Missouri Alternatives Center's Bimonthly Electronic Newsletter 800-433-3704 "AG OPPORTUNITIES" May-June 2001 (Vol 11 No 6) * Small Farms * New Family Farms * Agricultural Alternatives Developing an IPM Monitoring Program (From IPM Solutions, produced by GEMPLER'S, Inc., ) Maintaining an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program requires some important steps if you want to make it work. It's important to monitor your plants and crops on a regular basis and to frequently test your soil. Insect traps and sweep nets are handy tools when monitoring for insect pests. However, many growers have little time and end up hiring a crop consultant to do the monitoring. This Tip Sheet will help you understand what it takes to start an IPM program or how you can make your current program work better for you. Why should you monitor your plants? Conducting frequent visual inspections of your plants and crops gives you a good indication of pest activity and population, provides you with up-to-date information on the health of your plants, and allows you to make proper pest management decisions. When monitoring, you should check often for insect pests, weeds, disease, weather damage, or nutrient deficiencies that may kill or stunt the growth of your plants. An effective monitoring program also includes keeping accurate written data on soil types, fertility levels, history of pest problems including the exact timing, and location of each pest occurrence and past control measures. You can keep track of weather conditions by using on-site weather stations and information provided by your county Extension agent or local weather service. Understanding climatic conditions can help you determine why certain pest problems are occurring. In the long run, monitoring can save you money on pesticides by allowing you to make better decisions on when to spray or not to spray. The importance of checking your soil IPM monitoring includes making frequent checks of soil conditions. Soil lacking in nutrients, pH and other factors will not be able to support plants. Conducting tests on soil samples will help you determine if it is necessary to apply fertilizer, lime or other chemicals. Before taking soil samples in a field, keep in mind that your soil will probably not be the same in all areas. There could be differences in soil texture, appearance, wetness or salt content. Therefore, you should break your field down into smaller areas with similar soil conditions, then randomly take 15 to 20 samples from each area. The test results should help you determine the deficiencies in your soil and what action you should take. Be sure to keep a written record of the area where each soil sample was taken for future use. Another factor to consider is compaction, in which soil pores are reduced in size by heavy foot traffic, equipment, or excessive rainfall, robbing plants of the air, water and fertilizers they need in order to grow. You can reduce compaction by never working in wet soil, varying the cultivation depth each year, installing flotation tires, dual tires or tracks on equipment, and using shrubs, mulch or fences as borders to reduce foot traffic. Using insect traps The use of insect traps can help you determine the number of pests that may be present. There are several types of traps including pheromone traps in which sexually attractive odors are used to lure male insects, "sticky" traps, "visual" traps that attract certain insects by their color and shape, and black light traps. Insect traps offer several advantages: ˇThey work 24 hours a day. ˇThey indicate problem areas where pests are present so you don't have to treat all of your plants. ˇThey help you decide the best possible time to apply pesticides for maximum effectiveness. ˇThey may reduce your use of pesticides, which can mean lower operating costs and a reduction in health risks and liability if your employees or neighbors are exposed to harmful chemicals. Using sweep nets Another effective tool that can help determine the extent of insect pest problems on your plants is the sweep net. Sweep nets look like butterfly or fishing nets, only the handle is longer and the net is made of more heavy-duty material (normally cotton muslin or sailcloth). The net is swept back and forth, and the insects captured in the net are counted to determine if the levels present indicate a need to apply pesticides. Sweep nets can be used to capture various insects such as weevils, leafhoppers, stink bugs and aphids that may be present on crops including alfalfa, blueberries, carrots, cotton, potatoes, soybean and wheat. Hiring a crop consultant If it's not possible to put someone in charge of your pest monitoring program and if you are not able to do it yourself, you may want to hire a crop consultant. But in