Friday, July 10, 2015
Record Number of Farmers and Ranchers Certified Under 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Compliance
Record Number of Farmers and Ranchers Certified Under 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Compliance
Overwhelming Number of Farmers and Ranchers Certify to Follow Conservation Compliance Guidelines, Building on Long-Standing Participation through Other USDA Programs
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that over 98.2 percent of producers have met the 2014 Farm Bill requirement to certify conservation compliance to qualify for crop insurance premium support payments.
Implementing the 2014 Farm Bill provisions for conservation compliance is expected to extend conservation provisions for an additional 1.5 million acres of highly erodible lands and 1.1 million acres of wetlands, which will reduce soil erosion, enhance water quality, and create wildlife habitat.
"This overwhelming response is a product of USDA's extensive outreach and the commitment of America's farmers to be stewards of the land," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "By investing in both American farmers and the health of our productive lands, we are ensuring future generations have access to fertile soil, healthy food supplies, and a strong rural economy."
USDA has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that every impacted producer knew of the June 1, 2015 deadline to certify their conservation compliance. For example, all 2015 crop insurance contracts included conservation compliance notifications. USDA has sent out more than 50,000 reminder letters and postcards to individual producers, made over 25,000 phone calls, conducted informational meetings and training sessions for nearly 6,000 stakeholders across the country, including in major specialty crop producing states with affected commodity groups, and more. Since December 2014, USDA collaborated with crop insurers to ensure they had updated lists for agents to continue contacting producers to also remind them of the filing deadline.
Of the small number of producers who have not certified their conservation compliance, USDA records suggest the majority are no longer farming or may have filed forms with discrepancies that can still be reconciled. The Farm Service Agency is proactively reaching back out to all of these producers before their sales closing date and working with individuals facing extenuating circumstances who have not filed the form in order to assist them with certifying compliance.
"I've asked the agencies to contact the producers again before their sales closing date," said Vilsack. "I want to ensure that every producer that turned in an AD-1026 by June 1, 2015, knows they can still make corrections and remain eligible for premium support."
USDA is providing additional flexibility to help the newly insured producers to certify their conservation compliance. For example, producers, who began farming or ranching after June 1, or producers who have not participated in USDA programs prior to June 1, can file an exemption to the conservation compliance certification for reinsurance year 2016 and still be eligible for the crop insurance premium support.
The Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form (AD-1026) is available at local USDA Service Centers or online at www.fsa.usda.gov/AD1026form.
Today's announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has implemented many provisions of this critical legislation, providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.
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Thursday, July 9, 2015
U.S. Organic Industry Praises U.S.-Switzerland Partnership in Organic Trade
U.S. Organic Industry Praises U.S.-Switzerland Partnership in Organic Trade
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2015 – Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the United States and Switzerland formed a partnership that will recognize the two countries' organic programs as equivalent for organic products and streamline access to each other's markets. The organic equivalency arrangement between the two nations will streamline organic trade, strengthen organic agriculture, benefit the growing organic community, and support jobs and businesses on a global scale.
"This partnership reflects the strength of the USDA organic standards, allowing American stakeholders to access the Swiss organic market," said Anne Alonzo, Administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, which oversees the National Organic Program. "The trade arrangements that we've achieved are a significant indicator of the strength of the National Organic Program and the value of the USDA organic label."
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has helped farmers and businesses create an industry that today encompasses over 19,000 organic businesses in the United States and accounts for $39 billion annually in U.S. retail sales. Since the beginning of the Obama Administration, the United State has signed five organic equivalency arrangements. Through our arrangements with Canada, the European Union, Japan, and Korea, U.S. organic farmers and businesses have streamlined access to over $35 billion international organic markets. When combined with the $39 billion U.S. organic market, these arrangements have doubled the organic market share for U.S. organic farmers and businesses.
Representatives from the U.S. organic industry – including trade associations and organic producers – praised the U.S.-Switzerland partnership.
"This new arrangement has been three years in the making, and we thank and congratulate the officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for their successful collaborative efforts. Swiss consumers put a high value on food quality and nutrition, and they've made organic a part of their daily diets. Now they will enjoy greater access to the high-quality organic products from the U.S."
- Laura Batcha, Executive Director and CEO, Organic Trade Association
"Our company applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for their hard work in achieving the final step in opening the big European market to the U.S. organic industry. We have been selling organic products to Switzerland for years, and the paperwork for import has always been difficult. The new arrangement will help us grow our market and provide healthy and sustainable food to our customers."
