforestation projects all over the world and we have chosen to focus our efforts in the Amazon rainforest. In 2019, it suffered a record level of deforestation due to forest fires which caused a lot of damage. One Tree Planted is currently working on a project to plant trees and agricultural crops such as cocoa in Peru.
Here is an excellent video illustrating this project.
Follow our progress in real time
We will continue to update you on Helmut's project as we receive it. In the meantime, you can follow our own efforts here.


India’s coffee exports rose marginally, just two per cent year-on-year, to 23,146 tonnes last month, according to the Coffee Board data.
The country had exported 22,642 tonnes of the brew in August 2010.
The country earned USD 69.24 million in foreign currency from exports during last month, which in rupee terms stood at Rs. 313.30 crore, the data showed.
The value realisation of coffee last month stood at Rs. 1.35 lakh per tonne.
However, the shipments have come down by 18 per cent in August compared with previous month, when export stood at 28,116 tonnes.
During the April-August period of the current fiscal, export have risen 29 per cent to 1.68 lakh tonnes, as against 1.30 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.
In the coffee year 2010-11, the exports rose by 36 per cent to 3.34 lakh tonnes between October 2010 and August 2011, from 2.45 lakh tonnes in the same period of the previous year. Coffee year runs from October to September.
India largely exports coffee to Italy, Germany, Russia, Belgium and Spain.


Cedar Bluffs, Neb., strip-tiller Ron Kadavy discusses his approach and success improving soil health and earthworm populations with the incorporation of molasses and other organic fertilizers on his strip-tilled fields.
California farmer Tom Barcellos discusses the challenges of strip-tilling in his unusual environment and how his Bigham strip-till bar and the Orthman 1tripr are able to overcome these hurdles. He'll detail his equipment setup as well as describe how extensive use of RTK GPS to ensure everything lines up with the strip.
Kuhn Krause's focus, above all, is to continue to produce quality products to serve producers better; to strive to respond to their needs with new tools and new technology to meet their growing challenges. Agronomic practices are constantly changing, and at a faster pace now than ever.