order to find the best person for the job, there are some important points to consider: The consultant's responsibilities: Will the person you hire scout your fields once a week, make treatment recommendations to you, and then carry out the treatment? Will the consultant frequently use less experienced employees to do the work, and if so, how much supervision will those workers receive? Furthermore, will the consultant fit your philosophy and managerial style? Compensation: Consultants may charge from $5-$30 an acre, depending on where they are located. Some growers with smaller fields may pay more for a consultant than those with larger fields. Contact crop consultants in your area, find out the fees they charge for each specific service, then get it in writing. Your local farm co-op or Extension agent may also be able to help you with some of that information. Experience: Find out the educational background and hands-on experience of each consultant you are considering hiring. According to the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC), a Certified Professional Crop Consultant is required to have at least a bachelor's degree and six years of field experience (or five years' experience with a Master's degree or four years' experience with a Ph.D.). A Certified Crop Advisor must have at least a high school diploma and four years of field experience (or three years' experience with an associate degree or two years' experience with a bachelor's degree). Also, find out the types of technology and methodology the consultant will use when making recommendations. Do's and Don'ts of IPM Monitoring Do: oMake frequent visual checks of your plants to determine the presence of pests. oTest the fertility of your soil to determine if it can support your crops. oUse insect traps and sweep nets to capture pests so you will know when it is necessary to apply pesticides. Don't: oDon't hire a crop consultant until you know his/her fees, experience and responsibilities. oDon't forget to keep written data on your IPM monitoring program. oDon't apply pesticides without first using insect traps, sweep nets, and/or other method to determine the number of pests you have. Note: This Tip Sheet is for general guidance only. Contact your county Extension agent or land grant university for more specific information on developing an IPM monitoring program. GEMPLER'S, Inc, 100 Countryside Dr, PO Box 270, Belleville, WI 53508, 1-800-332-6744, www.ipmalmanac.com Principle Objectives of a New Value Chain 1.Create new partnerships among farmers, processors and retailers 2.Identity preservation of food products and food story from farm to table. 3.Market the farm instead of farming the market. Hartman Report - people pay 20% more for food that is sold with a story. Fred Kirschenmann, Director, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. From keynote speech at the North Central Small Farm Workshop held in Springfield, IL on March 21-23, 2001 National Small Farm Trade Show and Conference Nov 1-3, 2001- Columbia, MO Features of this year's show include: Seminars-hand spinning wool; produce auction; cold frames; controlling small predators; diversifying your crops; agri-tourism; elk, cooperative hog marketing; meat goats; food circles; weeder geese; free range turkeys; agroforestry; poultry Short Courses-sheep and turkeys; fruit tree production; pizza farming; and beef co-op Farmers Forum-seed saving; straw bale beds; Asian vegetables; organic berry production; soybean wax candles; compost tea; bush cherries; organic beef production plus many more demonstrations; exhibitions; panels; association meetings and more... Green Hills Farm Project Tours The Green Hills Farm Project is a small group of farming families in Northern MO, who banded together to: o insure survival on the farm o maintain and improve the ecological viability of their land o enhance their overall quality of life The biggest part is being willing to share. Being willing to open up to others. Willing to learn, share, and help. This is what the group means to us. Please be prompt to the tours. All tours include a potluck meal. Bring a side dish. Host will provide the main dish and drink. May 17-Jordan & Anne Bentley, Bucklin, MO-pastured poultry and turkey, pastured lamb and beef. Call 660-695-3482. June 21-Eric & Hope Bright, Bucklin, MO- rotational grazing system with dairy cattle, greenhouse vegetables, fruit trees, berries and vegetables. Call 660-965-3567. July 19-John & Nan Wood, Monticello, MO- cattle. Call 573-767-5397. Aug 16-Michael Sallee, Meadville, MO-cattle. Call 660-938-4400. Sept 20-David Schafer & Alice Dobbs, Jamesport, MO-homesteading, marketing meat, cattle and chickens. Call 660-359-6545. Oct 18-Stephen Helpingstine, Ethel, MO-cattle. Call 660-486-3305. Nov 15-Jim & Dawn Gerrish, Brookfield, MO-MIG cattle system. Call 660-895-5121. Herb Grower Days Frontier Natural Products Co-op will be presenting a number of workshops this growing season. All workshops will be held at their organic research farm in Norway, IA. For more information, call 800-729-5422 x 1373. Aug 18-HerbFest Intensive: Cultivation and Ethnobotanical Use of Native Prairie Medicinals Sept 27-Grower to Grower: Large-scale Production Systems Sept 27-Herb Disease and Insect Problems Sept 28-Forming an Herb Cooperative In the News The Missouri Goat Marketing Committee will hold two internet goat auctions this year. A minimum of 500 goats are needed to make a complete truck load. The dates are: Sale Date June 14, 2001 June 19, 2001 Delivery Date Dec 6, 2001 Dec 11, 2001 If you are interested in knowing more, call David Johnson of Equity at 800-362-3989. (Marketing Program Newsletter Livestock-Goats, March 2001) Small producers who want to incorporate the web into their businesses may be interested in the online course, "Internet Marketing: Food and Fiber Products." Taught by Greg White through the Univ of ME web site, the course starts students with an introduction on the web, followed by site design and techniques on how to market their food products online. The course is taught entirely via the web site, so out-of-state course fees do not apply. For more info call 207-581-3159 or http://webct.umaine.edu/public/REP466/index.html Education Key to Sustainable Agriculture Adoption Poll: Over half of all large conventional farmers have considered sustainable alternatives. But over a third say they don't know how a sizable number of American farmers are looking for sustainable alternatives to high-input farming - the type of farming that features heavy use of pesticides and commercial fertilizer to get the most short-term output from the soil. The Trends in Ag 2000 study found that almost one-fourth (23%) of all U.S. farmers say they use sustainable farming as their primary production system. And, over half (52%) of all conventional farmers say that they have considered using sustainable practices. The study was conducted for APA by The Gallup Organization, and was co-sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation with assistance from the Alpha Zeta Foundation. The national poll surveyed 1,218 farmers and ranchers with large operations in the summer of 2000. In addition to measuring farmer adoption of sustainable agriculture, the survey also sought to identify barriers keeping more farmers from adopting sustainable farm practices. Farmers greatest (89%) concern was that sustainable farming practices would reduce their yields and profits, followed by "don't know how to do it" (36%), and "landlord won't allow" (17%). The poll found that producers of tree crops were significantly more likely (33%) to primarily use sustainable agriculture than any other crop producer types, while wheat/hay producers (22%) were significantly more likely to than corn, soybean and cotton farmers (17%) and vegetable producers (10%). On the animal producer side, the poll found that beef producers (28%) were significantly more likely to primarily use sustainable agriculture than dairy farmers (20%) or hog producers (23%). The APA is the association of leading agricultural media. A more detailed look at the Trends in Ag 2000 study results can be found at http://www.agmedia.org A state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope mounting technique that uses low temperature (LT-SEM) may help researchers better understand how parasitic mites like Varroa interact with their bee hosts. Varroa mites feed on the blood of adult and developing young bees. Parasitized bees may have deformed wings and abdomens and a shorter life span than their unparasitized hivemates. Because the LT-SEM freezes and captures the Varroa mites on bees at the moment they are parasitizing them, a team of ARS scientists has discovered some intriguing behavioral and morphological patterns. The technique has shown that Varroa mites may be camouflaging themselves by aligning their setae (their tiny hairs) with the hairs on the bee's body. By doing this, they may escape detection when the bee grooms itself or is groomed by another. If this hypothesis is correct, it may be possible to breed bees that more easily detect mites and aid their removal from their bodies. LT-SEM technology provides an exciting new tool that will be used to reveal the exact types and behavior of mites. It is already providing valuable new information that could be used to control mites as agricultural pests or to enhance their efficacy as biological control agents. For more info contact Jeffery Pettis, 301-504-8205, pettisj@ba.arsusda.gov Land managers can now compare lists of noxious weeds from the lower 