Archives for June 2022

Sign Up By June 30 to Receive the 2022 Census of Agriculture

Sign up to be counted, agcensus counts

Agricultural producers who did not receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture and do not receive other USDA surveys or censuses have until June 30 to sign up to receive the 2022 Census of Agriculture. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail ag census survey codes for responding securely online to every known U.S. producer this November. Hard copy questionnaires will follow in December.

The ag census, conducted for over 180 years, remains the only source of comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. It includes every operation – large or small, urban or rural – from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products are produced and sold, or would normally be produced and sold, in the ag census year.

“The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them,” said Bruce Eklund, state statistician of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), New Jersey Field Office. “Every response is important. The Census of Agriculture is only taken once every five years and documents the value of America’s rural and urban farmers and ranchers. When it comes to Agriculture, people seek information about the local level. Help us document the importance of agriculture in your area.”

On the NASS webpage, producers can also access frequently asked questions, explore past and current ag census data, access tools to help spread the word about the upcoming ag census, learn about ag census special studies, and more.

NASS builds its distribution list for every Census of Agriculture between and during ag census through the official sign-up webpage and multiple National Agricultural Classification Surveys. To learn more about the 2022 Census of Agriculture, visit their website or call the NASS New Jersey Field Office at 503-308-0404.

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NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is committed to providing timely, accurate and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Upcoming Parasite Management Webinar for Sheep and Goat Producers

 

 

 

Cucurbit powdery mildew control in 2023

Cucurbit powdery mildew (CPM), caused by Podosphaera xanthii, is one the most important diseases of cucurbit crops throughout the world. The pathogen is an obligate parasite, just like cucurbit downy mildew, meaning it needs a living host in order to survive. In northern regions that have a killing frost in the fall the pathogen will die out when the crop freezes. Not being able to overwinter, the pathogen must be re-introduced each spring or summer in the mid-Atlantic region. The pathogen accomplishes this by re-infecting cucurbit crops in the spring as they are planted up the east coast starting in Florida, then the Carolina’s, Virginia, and so forth. By late May, as soon as cucurbit crops begin to germinate in the mid-Atlantic region, the potential threat for potential powdery mildew infections begin. [Read more…]

NJ Bag Ban Update Impacting Direct Market Farms

We have continued to receive questions and comments about the NJ Bag Ban and its impact on farm markets. These questions and comments have been specifically focused on the fact that the ban does not clearly state what types of plastic bags can be used to bag exempted items, including produce. We have received mixed communication about the use of t-shirt style bags for exempted items. The original PPA post on the ban has been updated to reflect this lack of clarity about the enforcement of the bag ban on exempted items. We encourage farms using t-shirt style bags to communicate with their municipality or county, depending on who will be enforcing this ban at their sales locations, to find out how enforcement personnel plan to interpret the law. The law states that those who are out of compliance with the ban will be given a warning for a first offence, a $1000 per day fine for a second offence, and a $5000 a day fine per day for third and subsequent offences. We hope official guidance from DEP will be forthcoming to clarify the law section pertaining to plastic bags for exempted items. Information on the bag ban from the state can be found online.

Vegetable IPM Update 6/15/22

Sweet Corn

Low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths continue to be captured, and feeding in whorl stage corn is rising.  The highest adult activity is currently Hunterdon County (see map below at right).  ECB injury over 60% of plants infested has been found in southern Hunterdon County this week.  While this level of feeding is unusually high, ECB has become something of a local phenomenon in NJ, and growers should not assume that feeding is below economic levels in their area.   It is typical for feeding percentages to rise as the moth catch declines.  We expect feeding to increase for the next 1-2 weeks before peaking.

Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo  below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample.  As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left)It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time.  This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.

 

Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen or Vantacor (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen.  Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn.  Control with these materials is very inconsistent.

The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/15/22 are as follows:

Sergeantsville   2 Dayton   1 Pedricktown   1
Bellemeade   1 Downer   1 Pennington   1
Califon   1 Folsom   1 Port Murray   1
Crosswicks   1 Milltown   1 South Branch   1

[Read more…]

Tree Fruit IPM Report for June 15, 2022

Peach:

Bacterial Spot: Bacterial spot fruit symptoms are increasing statewide. The first infections occurred during the mothers day storm. So far levels of fruit infection are very low however we still have not yet seen the development of symptoms from recent rain events. Leaf symptoms appear after 1 week and fruit symptoms take 3 weeks to appear. Growers should continue to manage aggressively to suppress infections. Fruit will become less susceptible to infection at pit hardening which is occurring now.

Oriental Fruit Moth: A biofix point for OFM was set on 4/11 in southern counties, and on 4/14 in northern counties. The second generation timings are updated below.

Insecticide Type
County/Region Degree Days by  6/8 base 45 Conventional

1150-1200 1450-1500

Diamide

1075-1150 1375-1450

Gloucester – Southern 1142 1st –6/14-6/16

2nd –too far off

1st –6/12-6/15

2nd –too far off

Middlesex – Northern 1064 1st –6/18-6/21

2nd –too far off

1st –6/15-6/18

2nd –too far off

 

Plum Curculio; Tarnished Plant Bugs; and Other Catfacing Insects: Plum Curculio start to move into orchards at about 88-100 degree days base 50 after January 1. Applications for PC should be initiated once all petals are off, with a second application made with ovicidal materials at 379-402 DD. Growers can monitor degree day development at their site by finding the nearest weather station and using the degree day development tool at NEWA. PC activity should be over or decreasing except in high pressure orchards. Catfacing insect activity is increasing with the arrival of hot weather and is present at moderate to high levels in some orchards.