PALAYCHECK® for Irrigated Lowland Rice
“Learning, checking, and sharing for best farmer’s practice”
Philippine Rice Research Institute 2007
Foreword Technology promotion has typically focused on one component at a time; integrated pest management or integrated nutrient management per se . Although each component gives positive contributions to rice production, research has shown that the interrelationship of these components from seed to seed must be given more emphasis. That is why we have the PalayCheck System .
PalayCheck is a holistic, integrated, and objective approach to rice production. It is not just a technology or a technology package: PalayCheck System is a rice integrated crop management and more. It combines the technology and the learning process to ensure understanding and sustained adoption. With PalayCheck , it is important that a target yield is set, weaknesses of current production practices are identified, and the best practices for a specific area are applied.
PalayCheck takes off from Australiaâ€™s Ricecheck system that helped increase rice yield from about 6 tons/ha in 1986 to 9.5 tons/ha in 2000. Australiaâ€™s Ricecheck system has been successfully adopted in other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia. We would
also like to implement and reap its benefits through the project â€œStrengthening the Development and Use of Rice Integrated Crop Management for Food Security and Poverty Alleviationâ€? funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
We ackowledge the help of farmers, provincial and municipal agricultural officers, agricultural technicians, PhilRice site coordinators and branch managers in testing the PalayCheck System in various municipalities and provinces.
This publication is a good reference material for farmers and agricultural extension workers who want to try the PalayCheck System . We hope that this booklet will help them realize the importance of integrated crop management in improving rice production and the essence of group learning in identifying strengths and weaknesses in current practices. We hope that by using PalayCheck we will be able to sustain improvements in productivity, profitability, and environment safety.
LEOCADIO S. SEBASTIAN
PhilRice Executive Director (2000-2008)
The PalayCheck System
PalayCheck is a dynamic rice crop mana-gement system that presents the best key technology and management practices as Key Checks; compares farmer practices with the best practices; and learns through farmersâ€™ discussion group to sustain improvement in productivity, profitability, and environment safety. PalayCheck is simply â€œlearning, checking, and sharing for best farming practiceâ€? .
PalayCheck is a Rice Integrated Crop Management (RICM) System. RICM recognizes that rice growing is a production system consisting of a range of factors that are interdependent and interrelated in their impact on the growth, yield, and rice grain quality and on the sustainability of the environment. It dictates that technology recommendations for yield improvement be developed and transferred to farmers as a holistic and integrated package and not by components such as integrated nutrient management (INM) or integrated pest management (IPM).
PalayCheck covers the principal areas of crop management such as seed quality, land preparation, crop establishment, nutrient management, water management, pest management, and harvest management. PalayCheck encourages farmers to manage their rice crop according to targets by measuring crop performance and analy -zing results. It provides standards in the form of Key Checks that guide farmers on what to achieve; guide on how to assess the Key Checks; and recommendations on how to achieve the Key Checks. In such way, PalayCheck will help farmers learn from their experiences while improving their crop management practices.
PalayCheck Strategy Group and experiential learning through farmersâ€™ meeting and participative interactions are necessary to help farmers learn PalayCheck by comparing farming practices, management, and yield/quality in the technology demonstration plot with those of other farmersâ€™ fields (see Box 1).
Box 1: The PalayCheck System
PalayCheck uses the following strategies:
Packaging key technologies as Key Checks Working with groups of farmers to identify ricefarming problems, demonstrate the Key Checks, and help farmers learn PalayCheck by comparing the practices, management, and yield/quality as well as profit with those of other farmersâ€™ fields
Teaching farmers how to evaluate their current practices, and improve the management of their fields using the developed Key Checks
Monitoring and recording management inputs and achievement of Key Checks per growth stage
Helping farmers assess the Key Checks and identify the reasons for achieving or not achieving the Key Check(s)
Implementing PalayCheck Each site will consist of a PalayCheck demonstration field to showcase the recommended practices; a group of rice farmers; and a facilitator or resource person. The demonstration field is a selected farmerâ€™s field (farmer-partner). Preferably, the field should be at least 0.5 ha located along the roadside, beside a nontechnology-intervened field, and near the farmersâ€™ meeting area.
Seed and fertilizer inputs may be provided to ensure that the recommended practices are followed. The demo field will be the basis for evaluating the strength and weaknesses of the farmersâ€™ management and discussing as well as learning the necessary adjustments to improve yield and profit. The neighboring members of the group (farmer-cooperators) have the option to adopt or not to adopt PalayCheck recommendations.
The participants for PalayCheck are a group of 15-25 farmers belonging to a community or
neighborhood. The group will meet before, during, and after the cropping season to review the management practices, pest incidence, growth and yield results, and weather condi-tions ; compare the PalayCheck demo field with the farmer-cooperatorsâ€™ fields; discuss reasons for achieving or not achieving the Key Checks based on their knowledge and experience, plan for the next meetingâ€™s activities; and record the activities and results of the demo field and the farmer-cooperatorsâ€™ fields.
The management practices, achievement or nonachievement of Key Checks, and yield results will be evaluated per site. The evaluation will be presented during the last meeting (after harvest) wherein there is an ultimate analysis and interpretation of the achievement of Key Checks and the yield results of each farmer-cooperator and PalayCheck farmer-partner.
Though the PalayCheck System helps farmers achieve high yield through proper crop management, it is essential that the learning process be highlighted. The learning process takes place before, during, and after each planting season. Farmers can compare their actual performance and management with the expected
outputs (yield, quality, and environmental outcomes) as indicated by the achieved Key Checks. Due to limited resources, there are instances when farmer-cooperators do not embrace all the PalayCheck recommendations. Successes, problems, and failures can be identified and therefore, improvements in the next season can be made.
Steps in using the PalayCheck System
1. Manage the rice crop using the Key Checks.
PalayCheck develops a package of techno-logy recommendations. Emphasize to the farmers that the Key Checks are the most important recommendations to achieve high yield and these require particular attention. Each principal area of crop management can have one or more Key Checks. Each Key Check is expressed in a structured way. Therefore, each Key Check has the following:
Crop Management Area. For example, in Seed Quality , the Key Check is â€œ Used certified seeds of a recommended variety â€?.
Assessment of Key Check. This is the indicator or method to determine if the Key Check has been achieved. For example, the seed of an improved rice variety is certified by the NSQCS as evidenced by a tag
on the sack. If achieved, it is given a check ( ). If not achieved, it is given an ( x ).
Importance. This indicates why the Key Check is so important in achieving the field output or growth and yield output of the crop. For example, certified seed is pure, clean, full and uniform in size, and has a minimum germination rate of 85%.
Recommendation to achieve Key Check. The practices that are required to achieve the Key Check as well as other associated practices needed to manage the crop are described. For example, choose a variety with high yield potential and market demand, and tested in technology demonstrations or adaptability trials. The recommended practices are the inputs , the Key Checks are the outputs .
2. Observe, measure, and record crop growth and management performance.
Encourage and guide farmers in observing the rice crop regularly and taking a close look at it by walking through the plots, and not observing from afar.
When walking through the plots, show them how to measure crop growth and management performance. Use a ruler, count, or weigh. Do not guess.
Record the measurements. Recording is an important part of using PalayCheck to ensure that the information is available for later use. Use the forms provided to you or a field notebook. Do not rely on your memory; write down notes.
3. Compare and interpret results to identify problem areas.
Guide farmers in interpreting and analyzing the relationships among management practices, measurements, and yield results to identify those areas that may have limited yield and can be improved upon. Ask them how they achieved their yield.
4. Take action to correct management problems next season. Help farmers improve their crop management to overcome poor results, or repeat management that resulted in good yields. Learn from your experiences.
Box 2: Points to Remember The PalayCheck System is not simply putting a check ( ) or a cross ( x ) on the Key Checks. It is important for farmers to understand why a Key Check has been achieved or not achieved (output) given a crop ma- nagement (input). It is not the same as the â€œ12 Steps in Rice Productionâ€? or similar schemes. It is not a prescription for successful rice production. Farmers and technicians should recognize that the PalayCheck System integrates and balances crop management technologies in order to improve and sustain gains in rice production. It is an advantage if farmer groups implement PalayCheck . After close monitoring of the rice crop, farmers share experiences, discuss possible reasons for achieving or not achieving the Key Checks. Hence, farmers themselves
recognize a weakness in their crop management and a way to improve in the next crop.
Seed Quality Key Check 1. Used certified seeds of a recommended variety. Assessment of Key Check. The seed of an improved rice variety is certified by the NSQCS as evidenced by a tag attached to the sack. Foundation and registered seeds coming from a reliable source (e.g., PhilRice , accredited seed growers) are also acceptable.
Importance. Certified seed is pure, clean, full and uniform in size, and has a minimum germination rate of 85%. The use of certified seeds leads to healthy seedlings that grow fast and uniformly. All these can contribute to a 5-10% increase in grain yield.
Recommendations to achieve Key Check
Choose a variety with high yield potential, market demand, and tested in technology demonstrations or adaptability trials.
Farmers often prefer new varieties, believing that they yield better. But a variety may be released based on reasons other than yield (e.g., better grain quality and resistance to pests).
If the farmer decides to plant a new variety, the agricultural technologist should recommend a variety that has been tested in the farmersâ€™ municipality for more than a year.
Land Preparation Key Check 2. No high and low soil spots after final leveling. Assessment of Key Check. During land leveling, the field should have 2-5 cm water depth. The field should have no visible mound of soil above the water surface after the final leveling.
Importance. A properly leveled field allows for more uniform water distribution, requires less water to fill up, reduces weed incidence, and better management of golden apple snails. It helps achieve a uniform crop maturity.
Recommendations to achieve Key Check Clean and repair dikes and ditches. Dikes must be cleaned to remove pest; compacted to prevent
seepage, and properly maintained 15 cm high x 20 cm wide to prevent rat burrowing. Ditches will ensure even water distribution and drainage. Draining removes toxic substances, allows organic matter to decompose, and helps the plant produce deeper and stronger roots.
Plowing and harrowing. Plow under weeds and stubbles 10 to 15 cm deep 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting or direct wet seeding to allow decomposition and recycle plant nutrients. Decomposition is faster in moist soil. If organic materials are not fully decomposed, soil tends to become acidic and some nutrients become less available.
Harrow the field at least twice at one week interval. The first harrowing is done a week after plowing to break the clods and incorporate the stubbles. This allows drop seeds and weed seeds to germinate. The
second harrowing, across the direction of the first plow, also the initial leveling, further incorporates the volunteer plants and allows the germination of the remaining drop seeds and weed seeds. These practices help reduce the initial pest host population and maintain the hardpan.
Level the field. Use a wooden plank or power tiller-attached leveler. Direct wet-seeded rice (DWSR). Construct small canals near the levee surrounding the field and in the middle of the field as paths for excess water, collecting golden apple snails, and paths to facilitate field operations such as planting missing
Crop Establishment Key Check 3. Practiced synchronous planting after a fallow period. Assessment of Key Check. The field should have a fallow period of at least 30 days after harvest. It should be planted within 14 days before and after the majority of the irrigation service area has been planted.
Importance. Synchronous planting within one month avoids the overlapping incidence of insect and disease populations. A fallow period of at least one month breaks the insect pest cycle and destroys disease hosts. This scheme is largely affected by the availability of irrigation water in the locality.
Allow a fallow period of at least a month from harvest to establishment of the next crop.
This can break the pest cycle and facilitate the success of crop management practices.
Follow the local planting calendar. This maximizes the use of irrigation within the community.
Crop Establishment Key Check 4. Sufficient number of healthy seedlings. Assessment of Key Check. Transplanted rice (TPR). Seed rate is 20 to 40 kg/ha for inbred and 15 to 20 kg/ha for hybrid. After replanting missing hills within 7 days after transplanting (DAT), assess the health status of seedlings at 10 DAT. There should be at least 25 hills/m 2 .
Randomly select 3 sampling sites in a diagonal line across the field. The sampling sites should be at least 1 m from the edge of the field.
Count the number of hills/m 2 using a 1 m x 1 m quadrat. Add the number of hills and divide the total by 3 to get the average number of hills/m 2 .
Direct wet-seeded rice (DWSR). Fifteen days after seeding (DAS) pre-germinated seeds, plant density should be at least 150 plants/m 2 for a rate of 40 kg seeds/ha . For a seed rate of 80 kg/ha , plant density should be at least 300 plants/m 2 .
To assess plant density, use 1 m x 1 m quadrat (1 m 2 ). Randomly select 3 sampling sites in a diagonal line across the field. Each sampling site or 1 m 2 quadrat should be at least 1 m from the edge of the field.
Count the number of plants/m 2 using a 1 m x 1 m quadrat. Add the number of plants and divide the total by 3 to get the average number of plants/m 2 .
In every parcel for TPR and DWSR, randomly select 10 hills. Each hill should have at least one healthy seedling. A healthy seedling is green, with good growth, and free from pest and disease.
Importance. Healthy seedlings can produce a good canopy and compete better against weeds.
F ollow the recommendations below: Inbred Varieties Seeding Rate (kg/ha): 20-40 Minimum Seedbed Area (m 2 ): 400 Age of Seedlings (days): 20-25 No. of Seedlings (per hill): 1-3 Planting Distance (cm x cm): 20 x 20 Hybrid Varieties Seeding Rate (kg/ha): 15-20 Minimum Seedbed Area (m 2 ): 400 Age of Seedlings (days): 20-25 No. of Seedlings (per hill): 1-2 Planting Distance (cm x cm): 20 x 20 Note: Lower number of seedlings per hill is recommended for hybrid due to its high cost.
Sowing the right amount of seeds results in strong and healthy seedlings.
Resulting seedlings have higher survival rate and easily recover from transplanting shock. Sowing a higher amount of seeds results in thin and weak seedlings. Proper spacing enables the crop to develop a good ground cover and helps control weeds.
For transplanted rice , establish seedbed near a water source and protect it from pests, particularly birds and rats. It should have a good drainage.
Proper water and pest management are important at this stage. If the germinated seeds are covered too deeply with water, this will result in weak
seedlings with poor root growth because of lack of air in the soil. Birds and rats feed on seeds directly and pull up germinating seeds and so it is important to guard the seedbed against these pests.
Apply the organic materials before leveling the seedbed. For fine-textured soil , incorporate 10-15 bags organic material or 3-4 bags commercial organic fertilizer in a 400 m 2 se edbed before sowing the seeds.
Or ganic materials help loosen the soil. Thus, it makes pulling of seedlings easier and minimizes root damage. Use compost or any fully decomposed organic materials such as dried animal manure, carbonized rice hull, or rice straw.
For medium-textured soil , you may not apply organic materials.
For direct wet-seeded rice , the field is ready for seeding after land preparation and leveling as
described in the recommendation for Key Check 2. Pre-germinated seeds/seedlings should be protected from birds, rats, snails and weeds following the standad practices described in the pest management section. Broadcast pre-germinated seeds evenly onto the leveled field.
Sow extra pre-germinated seeds (1 kg) on the side of the field for replanting. Replant bare patches .
Key Check 5. Sufficient nutrients from tillering to early panicle initiation and flowering .
Assessment of Key Check. From tillering to early panicle initiation (EPI) and flowering, apply N fertilizer (1.5 bags urea per hectare in dry season or 1.0 bag urea per hectare in wet season) if LCC reading is below 4 for transplanted and below 3 for direct wet-seeded rice .
Transplanted rice . At flowering, achieve at least 300 panicles/ m 2 . To assess panicle density, randomly select 3 sampling sites in a diagonal line across the field. The sampling sites should be at least 1 m from the edge of the field. Count the number of panicles using a 1 m x 1 m quadrat (1 m 2 ). Add the number of panicles and divide the total by 3 to get the average number of panicles/m 2 .
