The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that additional specialty crops, including nursery crops and cut flowers, are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and that the deadline to apply for the program is extended to September 11th. [Read more…]
August 11, 2020 Rick VanVranken
USDA Announces More Specialty Crops, Nursery Crops, Cut Flowers Eligible for CFAP Payments
July 20, 2020 William Errickson
Managing Heat Stress in Nursery and Landscape Plants
With temperatures approaching or exceeding 95oF for many areas of the state, there is potential for heat stress to negatively impact nursery and landscape plants both in the ground and in containers. Most trees and shrubs in our area can begin to experience some degree of heat stress when temperatures exceed 85oF. Several factors can influence the extent of heat stress injury, including the severity and duration of high temperatures, relative humidity, wind, soil moisture status, the age and condition of the plant, and how well the particular species of plant is adapted to dealing with these conditions.
Leaf Scorch on Japanese Maple caused by heat stress. Photo Credit.
Heat stress can cause damage to the leaves, resulting in dried or curled edges, as well as reddish or pale coloration as the green chlorophyll pigment begins to break down. This damage may only be superficial, but in some cases it could cause serious injury and death of the leaf tissue. One factor that greatly affects the severity of tissue damage caused by heat stress is the hydration status of the plant before the onset of extreme temperatures.
Plants will naturally dissipate heat through the process of transpiration, provided there is adequate moisture in the soil to support this function. During periods of extreme temperatures, the roots will struggle to draw enough water from the soil to keep up with the rate of water vapor that is exiting the leaves through transpiration. This leads to symptoms such as leaf scorch, curled leaves, discoloration, defoliation, die-back, and temporary wilting. Because the plant is experiencing stress and a disruption in its normal physiological functions, it becomes more susceptible to insect and disease problems.
There are several preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the impacts of heat stress in nursery and landscape plants.
- Thoroughly water plants either in the evening or in the early morning before extreme temperatures occur. Water the plants deeply and use irrigation methods that minimize leaf wetness to reduce the potential for foliar diseases.
- Properly mulch plants to conserve water in the soil and help lower soil temperatures. Bark mulch, leaf mulch, straw, and other organic mulches will help to lower the temperature in the root zone, while gravel mulches can actually increase root zone temperatures. Be sure to provide additional water to newly mulched plants to prevent dry mulch from taking moisture away from the roots.
- Avoid fertilization during periods of heat stress because this can absorb moisture in the root zone and further contribute to dehydration of the plant.
- Avoid applying herbicides that can volatilize in high temperatures and drift, causing damage to non-target species.
- Pay special attention to plantings that are located next to driveways, concrete patios, or other structures that can absorb and radiate additional heat to the plants. These areas will likely require additional irrigation.
Additional Resources:
How to Protect Trees and Other Landscape Plants from Heat Stress
May 27, 2020 Rick VanVranken
Specialty Crops Producers Can Now Apply for Financial Assistance Through USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service sent this bulletin at 05/26/2020 03:31 PM EDT
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2020-–Specialty crops producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides direct payments to offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. The application and a payment calculator are now available online and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff members are available via phone, fax and online tools to help producers complete applications. The agency set up a call center in order to simplify how they serve new customers across the nation. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020.
Through CFAP, USDA is making available $16 billion for vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.
We also want to remind producers that the program is structured to ensure the availability of funding for all eligible producers who apply. In order to do this, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date nationwide, as funds remain available.
Producers can download the CFAP application and other eligibility forms from farmers.gov/cfap. Also, on that webpage, producers can find a payment calculator to help identify sales and inventory records needed to apply and calculate potential payments.
Additionally, producers in search of one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. This is a good first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.
Applying for Assistance
Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Those who use the online calculator tool will be able to print off a pre-filled CFAP application to sign and submit to your local FSA office either electronically or via hand delivery. Please contact your local office to determine the preferred method. Producers can find contact information for their FSA county office by visiting farmers.gov/CFAP and using the Find Your Local Service Center tool at the bottom of the page.
Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested after the application is filed. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed.
Additional Commodities
USDA is also establishing a process for the public to identify additional commodities for potential inclusion in CFAP. Specifically, USDA is looking for data on agricultural commodities, that are not currently eligible for CFAP, that the public believes to have either:
- suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
- shipped but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channel, or
- not left the farm or remained unharvested as mature crops.
More information about this process is available on farmers.gov/cfap.
More Information
To find the latest information on CFAP, visit farmers.gov/cfap or call 877-508-8364.
USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.
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