Lesser Peach Tree Borer and Peach Tree Borer: Lesser Borer adults are flying in all growing regions. Greater Peach tree borers are now flying in southern counties.

Apples and Pears:

Diseases: Fire blight and Scab are present at low levels in a few orchards. Fire Blight should be cut out using the ugly stub method. Summer scab, rots and sooty blotch and fly speck are the main targets at this stage. Where scab is present rely primarily on protectant fungicides. Last year Captan plus a phosphorous acid like Prophyt was observed to slow scab development as well as provide good summer disease control.

Codling Moth (CM): The first codling moth flight is over. If trap captures are above 5 moths/trap continue using effective materials. A biofix was set for CM on April 25th in southern counties, and May 6 in Northern counties (Middlesex County).

Codling Moth Degree Day Timing
Application and Insecticide Type
County Area Biofix Rimon:

75-100DD + 14-17 days later

 

Intrepid

150 + 450 DD

Diamides – Altacor, Voliam mixes: (150-200 DD) + 14-21 days later

Cyd-X, Madex

250 DD + every 7-9 days during brood hatch (later if first spray is an IGR)

Standard Insecticides –  Delegate, Avaunt, OP’s, carbamates, pyrethroids

250 DD + 550 DD

 

DD 75 100 150 450 250 250 550
Southern April 25 past past past past past past past
Northern May 6 past past past past past past past

Grapes:

Diseases: Grape diseases active at this growth stage are phomopsis, powdery mildew, downy mildew, ripe rot, and black rot.

Phomopsis on grape leaves and cane. (Photo – D. Schmitt)

Black rot leaf lesion on grape (Photo – D. Schmitt)

Phomopsis and downy mildew symptoms are present in southern counties. Black rot symptoms have not yet been observed but should appear any time now. Disease infection periods can be monitored using the NEWA models. Choose the weather station closest to your vineyard.

Insects: Leafhoppers have been seen in a few spots. This complex is generally not of concern. Potato leafhoppers, which arrive sometime in June, can cause some minor damage. Spotted Lantern Fly nymphs are present in high numbers on many vineyards. These nymphs do little damage and generally don’t need special treatments when present. Even so, vineyards should be monitored for SLF presence and if they are found use an insecticide effective for SLF when treating for Grape Berry Moth.

Downy Mildew on grape Leaves. (Photo – D. Schmitt)

Grape Berry Moth (GBM): The biofix in southern counties for GBM was  5/25. Model timing will predict IGR and diamide materials for the second generation. The first generation is not really important in cultivated grapes. Timing for the second generation treatments using Diamides or Intrepid is set at 810 degree days base 470F. Other materials may be applied a few days later. Given the current weather patterns, this should be about the late June/early July in southern counties.

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Southern Counties

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/9/2022 2 0 0
4/16/2022 0 2 3
4/23/2022 11 0 0 28 5 0 0
4/30/2022 5 0 1 31 4 0 0
5/7/2022 5 1 3 50 4 0 0
5/14/2022 8 5 3 19 2 0 0
5/21/2022 3 5 5 20 2 7 3
5/28/2022 0 19 3 13 0 11 36
6/4/2022 0 10 3 5 1 13 49 0
6/11/2022 0 9 2 6 36 0 8 47 3

 

Tree  Fruit Trap Counts – Northern Counties

Weekending STLM TABM-A CM BMSB OFM-A DWB OFM-P TABM-P LPTB PTB
4/9/2022
4/16/2022 0 0 1
4/23/2022 0 0 2 0
4/30/2022 0 0 2.5 0
5/7/2022 0 1 4 0
5/14/2022 1 2 0 5 0.5 0 0
5/21/2022 6 8 4 27 2 5 6 5 0
5/28/2022 34 19 3 6 13 1 23 15 0
6/4/2022 17 21 4 4 11 1 27 17 0
6/11/2022 22 25 2 1 4 0 30 9 0

 

Pest Event or Growth Stage Approximate Date 2022 Observed Date
 Bud Swell (Redhaven)  March 23 +/- 15 Days March 20
1/4″ Green Tip Red Delicious March 31 +/- 13 Days March 21
Pink Peach (Redhaven) April 4 +/- 15 Days March 31
Tight Cluster Red Delicious April 9 +/- 13 Days March 31
Full Bloom Peach (Redhaven) April 9 +/- 14 Days April 10
Pink Apple (Red Delicious) April 14 +/- 12 Days April 14
Full Bloom Apple (Red Delicious) April 22 +/- 11 Days April 21
Petal Fall (Redhaven) April 22 +/- 10 Days April 14
Petal Fall (Red Delicious) April 27 +/- 13 Days May 3
Shuck Split (Redhaven) April 30 +/- 11 Days April 26
Pit Hardening June 15 +/- 9 Days June 10