Direct wet-seeded rice . At flowering, achieve at least 350 panicles/m 2 .
To assess panicle density, randomly select 3 sampling sites in a diagonal line across the field. The sampling sites should be at least 1 m from the edge of the field. Count the number of panicles using a 1 m x 1 m quadrat ( 1 m 2 ). Add the number of panicles and divide the total by 3 to get the average number of panicles/m 2 .
Importance. Sufficient nutrients from tillering to EPI, and flowering will ensure good crop growth, panicle development, and attainment of yield potential. The optimum panicle density could be associated with the attainment of yield potential.
Recommendations to achieve Key Check Know and manage the nitrogen needs of your plants based on LCC and assess other nutrients based on MOET or Nutrient Omission Plot . Nutrient Omission Plot, Yield-Fertilizer Management Relationship
If resources are available, farmers and the AT can establish 5 m x 5 m Nutrient Omission Plots (NOPs) during regular croping to assess the following: (1) indigenous nitrogen supply or INS, i.e., no N fertilizer but with P and K (-N, +P, +K), (2) indigenous phosphorus supply or IPS (-P, +N, +K), and (3) indigenous potassium supply or IKS (-K, +N, +P). These can serve as basis of fertilizer recommendation.
NOPs are effective in helping farmers observe plant nutrient deficiencies especially during farmers’ field day. Since soil N is usually inadequate, the “real time” crop need for N is effectively
assessed by LCC. Hence, only IPS and IKS plots may be established. Another reliable basis of P and K fertilizer rate recommendation is the actual yield-fertilizer rate/amount relationship obtained from trials in farmersâ€™ fields.
Proper management of nutrients improves crop growth and yield. It means giving the right kind and amount of nutrients at the right time. Rice plants grow and respond better to fertilizer when there is more sunlight.
Conduct the Minus One Element Technique (MOET) test 30 days before transplanting or direct wet seeding and assess nutrient status based on visible plant nutrient deficiency symptoms and growth response (i.e., plant height and tiller number) but not plant biomass.
Use the leaf color chart (LCC) every 7 days from early tillering to early flowering to assess the crop need for nitrogen (N) fertilizer. LCC and MOET are simple tools that can assess nutrient deficiency, guide fertilizer application, and generate savings in fertilizer use.
Aside from nutrient deficiency, consider mineral toxicity in deciding on the nutrients to apply. In the
lowlands, iron toxicity is most common, especially where there is permanent flooding during crop growth. Iron toxicity-affected rice plants have tiny brown spots on the lower leaves starting from the tip or have orange-yellow to brown leaves.
To manage iron toxicity, use intermittent irrigation and avoid continuous flooding on poorly drained soils, balanced fertilizers, and perform dry tillage after harvest to increase iron oxidation during the fallow period.
Nitrogen. Use the LCC every 7 days from 14 days after trans-planting (DAT) or 21 days after seeding (DAS) until early flowering. But if 14-14-14-12S is applied at 14 DAT or 21 DAS, LCC reading starts at 21 DAT or 28 DAS.
Nitrogen affects many processes contributing to yield. It increases plant height, tiller number, leaf size, spikelet number per panicle, percentage filled spikelets , and grain protein content. Thus, if N is deficient, plants become stunted and yellowish.
If there is too much N, particularly between panicle initiation and flowering, the rice plant becomes prone to lodging and pests. Excess N is also costly.
The LCC helps farmers determine the right time of N application by measuring the leaf color intensity. If more than 5 out of 10 leaves have readings below the critical value of 4, apply 1.5 bags of 46-0-0 (urea) or 3.5 bags of 21-0-0-24S (ammonium sulfate) during the DS and 1 bag of 46-0-0 or 2 bags of 21-0-0-24S during the WS.
Ammonium sulfate is used instead of urea when plant shows sulfur deficiency, or if sulfur-containing fertilizer like 14-14-14-12S is not used.
Phosphorus and potassium. Compound fertilizers, (i.e., 14-14-14-12S, 16-20-0) or single carrier fertilizer (i.e., 0-18-0 or 0-0-60) can be used and dependent on cropping season, soil type, yield target, and market availability.
Phosphorus fertilizer is important for root development, tillering , early flowering, and ripening. Phosphorus-deficient plants are stunted with greatly reduced tillering .
Leaves are narrow, short, very erect, and dark green. Stems are thin and plant deve-lopment is retarded. The number of leaves, panicles, and grains per panicle are also reduced.
Potassium improves root growth and plant vigor and helps prevent lodging. It also enhances crop resistance to pests and diseases. Potassium deficiency is often not detected because its symptoms are not as easy to recognize as those of N deficiency, and appear during the later growth stages.
Potassium-deficient plants are dark green with yellowish brown leaf margins, i.e., similar to those of tungro disease but affecting whole field, not patches. Dark brown spots can also be seen on the leaf surface.
Sulfur. The amount of sulfur in 14-14-14 -12S (with 12% sulfur) is adequate to correct usual sulfur deficiency.
Sulfur deficiency is often mistaken for nitrogen deficiency. Unlike N deficiency where older leaves are affected first, sulfur deficiency results in yellowing ( chlorosis ) of young leaves. Other symptoms include yellowish seedlings in seedbed, high seedling mortality after transplanting, stunted growth (but plants are not dark colored as in P or K deficiency), reduced tiller number, fewer and shorter panicles, reduced number of spikelets per panicle, and delayed maturity.
Zinc. Apply 25 kg zinc sulfate/ha at 14 DAT once a year during the DS.
Zinc deficiency is the most widespread micronutrient-related problem in rice. Its symptoms a ppear between 2-4 weeks after transplanting.
These include dusty brown spots on old leaves, yellowish young leaves at the base and midrib, stunted plants, uneven plant growth, and patches of poorly established hills in the field.
Rice plants, however, can recover from symptoms soon after the field is drained. Severe deficiency, on the other hand, results in reduced tiller number and delayed maturity.
Water Management Key Check 6. Avoided excessive water or drought stress that could affect the growth and yield of the crop.
Assessment of Key Check. No symptoms of stress due to excessive water observed at vegetative stage i.e., reduced tillering and leaf area. Excessive water means water depth greater than 5 cm for 7 days or more. No symptoms of stress due to drought observed at vegetative stage, i.e., leaf rolling, leaf tip drying, reduced leaf area, height, and tiller number. No symptoms of stress due to drought observed from panicle initiation to grain filling, i.e., leaf rolling, leaf tip drying, reduced panicle exertion , and many unfilled grains.
For a 120-day variety, early panicle initiation is usually at 40-45 DAT or 61-65 DAS and ripening phase is usuall y from 70-100 DAT or 91-120 DAS. One to two weeks before crop maturity or harvest is the hard dough stage. Importance. Water transports nutrients from the soil to the plant. An adequate water supply ensures good crop establishment, seedling vigor, and normal crop growth, development, and yield.
Recommendations to achieve Key Check Achieve 3-5 cm water depth every irrigation time from early tillering until 1-2 weeks before crop maturity or harvest.
A 3-5 cm water depth maintained from 10 DAT or 10-15 DAS to near crop maturity will ensure water status for optimum crop growth and yield. However, under field conditions, irrigation water supply may be insufficient to maintain a flooded soil condition or a certain surface water depth. While a certain flood water depth can control weeds, saturated soil condition
at an early crop growth stage can reduce snail mobility and damage.
Controlled irrigation that does not induce plant water stress or reduce plant growth can be followed to use water efficiently. Under this system, water is allowed to decrease from 5 cm floodwater depth to 15 cm below the soil surface (perched water table) in dry season and 20 cm below the soil surface in wet season, before re-irrigating the field. This can be done from transplanting to maximum tillering. At heading or flowering stage, a floodwater depth of 3 to 5 cm is maintained.
To monitor the perched water table, a 30 cm perforated cylinder or bamboo can be installed in the soil up to 20 cm below the soil surface.
Drain water or stop irrigation 1-2 weeks before harvest. For medium-textured soil , drain water a week before harvest. For fine-textured soil , drain water 2 weeks before harvest.
This ensures sufficient moisture to complete grain filling and facilitates harvest operations. This also helps ensure better grain apperance, i.e., grains will not be splashed with mud and water.
Pest Management Key Check 7. No significant yield loss due to pests.
Assessment of Key Check. No significant yield loss due to insect pests, diseases, weeds, rats, snails, and birds. Significant pest damage occurs when one or more pests cause damage.
Importance. Pest management is an integral component of rice production. Knowledge of the interactions of the rice crop with the biotic factors, agroecosystem, and the crop management system provides an accurate understanding of the destructive potential of pests. Correct pest identification and application of integrated crop management technologies (resistant
variety, land preparation, date and method of crop establishment, biological control, varietal rotation, fertilizer and water management, and pesticides) during crop development are needed in its su c cess.
Recommendations to achieve Key Check Use varieties resistant to pests and diseases prevalent in the locality. The use of resistant varieties is the first line of defense in pest management and is compatible with biological control.
Change or rotate varieties every 2 to 4 cropping to delay insect pest and disease adaptation, thereby preventing buildup of virulent pathogens and insect pests.
Adopt a synchronous planting scheme after a fallow period in the locality (see Key Check 3 ).
Conserve beneficial organisms.
There are rich communities of beneficial organisms in the rice ecosystem in the absence of naturalenemy killing pesticides. The indiscriminate use of pesticides reduces biodiversity and disrupts the natural balance of insect pests and beneficial organisms. Conservation of these beneficial organisms is safe, economical, and permanent. For example, longhorned grasshopper feeds on the egg mass of stemborers while spiders feed on the nymphs and adults of leafhoppers and planthoppers .
Management options for major pests. Conduct field monitoring. Regular field monitoring especially at the early stage of crop growth helps identify the potential pests at its initial stage of development . Preventive management options can be
applied, as in the case of diseases before they spread and reach intolerable levels. In the case of insect pests, corrective management options are recommended.
Insect pests. Do not spray against defoliators during the first 30 DAT or 40 DAS. Plants compensate to early season damage by producing new leaves and tillers. Spraying prevents the early season movement and colonization of beneficial organisms in the field.
Diseases. Correct diagnosis and field sanitation help prevent the spread of diseases. To diagnose the disease, compare the appearance of the infected plant with other plants of the same variety and age. Consider disease distribution, spread, and condition of the field. It also helps to examine closely the infected plant and see if there are other organisms on it.
To minimize pest and disease occurrence (i.e., tungro ), observe one-month fallow period or avoid three cropping in a year or quick turnaround period. Do not use too much fertilizer and unnecessary pesticide.
To minimize disease severity, avoid too much application of nitrogen fertilizer. Bacterial blight, sheath blight, and blast can be reduced indirectly with LCCbased N fertilizer application.
Rats. The presence of rats can be indicated by active rat burrows, footprints, cut tillers, and runways. The trap barrier system (TBS) is one of the ways to monitor rat population. If installed a month before the regular cropping season, it can a be guide to start rat control operations.
Proper timing, active and sustained communitywide control, and integrated management practices like use of flamethrower, hunting, baiting, trapping, and cleaning must be done to effectively manage field rats.
Golden apple snails. Snails feed on young rice seedlings. To manage them, keep the field saturated during the early vegetative stage (within 2 weeks after transplanting or 3 weeks after direct wet-seeding).
Construct small canals and place attractants such as newsprint and broadleaves (e.g. banana and gabi leaves) to facilitate snail collection, or place wire or woven bamboo screen at the water inlets and outlets to prevent entry to the fields.
Birds. Birds are most abundant in rice fields during seeding and ripening stages. They eat the pre-germinated seeds sown, damage the panicles and eat the grains. Birds are usually found during the early morning or late afternoon. Scaring away is a practical solution. PEST IDENTIFICATION
If an insect pest or disease and its management cannot be i dentified, call the attention of the pest specialist (entomologist/plant pathologist) or a team of pest specialists to properly identify the organism and decide on the appropriate course of action such as the use of pesticide, biological agent or cultural management.
Weeds. To reduce weed population, a wide range of practices should be followed: proper land preparation, land leveling, water management, use of healthy and clean seeds, varieties with good early vigor, and
sound and appropriate use of agrochemicals. Weed control is critical during the first 30 to 40 days after transplanting or direct wet-seeding.
Harvest Management Key Check 8. Cut and threshed the crop at the right time.
Assessment of Key Check. Harvest/reap the crop when 1/5 or 20% of the grains at the base of the panicle are in hard dough stage. Press a grain from the base of the panicle between the thumb and forefinger to assess hard dough stage. Most of the grains in the panicle will be golden yellow.
Importance. Timely reaping and threshing ensure good grain quality, high market value, and consumer acceptance.
Reaping too early results in a larger percentage of immature grains and in lower milling recovery. Reaping too late leads to increased grain shattering and excessive losses in terms of breakage during milling.
Thresh the palay not later than one day after reaping for WS and not later than two days for DS. Use a clean thresher with the correct machine settings.
Harvest/reap at 20-25% grain moisture content in wet season and 18-21% moisture content in dry season. It is advisable to use a grain moisture meter.
Avoid piling the reaped crop in the field for more than a day as this results in heat buildup in the grain. This leads to grain discoloration and lowers the quality of milled rice.
Adjust blower to the correct speed (approx. 800 rpm) to provide good initial cleaning of the harvest. A high -speed setting of threshing drum results in higher grain damage while a low speed setting increases the amount of non-threshed grain and results in grain loss.
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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native perennial grass with potential as a biofuel crop. The smut fungus, Tilletia maclaganii (Berk.) Clint., is associated with significant biomass reduction in switchgrass in the Midwest (4), but has not been reported in the northeast United States in more than 60 years (New York in 1890 and Pennsylvania in 1946) (2,3). From 2007 to 2010, smutted panicles were observed on the majority of plants in stands of several switchgrass cultivars at the USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center in Big Flats (Chemung County), NY; in production fields of several switchgrass cultivars near Meadville (Crawford County), PA; and in an ornamental bed of switchgrass in Ithaca (Tompkins County), NY. Smutted panicles emerged 3 to 4 weeks prior to healthy panicles, had a compact, club-shaped appearance, and enlarged florets with swollen ovaries that readily released a powdery mass of odorless, rusty orange-to-dark brown teliospores when pinched. The entire caryopsis of every floret within a panicle was smutted and the infected plants appeared stunted, indicative of systemic infection. The fungus from each location was identified as T. maclaganii based on host, habit, and teliospore morphology (3). Teliospores were pale yellowish brown to reddish brown, varied from globose to slightly irregular in shape, and averaged 21 μm (18 to 25 μm) in diameter. The exospore was thick (2 to 3 μm), finely verrucose, and no sheath was present. True sterile cells, pale yellow and 10 to 18 μm in diameter, were sparsely present. Teliospores germinated and formed large (40 to 60 × 3 to 6 μm), nonconjugating basidiospores within 20 h on 2% water agar (WA). Occasionally, we also found the floret-infecting species T. pulcherrima (1) on switchgrass at very low incidence in Big Flats, NY, but it was easily distinguished from T. maclaganii. Stratified seeds (3 g) of ‘Shelter’, washed and found to be free of teliospores, were dusted with 0.04 g of teliospores of T. maclaganii isolate Tm001NY09 (Cornell Plant Pathology Herbarium Accession CUP-67931) harvested from infected ‘Shelter’ in Big Flats, NY in 2009. Inoculated and noninoculated seeds were sown in seedling trays, transplanted, and evaluated at panicle emergence. There were no symptoms on plants from noninoculated seeds. Symptoms on inoculated plants were consistent with field observations and teliospores were reisolated from infected panicles and cultured on 2% WA. Teliospores harvested from a single panicle infected with Tm001NY09 were used for culturing and DNA extraction. The fully annotated sequence of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer and 5.8S regions of this isolate were deposited in GenBank (Accession No. JF745116). Smut outbreaks in New York and Pennsylvania suggest that T. maclaganii must be managed effectively if switchgrass production is to be sustainable in the Northeast.
References: (1) L. M. Carris et al. Plant Dis. 92:1707, 2008. (2) R. Durán and G. W. Fischer. The Genus Tilletia. Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 1961. (3) D. F. Farr and A. Y. Rossman. Fungal Databases. Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA. Retrieved from http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/, May 3, 2011 (4) P. M. Thomsen et al. Online publication. doi:10.1094/PHP-2008-0317-01-RS. Plant Health Progress, 2008.