48 United States and 6 Canadian provinces by logging on to a new section of the University of Montana's "Invaders" web site. ARS scientists developed the new noxious weed section at the web site: http://invader.dbs.umt.edu/Noxious_Weeds This tool will help decision-makers prioritize control and research efforts at local and national levels. In addition, they can use the system to predict potential future problems by examining lists from neighboring states or regions. Significant amounts of money and effort could be saved by managing invasive weeds while infestations are still small. The ARS researchers' next step is to look at weed distributions and how alien weeds have spread over time. Spotted knapweed, for instance, first entered the Pacific Northwest around 1893. It began to spread more rapidly in the 1950s, but distribution exploded from 60 counties in 1985 to at least 175 today. The researchers hope to identify reasons for such expansions, as well as trends that can help identify which alien plants pose the most risk of future expansion. For more info contact Kerri Skinner, 406-433-9484, kskinner@sidney.ars.usda.gov An on-farm detection kit for Salmonella enteritidis has been developed by ARS scientists through a cooperative research and development agreement with Neogen, Inc, of Lansing MI. The ARS detection kit allows the egg producer to test birds on the premises without costly procedures, which are now necessary. Using monoclonal antibodies developed by ARS researchers, the scientists developed and evaluated a test panel kit for rapidly identifying S. enteritidis organisms isolated from poultry samples. The panel is able to detect S. enteritidis in a diluted egg and chemical mixture spiked with one S. enteritidis organism and then incubated for 24 hours at 27 degrees C. The samples are applied directly to the panel, which looks like a home pregnancy test stick. S. enteritidis is indicated by a blue line on the stick. Fecal and environmental samples taken from infected birds gave similar results. Overall, the panels appear to offer the producer a simple means to identify the presence of S. enteritidis in samples collected at the farm. To confirm the lab findings, scientists will conduct further testing in labs that routinely perform Salmonella testing for egg producers. For more info contact the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Athens GA, Peter Holt, 706- 546-3442, pholt@seprl.usda.gov (APPPA Grit, Issue 15, Winter 2001) Seventy-five percent of Americans polled by the new Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology want to know whether their food contains genetically engineered ingredients, according to a poll conducted in January and released last month. Of those polled, 46 percent did not know what to think about the safety of genetically modified food; of those who had an opinion, half believed genetically modified foods are safe, and half believed they are unsafe. The Pew Initiative will provide policy recommendations, research, and education about agricultural biotechnology to the public, media, and policymakers. Full survey results are available on the Internet at http://pewagbiotech.org/ To better connect people seeking information about sustainable agriculture with those practicing it, SAN has created an online Directory of Expertise. Users can search for help using key words that link to areas of expertise. (An information seeker might, for example, look for a crop production expert specializing in minimum tillage systems.) Check out www.sare.org/expertise In Print *Food Safety Begins on the Farm: A Grower's Guide* Booklet on agricultural practices for fresh fruits and vegetables. Based on FDA recommendations but written with the farmer in mind. Available from Cornell University, 604-254-5383 or eab38@cornell.edu. One copy free. *USDA-ERS Briefing Room on Organic Farming and Marketing* contains ERS articles, reports, research information, government links, and other material, available on the Internet at http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/Organic/ *Geographic Information Systems and Agriculture: Environmental Applications* selected books, papers, and journal articles; and *Sustainable Agricultural Resources for Teachers, K-12* are available from Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library, ARS/USDA, 10301 Baltimore Ave, Rm. 304, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351, 301-504-6559, afsic@nal.usda.gov, on the Internet at http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/ *Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System* is $20 from the Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan, 430 E University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1115; css.info@umich.edu; on the Internet at