- Rusty Brown, President, Fine Dried Foods International
"All of us at Amy's Kitchen welcome this news. We are encouraged that the larger shared values and practices relative to organic and sustainable food production between us are no longer overshadowed by minor, technical differences. Amy's is excited to pursue new market opportunities for our organic products in Switzerland made possible by this arrangement."
- Paul Schiefer, Director of International Operations, Amy's Kitchen
"The Swiss are among the most dedicated organic food buyers in the world with some of the toughest quality standards in the world. The U.S./Switzerland organic equivalency arrangement helps open the door to more USA export business. More importantly, it recognizes the high and disciplined quality standards of both countries. I thank the negotiators."
- Lynn Clarkson, President, Clarkson Grain
"This important equivalency arrangement, coupled with the historic U.S./EU equivalence arrangement, facilitates access to much of continental Europe's strong organic marketplaces. This arrangement will eliminate burdens for U.S. certified producers and manufactures, creating jobs and opportunity for the U.S. organic food and farming sector. It will provide benefits to both countries to help alleviate supply constrains in organic markets."
- Melody Meyer, Vice President Policy & Industry Relations, United NFI
"The arrangement opens Switzerland for U.S. organic farmers, ranchers and food makers. Equally important, coupled with the historic U.S./EU organic equivalency arrangement, it creates streamlined access to continental Europe's strong organic marketplaces, and promotes mutually beneficial flows of organic ingredients between Switzerland, Europe and the U.S."
- Robert Anderson, Principal, Sustainable Strategies LLC, Senior Trade Advisor, Organic Trade Association
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Farmers to Receive Documentation of USDA Services
Farmers to Receive Documentation of USDA Services
Local Offices Issue Receipts for Services Provided
(Albuquerque, NM), July 9, 2015 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Molly Manzanares reminds agricultural producers that FSA provides a receipt to customers who request or receive assistance or information on FSA programs.
“If you visit our office, you’ll receive documentation of services requested and provided,” said Manzanares. “It’s part of our mission to provide enhanced customer service for producers. From December through June, FSA issued more than 327,000 electronic receipts.”
The 2014 Farm Bill requires a receipt to be issued for any agricultural program assistance requested from FSA, the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Rural Development (RD). Receipts include the date, summary of the visit and any agricultural information, program and/or loan assistance provided to an individual or entity.
In some cases, a form or document – such as a completed and signed program enrollment form –serve as the customer receipt instead of a printed or electronic receipt. A service is any information, program or loan assistance provided whether through a visit, email, fax or letter.
Today's announcement was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. To learn more about FSA, visit www.fsa.usda.gov or to find your local USDA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay),
(866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Forage crops a driver of state agriculture
Forage crops a driver of state agriculture
Albuquerque Journal
By Jane Moorman
Forages comprise the greatest amount of crop acres in the state and the overall crop value is second to none. Without forage, the $3.16 billion beef cattle and cow milk industry could not feed its animals. Of all the forages grown in New Mexico, alfalfa is by far the most economically important, comprising more than 220,000 acres, worth more than $280 million.
New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ forage team strives to help farmers meet the state’s forage needs. The team consists of Cooperative Extension specialists and agricultural research faculty. Besides conducting research, the team presents the latest research-based information at conferences and workshops.
During the first National Forage Week, June 21-27, promoted by the American Forage & Grassland Council, Mark Marsalis, NMSU Extension forage specialist, reflected on the importance of forage and the work NMSU is doing. “The impact of forage goes well beyond the direct value of the marketed product. The ripple effect of a hay, pasture or silage feed is far-reaching and impacts our daily lives in many different ways that many people may not realize,” Marsalis said.
“Forages contribute a significant amount to New Mexico’s economy through support-industry job creation; beef, dairy and wool operations; horse, goat and alpaca industries; and even honey production; in addition to providing environmental benefits, such as soil protection and improvement of wildlife habitat.”
Forage crops in New Mexico include alfalfa and other hay, wheat for pasture, and corn, sorghum and small grain silages. These crops are not only grown as stored feeds, but also are used for livestock pastures that are frequently visited by big game, migratory birds and other wildlife.
“Hay acreage remains fairly constant from one year to the next in the state and the value of New Mexico’s hay per ton is usually higher than the national average,” Marsalis said. “We have the perfect climate in New Mexico to grow excellent, high-quality hay – that is, as long as we have irrigation to do so.”