The “Lavender Porta”
The “Lavender Porta” was the dream realized by Eníd Keszthelyi and Tibor Keszthelyi.
Both are agricultural graduates, always wanting to live in Kékkút, and work in agriculture. In 2011, they planted their very first French lavender roots, brought in from Tihany, flowers of which were made into lavender syrup and lavender jelly, the following year. They started selling products in decorative hand-painted bottles (“Eníd Szávay Graphics”), at the Liliomkert Market (at the village of Káptalantóti). The market became very successful with visitors, later earning a trademark of the Balaton Uplands National Park. Encouraged by customer interest, they expanded their plantation, hoping that nearly two thousand lavender plants could meet the ever-growing demand.
Their products can be purchased not only at their home, but also at some resellers and catering venues.
At “Lavender Porta” they also work with dairy cattle, selling fresh milk, and processed dairy products.
They offer their guests dishes made from own products, and an opportunity to relax in the tree shade.
At their reception, it’s possible to organize family gatherings, class trips, quizzes, and professional meetings.


Illinois Nursery Inspection Program
The nursery program inspection staff of the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Environmental Programs inspects and certifies nearly 900 nurseries in Illinois each year. These 900 nurseries are comprised of nearly 28,000 acres of nursery stock, 4,000 acres of Christmas trees, and 11,000 acres of sod. Department inspection staff members also inspect and certify approximately 40 shipping greenhouses twice each year. At present, nearly 4,200 nursery-stock-dealers are registered annually by the Department. The inspection of these plants and plant products benefit both consumers and growers by ensuring pest-free plant stock.
Also, certain nurseries and nursery dealers may be subject to additional state and federal restrictions. These additional restrictions are a result of the establishment of state and federal quarantines or other regulatory actions due to the possible presence of specific insect pests or plant diseases. Department staff members conduct special inspections and provide certifications regarding:
- Compliance with the U.S. Domestic Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan - [http://nationalplantboard.org/japanese-beetle-harmonization-plan/]
- Compliance with Gypsy Moth compliance agreements [https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Plants/Nurseries/Documents/gypsymothcomplainceagreement.pdf]; and
- Certification of greenhouses that regularly ship internationally or to states requiring a statement of inspection.
Please use the links below to get a listing of currently licensed nursery dealers and nurserymen:
- Application for Nursery/Greenhouse Certificate
- Application for Nursery Dealer Certificate
- Phytosanitary Request Form
- PPQ FORM 525A- Application for Permit to Receive Soil
- PPQ FORM 526- Application for Permit to Move Live Plant Pests or Noxious Weeds
- PPQ FORM 585- Application for Permit to Import Timber or Timber Products
- PPQ FORM 586- Application for Permit to Transit Plants and/or Plant Products through the U.S.
- PPQ FORM 587 - Application for Permit to Import Plants or Plant Products
- PPQ FORM 588- Application for Permit to Import Prohibited Plants or Plant Products for Experimental Purposes
- PPQ FORM 621 - Application for General Permit to Engage in the Business of Importing, Exporting, or Reexporting Terrestrial Plants