http://www.css.snre.umich.edu *Building Better Rural Places* a 2001 resource guide to federal assistance programs, available from Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, PO Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702, 800-346-9140, on the Internet at http://www.attra.org/guide/index.htm *2001 Organic Export Directory* available from the Organic Trade Association, 74 Fairview St, PO Box 547, Greenfield, MA 01302, 413-774-7511, info@ota.com, http://www.ota.com *Consolidation in Food Retailing and Dairy: Implications for Farmers and Consumers in a Global Food System* a report by the University of Missouri Department of Sociology for the National Farmers Union, is available on the Internet at http://www.nfu.org/images/heffernan.pdf *SPIN Works! A Media Guidebook for Communicating Values and Shaping Opinion* Media guidebook offering tactics and strategies designed to give grassroots organizers and people interested in positive social change skills for shaping public opinion on their issues through the press. Divided into five sections: The Basics, The Message, Moving the Message, Reacting to Media Coverage, and Media and Community. Also features extensive resource section, case studies, media models and more. $18.95. Contact SPIN Project, Independent Media Institute, 77 Federal St, San Francisco, CA 94107, 415-284-1427, email info@spinproject.org; http://www.spinproject.org *Natural Cattle Care* Encompasses every facet of farm management, from the mineral components of the soils cattle graze over, to issues of fencing, shelter and feed regimens. How you farm determines the health of your livestock. It is a comprehensive analysis of farming techniques that keep the health of the animal in mind. $20.00. See website at www.acresusa.com/toolbox/press/naturalcattle.htm for chapter excerpts. *Natural Horse Care* Proper horse care begins with good nutrition. Given the right feed grown from nutrient-rich soils, even a horse in poor health can make an amazing recovery. It explains in layman terms how to get results in healthy horses whose well-being is a joy for their owners. Utilizes a "from the ground up" approach to equine health care. $20.00. See website at www.acresusa.com/toolbox/press/naturalhorse.htm for chapter excerpts. *Natural Goat Care* An easily understood, comprehensive book for the goat farmer or hobbyist. As natural browsers, they have higher mineral requirements than other domestic animals, so diet is a critical element to maintaining optimal livestock health. Solutions of alternative farming and husbandry techniques breaks the cycle of poor health, resulting in sound, productive animals. $20.00. See website at www.acresusa.com/toolbox/press/naturalgoat.htm for chapter excerpts. Each book can be oreder from Acres USA, 1-800-355-5313, e-mail info@acresusa.com. Websites of interest: Photo Gallery of Foliar Diseases of Cucurbits: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/cucurbit/disease/Image.html Field Identification of Foliar Diseases: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/cucurbit/disease/lensID.htm Vegetable MDonline site at Cornell: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/ Appropriate Technology for Small Farms: http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/LTRAS/itech/ Healthy Farmers, Healthy Profits: http://bse.wisc.edu/hfhp/ MO Dept of Ag -- Programs Assisting Small Farmers: http://mda.mo.gov/o.htm USDA/CSREES Small Farms Program: http://www.reeusda.gov/smallfarm/ MO-BIS: Missouri's Business Information Source: http://www.mo-bis.org/ Energy Efficiency and Renewal Energy Network (US Dept of Energy): http://www.eren.doe.gov/ Organic Farming Research Foundation: http://www.ofrf.org/ Aquaculture Network Information Center: http://aquanic.org/ American Livestock Breeds Conservancy: http://www.albc-usa.org/ On the Calendar May 17-19-All Things Organic, Organic Trade Assn Conference and Trade Show, Austin, TX. Call Eurich Management, 517-327-9207, oatashow@ota.com May 18-Boer Goat Field Day, Humansville, MO. Call 417-754-8135. May 19-Fiber Fair, Marshfield, MO. Call 417-859-2914. May 20-Rare Breeds Livestock Exhibition & Sale, La Fox, IL. Call 630-584-8485. May 26-27-MO KAN Dairy Goat Show, Sedalia, MO. Call 785-479-2145. June 1-2-Annual Farm Day & Small Farms Conference, Buffalo, MO. Call 417-345-7358. June 1-3-MO Natural Colored Wool Growers Meeting, Butler, MO. Call 816-697-2104. June 5-7-Grant Writing I Workshop, Springfield, MO. Call 417-732-6485. July 17-19-Grant Writing II Workshop, Springfield, MO. Call 417-732-6485. July 31-Aug 2-Grant Writing III Workshop, Springfield, MO. Call 417-732-6485. Aug 9-19-Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO. Aug 17-19-HerbFest 2001, Norway, IA. Call Frontier Natural Products Co-op, 319-227-7996 x 1286.