Help Us Grow! by sdw5262 | Aug 16, 2018 | Farm, Student Farm Club, Uncategorized | 0 comments We are honored to be a class gift of 2018! Please consider contributing to help us establish an endowment that will enable the farm to grow into the future. Give today! Submit a Comment Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment.


The First Signs of Spring
The first rhizomes have pushed their hop bines up through the most recent snowfall, claiming the season for spring.
Don’t be too surprised if you don’t see them when you visit in the next couple of weeks. We’ll have to cut back this first growth so the second growth of the season will have double the energy and nutrients, in turn producing a higher yield.
Hop sprouts aren’t the only signs that spring is nearly here.
Our two acres of Prickless Marionberries aren’t waiting around either. You can see the first leaves forming, smaller than a pinky nail. These berry canes will hold nectar-filled blossoms our bees will forage on to produce honey for our Honey Kolsch and, later, the and the sweet, juicy berries for Marionberry Braggot.
Come April, the bees will flutter from flower to flower, capturing the true terroir of Rogue Farms.
In a few short weeks, we’ll begin stringing the hopyard. It’s impossible not to feel excited and invigorated this time of year as we get ready to roll up our sleeves and Grow the Revolution!
Join us at the Rogue Farms Chatoe Tasting Room, now open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.


NORTHEY COMMENTS ON IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORTWritten by Theresa Rose on July 25, 2017
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October.
“The hot and humid weather created stress for both crops and livestock last week, particularly in areas that have missed the recent rains. South central Iowa in very dry, with over 90 percent of top soil short or very short of moisture,” Northey said.
The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov<http://www.IowaAgriculture.gov> or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia<http://www.nass.usda.gov/ia>. The report summary follows here:
Above normal temperatures were accompanied by widely varying rainfall and some severe weather during the week ending July 23, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included hauling grain, applying herbicides and insecticides, cultivating, and haying.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 20 percent very short, 32 percent short, 45 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Over 90 percent of south central Iowa’s topsoil falls into the short to very short moisture level categories, while 99 percent of northeast Iowa’s topsoil falls into the adequate to surplus categories. Subsoil moisture levels rated 14 percent very short, 32 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Seventy-four percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the silking stage, 4 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn conditions deteriorated slightly to 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Nearly three-quarters of the soybean crop was blooming, with 30 percent of soybeans setting pods, 1 day ahead of average. Soybean condition also dropped slightly with 62 percent rated good to excellent. Oats coloring reached 89 percent, one week behind last year. Forty-one percent of oats for grain or seed have been harvested, 4 days behind last year. Oat condition rated 71 percent good to excellent. Crops were described as suffering from heat stress and lack of moisture across much of the state.
The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 90 percent complete and third cutting reached 8 percent, 5 days behind average. Hay condition rated 61 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition continued to decline with just 41 percent good to excellent. High temperatures and humidity were reported to cause normal summer heat stress to livestock, with some reports of heat-related deaths.


The FPA Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) conducted series of Accredited Safety Dispenser (ASD) trainings for the first quarter of 2020 by reaching out to the different agricultural cooperatives intending to be accredited as handlers in the remote communities of Mankayan and Bakun, Benguet.
Around 179 participants benefitted in the training and information campaign conducted. They are comprised of LGU officials, cooperative members and officials, farmers, and other community members. Individual participants who came from other cooperatives and other nearby municipalities were also accommodated.
“We hope that through the ASD trainings, we could be able to address the persisting irresponsible use of pesticides in Benguet,” the FPA CAR explained.
The field unit also said that bringing related activities in communities make government services accessible to far-flung and marginal communities. “The farmers, especially the mothers, could bring with them their children, and senior citizens, middle aged community members and barangay officials could walk-in and participate,” the field unit stated.
The FPA CAR narrates that a common site during on-site trainings is when farmers would bring with them their children while they listen to the discussions. Also, a mother could bring in dried garden pea pods and lets her child to remove the peas from their shells.
The field unit recognizes the contribution of the cooperatives and LGUs in the successful conduct of ASD trainings and information campaign. With FPA providing the technical assistance, the participants provided the other required resources such as food, venue and logistics.
The FPA CAR served the following cooperatives and LGUs through ASD trainings during the said period:
- February 11-12, 2020: Cropzone Agriculture Cooperative, Balili, Mankayan, Benguet—27 participants
- February 14-15: United Farmers of Cada Agriculture Cooperative, Balili, Mankayan, Benguet- 31 participants
- March 3-4, 2020: Dada MPC & Dada Farmers’ Food Terminal, Bakun, Benguet- 50 participants
- March 5-6, 2020: Hakbang sa Kaunlaran Association, Balili, Mankayan, Benguet- 27 participants
Moreover, an education and information campaign on the safe and effective use of fertilizer and pesticide products was conducted at Kayapa, Bakun, Benguet on 26 February 2020, in partnership with NS Northern Organic Fertilizer, Inc. and Sinochem Crop Protection Products Phils., Inc. This is also in coordination with the Barangay Local Government Unit of Kayapa, Bakun and of a new licensed dealer of FP products in the area. Eigthy participants had attended the activity.
The ASD trainings were facilitated by FPA-CAR Regional Officer Reynaldo Segismundo, and Provincial Officers Rowena Billig and Rodell Goha-od.// Rowena F. Billig


Once you’re growing a fruit tree, chances are you’ll eventually see problems occurring on the leaves, stems and/or fruit. This series of videos looks at some common fruit tree diseases and insects that affect the most common fruits gardeners grow. Often the best controls are cultural and occur early in the season.
I cover insects and diseases on apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries and citrus. Contact your local Cooperative Extension or Master Gardeners in your state for details on specific diseases and insects in your area and their control.
Written by Charlie Nardozzi.
Fruit Tree Insects
What’s Eating my Apples? Dealing with Common Apple Pests by Annette Frahm and Cisco Morris in Seattle, Washington. Cisco discusses apple maggot and codling moth insects, the damage they cause, and how to control them organically using panty hose and traps.
Codling Moths: How to Keep the Worms Away Organically by Grow Organic Peaceful Valley in California. Tips on preventing codling moth insect damage, plus organic sprays, panty hose and baits to control them.
Plum Curculio: This Could be Why You Don’t Get Fruit by James Prigioni in New Jersey. Covers the plum curculio insect, the fruits trees it attacks, the damage and why we should be concerned. Also covers organic controls, including garden sanitation, tree shaking, collecting adult insects. and kaolin clay spray.
Keeping worms out of Backyard Cherries with Spinosad Bait by Washington State University. Slide show illustrating the cherry maggot insect pest, its damage and controls using spinosad bait.
Cherry Tree Limb Spreading and Peach Tree Borers by Oklahoma Gardening. Shows how to spread the limbs of cherry trees for good crotch angles, then covers controls for the peach tree borer. Suggests chemical and organic controls.
How to Control the Peach Tree Borer with Nematodes from New Mexico State Extension. This video covers peach tree borer damage and how to use beneficial nematodes to control peach tree borer insects.
How to Control Pests and Diseases on Citrus Trees by Oxley Nursery in Australia but the pests and controls are applicable for U.S. gardeners, as well. Mostly covers the basic insect problems such as leaf miners, scale and gall wasps.
Solving Insect Problems on Citrus from Logees Greenhouses in Connecticut. A good look at the most common citrus insect pests, such as mealy bugs, scale and spider mites. Offers some good organic controls for home gardeners.
Fruit Tree Diseases
Fungus Among Us: Apple Scab and Powdery Mildew on Apples from Annette Frahm and Cisco Morris in Seattle, Washington. Cisco talks about two common apple diseases; scab and powdery mildew. He covers how to control these diseases with resistant varieties, good sanitation and good pruning.
Gummosis on Peach, Plum, Apricot and Cherry Trees by Colorado State University. Good basic slide show on what gummosis disease is, how to identify it, symptoms of the damage and how to control it.
Black Knot on Cherries and Plums by Clemson University in South Carolina. James Blake talks about black knot disease on cherries and plums, including identifying the damage, why it’s a problem and what to do to control it.
How to Prevent and Treat Fire Blight in your Organic Orchard by GrowOrganic Peaceful Valley in California. Covers fire blight disease on apples and pears, including the disease life cycle, damage and controlling this disease with proper sanitation, resistant varieties, pruning and organic sprays.
Preventing and Treating Fire Blight by Oklahoma Gardening Classics also talks about fire blight, offering more suggestions on pruning and spraying.
How to Treat Citrus Greening Disease by This Old House, based in Massachusetts. Roger talks with an expert about greening disease on citrus, causes for the disease and how home gardeners can prolong the life of the tree using pruning techniques, compost, and compost teas.
Citrus Problems by Central Florida Gardener. This video offers a quick look at nutrient problems, disease and insect damage on a variety of citrus trees with some practical home gardener controls.


Legume root nodules add nitrates to soil
All legumes have small nodules on their roots that contain many specialised bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen (not used by plants) into nitrites. These nitrites are then converted into nitrates, which are used by plants. This is an adaptation that legumes have developed that enable them to thrive in soils that are deficient in nitrates. Heavy nitrate feeders such as corn and leafy vegetables have difficulty growing in these soils.
For hundreds of years, farmers and gardeners have taken advantage of this by growing a crop of legumes to replenish soil nitrates prior to growing a crop of heavy nitrate feeders. This is a good practice, but it needs to be noted that they ploughed or dug the legume crop into the soil before it reached maturity and started to flower and produce seeds.
The Legume Myth!
So what does this mean for the backyard organic vegetable gardener? It is a myth that by growing a legume crop of beans or peas, enjoying the harvest and then digging the remaining plants back into the ground will replenish nitrates in the soil. Some benefit will be gained, but nowhere near as much as you may have thought.
The reason for this is because the legume uses the nitrates they produce for their own benefit. They use the nitrates produced for their own growth, flowering and seed development.
When you harvest the beans or peas, you are removing from that little part of the ecosystem the nitrogen that was fixed by the bacteria.
Therefore, you can definitely replace soil nitrogen using legumes. But, if your purpose for growing legumes is nitrate replenishment in the soil, consider growing a legume that you then dig into the soil before it starts to flower and produce seeds. This way you will maximise the nitrogen replenishment into the soil rather than removing it to your dinner plate.
I am an educator and passionate gardener and traveler. Throughout my adult life, gardening has been my passion, therapy, drive and source of purpose. Even as a child I had an intrinsic interest in plants and a desire to understand what makes them grow.
I distinctly remember the moment this began - my family was on one of our regular road trips from Hervey Bay; Australia. We were driving past a field of sugar cane. Dad pulled the car over and we cut a couple of sugar cane stems and brought them home for a treat. To be honest, I didn’t really like the taste, but I did want to try and grow it; and that is exactly what I did. It was then that my fascination, interest and passion for gardening and understanding plants began.
Fast forward a few years and I studied biological sciences and began what would be a 36 year career as a Biology educator. From this, I don’t only love gardening, but I also love helping others learn about gardening. I am also always looking for new ways to develop my own gardening knowledge. I like to think I am truly a life-long learner.
Fundamental to my beliefs about education is that learning is often best done as a part of a community - learning from others, and helping others to learn. It is this type of community that I hope iCultivate will be for its members - a community of gardeners, keen to share their gardening knowledge and wanting to learn about new ways to garden - a community built on the love of gardening.


Hi! I already bought the Epapillon Hortiled 93W. and I asked them about how many units I need to get a yield like the 600W. HID, they told me this:
"You need 3 to 4 pcs to get the same or better yield. (but 3 pcs should be enough so you could try this first)
If you mount 4 pcs you can mount them 20 cm over the canopy, if you mount 3 pcs you can mount them 30 cm over the canopy.
If you have a fan in your room and you direct the airflow to the LED modules the LED modules gain in performance due to the increased cooling."
Graphic with 3 LED modules:
Graphic with 4 LED modules:
- Do you think I should get a total of 3? or 4? modules to get a yield close to a 600w hid?


María Olivia Díaz
Maria Olivia Diaz grew up in the countryside in the south of Lempira, where from an early age she learned to value and respect nature. At the same time she began to look after the well being of the community in general.
After finishing elementary school she decided to study Agronomy, doing her professional internship in the field of rural extension and healthy homes with the local inhabitants of Maiquira, Lempira. By working with families and local leaders she taught them innovative techniques for improved crop production.
Right after that she entered the National Autonomous University of Honduras where she began the degree in Biology. There, she found her calling and along with investigation she wanted to share with the world the natural beauties of her country. So, she changed universities and began a degree in Ecotourism at the Metropolitana University of Honduras. With this degree she will be able to achieve a positive interaction with local communities, leaders and other key representatives by sharing her knowledge and encouraging the conservation of protected areas and its biodiversity.
Olivia has field experience in inventorying and bird monitoring and has worked as a bird guide. She offers her time and knowledge in order to promote the protection of biodiversity by training the young generations and other interested people. She believes that activities such as bird watching are an important activity to help build the economy of the country.


By Philip Blenkinsop, Reuters
The European Commission proposed revising its rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Wednesday to loosen some restrictions for plants resulting from newer gene-editing technology.
The EU executive said the move would give farmers more resilient crops and reduce the use of chemical pesticides and offer consumers food with higher nutritional value.
The commission launched a review in 2021 after concluding that GMO legislation from 2001 was "not fit for purpose". The EU's top court had ruled in 2018 that genome-editing techniques should be governed by GMO rules.
On Wednesday (local time), the commission proposed splitting new genomic technique (NGT) plants into two categories.
Those that could also occur naturally or by conventional breeding would be exempted from GMO legislation and labelling requirements. All other NGT plants would be treated as GMOs, requiring risk assessments and authorisation.
Plants will qualify for the first category if there are no more than 20 genetic modifications.
A faster track approval process would apply for the second category of plants if, for example, they were more tolerant to climate change or require less water or fertiliser.
The proposal needs approval from the European Parliament and EU governments and may be revised.
The most prominent example of the new technology is the CRISPR/Cas9 "genome scissors", for which Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Bayer, the world's second-largest seeds and pesticides maker, described the proposal as "ground-breaking".
"Plant breeding normally takes more than a decade from the first positive research results to market entry. Gene editing allows us to cut five years out of this process," said Bayer's head of sustainability Matthias Berninger.
Biotech industry group EuropaBio urged an extension of the rules to cover micro-organisms.
Environmental groups say NGT plants need careful controls and the proposal risks making European farming dependent on large agribusiness companies.
Friends of the Earth campaigner Mute Schimpf said it was essential labelling requirements remain so that consumers could make informed choices. The need to label has effectively prevented sales of GM food items to EU consumers.
This story was originally published by Reuters.


BioSwirskii, Amblyseius swirskii, Predatory mite for biological control of thrips and whiteflies
Amblyseius swirskii is a member of Phytoseiidae family of predatory mites. It is native to the eastern Mediterranean, including Israel where it is found in citrus groves. The swirskii mite is an efficient predator of young stages of the western flower thrips as well as the eggs and young nymphs of white flies. It also feeds on red spider mites as well as on broad mites. In the absence of prey it can survive on pollen and nectar from flowers.
The life-cycle of swirskii mite is similar to other predatory mites and includes: egg, larvae, 2 nymphal stages and adult. A single egg or egg cluster, of 2-6 eggs, are laid on the underside of leaf. On a pepper leaf for example, the swirskii mites lay their eggs along the main vein where it intersects with the secondary veins.
The white oval shaped eggs change their color depending on the prey the mite is feeding upon. The developmental rate of swirskii mite depends on temperature, relative humidity and type of prey available.
This beneficial mite is active and reproductive at high temperatures and high relative humidity 79°F (26°C) and 70%, respectively). It does not hibernate and functions effectively, even on short days, if temperatures allow it.
Greenhouse and outdoor vegetables, ornamentals and fruit trees
- One quart (liter) container with a hole on the lid through which the contents are dispersed.
- Each package contains ~50,000 swirski mites.
- A prey mite, Carpoglyphus lactis, is mixed with the predatory mite. The former serves as a food source in production as well as during transport and shipment of the swirski product.


You can choose your poison (so to speak.) i’ve used herbacides specifically designed to kill ivy to eradicate the english ivy in our yard. Cut the ground cover free from trees or other vegetation if necessary.
Spray the area of ivy you wish to kill, but be careful the glyphosate doesn't reach other plants you want to keep.
Killing english ivy ground cover. This also works for nutgrass, honeysuckle and other tough invasive plants. Pennsylvania sedge, wild ginger, partridge berry, christmas fern, or allegheny. English ivy is difficult to kill with herbicides alone because the plant's leaves contain a waxy barrier that is difficult for products to penetrate.
Apply borax to kill ground ivy If you are wondering how to kill an ivy plant, you will find some help below. Glyphosate is the chemical that works most effectively to kill english ivy.
Once english ivy is removed from the ground, you can replace it with another, less aggressive ground cover. A sufficiently thick layer will deprive the ivy of light, air, and water and, in time, kill it. Where possible, the stems should be cut back to the ground and the woody stump dug out.
Ivy’s resilience and lush growth make killing english ivy or removing ivy from trees a difficult task, but not an impossible one. Cut the ground cover stems to 1 to 2 inches above the ground on a dry day when the plants are actively growing. When grown as a climbing vine, it can scale a structure 50 to 100 feet high, and it can spread the same distance.
In areas with little or no grass, this is an ideal natural strategy for ground ivy eradication. Here is a tip on the eradication of english ivy, if the plant are the size of the ones i killed on my mother's acreage. As an unwanted ground cover.
4 continue to cut and pull runners from the lawn or landscape until what remains are several vines sticking up. The same traits that make english ivy (hedera helix) a wonderful ground cover can also make it a pain to remove from your yard. And it's great therapy too!
The leaves have to be bruised and broken to ally it to penetrate. If proximity to the tree’s roots prevents removal, regular cutting of the stems to ground level may weaken the ivy over time but is unlikely to kill it. A heavy pair of shoes will do the trick.
Herbicides are harmful to desired plants, but you can apply them carefully so they only kill ground cover plants. The main vines were 4 to 5 inches through and went to the top of 100 foot trees. The salt will kill the roots of the english ivy plant so that it does not grow back.
I took a portable drill and drilled a couple holes in the vine, about 3/8 of an inch in diameter and about 2 to 3 inches deep, at a. Vinegar to kill english ivy: Therefore, the most effective method.
The herbicide should contain glyphosate, triclopyr, imazapyr, or a combination of the three. English ivy is considered an invasive plant in many areas because it takes over areas so well. You can mow ivy groundcover to ground level several times a year to slowly kill the spreading vine.
To kill ground ivy in these areas, cover the ivy with a black plastic tarp and weigh down the edges to block all sunlight and water from reaching the plant. This should kill the ground ivy entirely within 4 weeks. Luckily, the natural and environmentally friendly combination of salt and vinegar can help homeowners and gardeners kill this plant.
You can also use newspapers, boxes, or black plastic sheeting in place of mulch. For better results, when english ivy has 2 to 4 fresh leaves, add the weed killer in the spring. One way is to cover the entire area where the ivy grows on the ground with a heavy mulch of dead grass, leaves, or other material.
Remove it from the trees. Dig up all stems and woody roots. Roundup will kill english ivy quickly.
When the season continues, english ivy appears less and less prone to glyphosate. English ivy can be killed with a simple vinegar and salt solution. You can accomplish this by stomping and grinding the plants down.
English ivy in trees can be killed by cutting the stems at the ground and removing the vines from the tree as high as you can easily reach. With a pair of thick gardening gloves, pull out any english ivy, making sure to remove all of the roots. An alternative is to use products such as dawn dish soap to create an english ivy killer.
Add salt, and stir until the salt has dissipated in the vinegar. The remaining vines in the tree will die and eventually fall off. After you cut the ivy, you’ll want to follow up with an herbicide to kill english ivy.


Location: 152± acres of prime cultivation located 5 miles North of Trent and 5.5 miles Southwest of Noodle on FM 2660. Nicely located just West of Abilene!
Acreage: 152+/- acres, all in cultivation.
Water: Property has 1 well for livestock and coop water along FM 2660.
Soil Type & Topography: Property is Level to nearly level. The soil is mostly Miles fine sandy loam and Miles Complex and known to be productive and capable of growing all locally grown crops. For a soil map, please CLICK HERE.
FSA Program: The property is eligible to receive any qualified FSA programs if available.
Utilities: Electricity is available on the Farm to market road.
Fencing: This property has 5 barbed wire fence on steel posts.
Minerals: Seller does not know how much of the mineral estate he owns, but will sell all owned.
Buyer’s Agent must be identified on first contact & must accompany buying prospect on all showings to be allowed full participation. If this condition is not met, fee participation will be at the sole discretion of Ekdahl Real Estate. No trespassing. Seller’s agent must be present for showings.


Siobhan very kindly brought us in some strawberry seeds to plant today. We learned that seeds need soil, water and light to grow. The strawberry seeds were tiny so we had to be very careful when sowing them in our pots. We remembered that the pumpkin seeds that we planted at Halloween were a lot bigger. We have put our seeds on the window sill and we will water them everyday and (fingers crossed!) they will start to grow soon.


BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of BDO Unibank, Inc. has partnered with the National University (NU) to further bring financial education to Filipino farmers nationwide.
NU, in a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BDO Foundation, has agreed to develop simple accounting and bookkeeping modules for farmers. NU faculty members will then use these modules to train the farmers in communities to be identified by the Foundation.
“Countless farmers still experience financial hardship partly because they lack financial education. They are skilled in crop production but they are not able to grow their business because they don’t know much about the financial side of farming. They do not know how to budget or differentiate between disposable income and what should be plowed back to production. Because of this, they are always in need of fresh funds and become victims of predatory lending,” BDO Foundation president Mario A. Deriquito said.
“With the help of NU, farmers will learn simple accounting, bookkeeping, and even budgeting and financial planning,” Mr. Deriquito added.
Through this partnership, BDO Foundation hopes to give local farmers the opportunity to grow their business, alleviate themselves from poverty, and most of all improve financial literacy and inclusion in the country.
“This collaboration is meant to further develop the education that we provide our students, as it cuts across not just academics, but also research, and community engagement,” NU president Renato Carlos H. Ermita Jr., for his part, said.
Selected senior students from NU’s College of Business and Accountancy will likewise be involved in the program, as observers during the training, and as researchers, who will monitor the progress of the farmers and the effectiveness of the training.
“We are very excited with this partnership because it does not only allow us to apply our academic theories in the real world; it also helps us develop our students into well-rounded individuals. It teaches them the value of helping their fellow Filipinos,” NU vice president for Academics Rachel Roxas added.
Moving forward, BDO Foundation and NU will also collaborate on other projects such a capacity-building program for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in coordination with BDO subsidiary One Network Bank, a research project to support the Foundation’s financial education for public schools, and other similar initiatives.
Banner photo:Officers of BDO Foundation and National University sign a Memorandum of Understanding to develop simple accounting and bookkeeping modules for farmers, thereby giving them the opportunity to grow their business and, more importantly, improve their financial literacy. Contributed photo


Vigoro All-Purpose Potting Mix has been specially blended to be used in containers and pots, indoors or out. This mix, certified by the Mulch and Soil Council, retains moisture to help out your fruit, flowers, vegetables. The Vigoro All-Purpose Potting Mix also continuously feeds for up to 9 months.
- For fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs
- Retains moisture for less watering
- 9-months continuous feeding
- All-purpose potting mix
- Specially blended for indoor and outdoor containers and pots
- Invigorate your lawn or garden with a wide assortment of exclusive Vigoro products.


We started this business a few years ago after a call to “return to life in nature” led to the purchase of an apple orchard as well as the chestnut farm next door. We decided to start small and head to Sydney with one farm stand to sell our apples and a handful of other vegetables. As we shared our story and demand grew, we began connecting with our neighbors and farm friends to supply more and more stock. Our one stand grew to several stands as well as an online store with home deliveries. .
We cut out the middleman to ensure that our farmers get up to 100% more for the produce they grow and we work with real people that we know, like, and trust to deliver the freshest produce picked at peak ripeness.
We have you, the customer, and our community in mind with everything we do. That’s why we donate 10% of all online sales to local charities. We believe that our work is about changing the health and wealth of this world, one bite at a time!
- What’s On
- Out & About


Growers take over factory operations at Sydney, MT, plant.
Growers shipping to the Holly Sugar Corporation factory in Sydney, MT, have recently taken over factory operations because of low temperatures and possible frost damage in early October.
Terry Cayko, vice president of the Montana-Dakota Beet Growers Association, says growers are paying all expenses but are receiving 100 percent of both sugar and by-products. He explains the company sought not to take risks with possible storage problems in the frozen crop.
Cayko says temperatures dropped to the teens Oct. 5 and held there for three days until dropping into the single digits Oct. 8. They then jumped to the mid-20s Oct. 9. He says growers had harvested about 40 percent of the crop as of Oct. 4.
But the damage may not be as extensive as growers feared. Cayko explains the beets look good. They are processing the portion of the crop harvested after Oct. 5 before those harvested prior to that date. He says the average yield is around 22.5 tons per acre with a sugar rate at around 18.4 percent. Cayko says the factory was recovering over 19 percent sugar from beets dug before the frost.
Cayko says it will take the factory about 90 days to slice the frozen beets. He says processing should go well as long as temperatures stay below 25 degrees during November, December and January when they are stored.


Global Food Security
An innovative seed industry is essential for sustainable growth in crop yields. However, recent mergers and takeovers in the global seed industry have attracted much debate in terms of their potential to stifle competition and innovation. A recent OECD study has collected new detailed information on the degree of concentration in markets for seed across a broad range of crops and countries. These data allow a more informed debate on the extent, causes, and potential effects of market concentration. The data indicate important differences across crops and countries in the level of concentration, but show no systemic evidence for harmful effects on prices or innovation.
Many developing economies suffer from a lack of reliable rainfall measurements due to a lack of funds and a shortage of equipment – such as gauges and radars. Even if countries are equipped with these monitoring instruments, they all have limitations. Rain gauges, meteorological instruments that collect falling water drops, only provide a very local observation. However, the intensity of rainfall can be completely different from one location to another, sometimes even if it's less than a few hundreds of metres away. Radars use radio waves to get precipitation estimates but they may not always be efficient. For example, their beams might get blocked in mountainous regions.
Kenya faces one of the most challenging years when it comes to food security. According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation, food security is achieved. when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic knocked on its door, the country faced a devastating desert locust invasion. This added to constraints posed by excessive rainfall experienced from October 2019. The worst food insecurity that Kenya has faced in recent years was in 2017 and 2008. The food production deficit and food prices were their highest ever in these years.
[学术文献] The influence of crop insurance agents on coverage choices: The role of agent competition 进入全文
We examine how competition among crop insurance agents affects coverage choice in the federal crop insurance program. Agents may influence producers’ insurance decisions to maximize their total compensation. We develop a theoretical model of producer–agent interaction to examine how loss potential, agent compensation mechanisms, and market competition affect the coverage level selected. Using crop insurance unit‐level datasets from five states, we find evidence that agent market concentration and agents’ market share matter in the insurance coverage decisions of producers but that the economic significance of the influence is relatively small. Agent influence over coverage level, premium, and liability choice is generally positive but inconsistent across states, which may be attributable to differences in loss risk and agent compensation mechanisms.
[学术文献] Measurement errors in agricultural data and their implications on marginal returns to modern agricultural inputs 进入全文
The low uptake of modern agricultural technologies in sub‐Saharan African countries has encouraged researchers to revisit the returns to (or profitability of) these agricultural inputs. A related strand of literature is exploring the allocative efficiency of these factors of production in African agriculture. However, all these studies rely on self‐reported agricultural data, which are prone to nonclassical measurement errors, the errors in these data are correlated with the true values of variables of interest. In this article we investigate the implication of measurement errors in self‐reported agricultural input and production data on marginal returns to these modern agricultural inputs. We consider a generic two‐sided measurement error problem where both production and inputs can be measured with error, and these errors can be correlated. We employ both self‐reported and objective measures of production and plot size to compute output elasticities under these alternative measurement scenarios. We find that using self‐reported production and plot size overestimates output elasticities and hence marginal returns to modern agricultural inputs (including chemical fertilizer and improved seed). These results are noteworthy in terms of informing conventional technology diffusion strategies as well as in view of revisiting existing presumptions about the profitability of modern agricultural inputs.
Global Food Security
Many governments subsidize agricultural insurance for farmers. There are several reasons behind these subsidies, some having to do with market failures that constrain the development of private insurance markets, and some having more overt political and social objectives. While there would appear to be many contexts in which subsidized agricultural insurance has the potential to offer attractive benefits, experience shows that once introduced, well known challenges with the design and operation of agricultural insurance programs, poor design of subsidies, plus political dynamics can all contribute to disappointing results, an expensive draw on government budgets, and the creation of disincentive problems that lead to significant economic costs and inefficiencies, and in some circumstances, to environmental degradation. To avoid these problems, any insurance subsidy needs to be carefully designed to be “smart”, in the sense that it is cost effective in achieving its underlying purpose, minimizes disincentive problems, and does not become a growing financial burden on the government. Also, before subsidizing insurance, governments should first ensure that the basic public goods needed to create an enabling environment for insurance are in place, without which insurance markets cannot be expected to work well nor subsidies to achieve their intended purposes. This paper discusses these issues and proposes some best practice guidelines for the design and implementation of subsidized agricultural insurance.