However, dwindling irrigation supplies and recent droughts have severely hindered the producers’ ability to grow alfalfa and other forage crops. It is this urgency of water shortage and future sustainability that drives much of the research conducted by NMSU’s forage team.
The research being conducted at NMSU’s facilities includes a wide array of projects that focus on forage species that are either currently raised in the state, such as alfalfa, or alternative species that show promise or are underutilized.
“One such species being investigated is perennial cereal rye,” Marsalis said. “This crop, which was developed in Canada, is very similar to the traditionally grown annual cereal rye without the annual input costs and soil disturbance associated with other small grains, such as wheat. It can persist for three or more years and may provide a short-lived perennial pasture for grazing operations.”
It may also have higher forage quality than many of the perennial species used currently for pasture.
“It is uncertain if it will persist under New Mexico’s growing conditions, so it is being studied at both NMSU’s Agricultural Science Centers at Los Lunas and Tucumcari for persistence and growth characteristics,” he said.
Other nontraditional forages are being studied for potential utilization in the challenging environment of New Mexico. These include teff, guar, canola and forage kochia.
“It is important to consider other crops to see if they have a fit in the different forage-based systems throughout New Mexico,” Marsalis said. “It is especially critical to identify those species that may be a better fit in severely water-limited conditions or those that diversify an operation to provide greater drought mitigation and economic stability.”
NMSU is also doing several research projects that focus on New Mexico’s number one cash crop, alfalfa. These include alfalfa planting-date and irrigation-timing studies, insect and weed pest control, and variety performance trials at several of the science centers. Other forage variety performance tests are conducted on corn, sorghum and small grain silage crops.
Monday, July 6, 2015
NMSU researcher finds disease-causing bacteria in pistachio trees
NMSU researcher finds disease-causing bacteria in pistachio trees
DATE: 07/06/2015
WRITER: Angela Simental, 575-646-6861, ongola@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Jennifer Randall, 575-646-2920, jrandall@nmsu.edu
In November 2013, Jennifer Randall, New Mexico State University plant pathology professor, was contacted by pistachio growers in California and Arizona wanting her to look at their oddly shaped trees.
Randall traveled to California to inspect the pistachio trees. Instead of growing lean and tall, they were stunted and bushy with twisted roots, which in Arizona, resulted in three-year-old trees being lifted by the wind.
“These trees were abnormal. We used the term ‘Pistachio Bushy Top Syndrome’ to describe these trees,” Randall said.
Funded by the California Pistachio Research Board and the NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station, Randall’s laboratory investigated the cause of these abnormal trees.
The lab identified two bacteria, called Rhodococcus, which usually distresses ornamental plants, not trees, but instead has affected more than 20,000 acres of California’s pistachio industry.
“In the lab, we put the Rhodococcus bacteria onto healthy pistachio trees and the trees developed the same symptoms that were in the affected pistachio orchards,” Randall said. “The trees without the bacteria grew normally. This proved the bacteria caused the problem.
“One of the main issues with these trees was that the budding efficiency was reduced; only 30 percent of the trees were successfully budded. However, trees that were budded typically developed huge bark-cracking areas where normally they have a smooth surface. This meant that the top of the tree was not stable and if grown to harvest it is possible that the trees may not survive the shakers commercial growers use.”
Many of the affected pistachio trees were removed and growers must decide whether to plant their new trees in the same holes.
“My collaborator, Dr. Elizabeth Fichtner in California, is testing the soil to determine if a newly planted tree root might be contaminated by the bacteria from the previous tree,” Randall said. “We have also encouraged growers to disinfect their tools.”
Rhodococcus bacteria can live on leaf surfaces for months without causing any symptoms, but once it appears on the plant’s surface, the bacteria infiltrate the tree, altering the hormones that control growth and development, Randall explained.
“The problem for pistachio growers is that it takes seven years to produce a significant crop,” Randall said. “Now, they will not have the amount of production they projected because they had to take out the contaminated trees and plant new ones.”
Randall explained this issue would also affect consumers in a few years as demand for pistachios grows.
Although continuous testing has been done in the lab, Randall and her team don’t have a treatment for these bacteria.
“These two bacteria work together and affect a wide range of plants,” she said. “This bacteria has caused problems in nursery settings, but this is the first time it has been a problem for trees. One pistachio orchard in New Mexico was found to be infected, and
in New Mexico the concern is that we need to understand this and make sure it doesn’t affect our regionally important crops, such as pecan trees or chile.”
Randall and her team are trying to find an easier and faster way to detect the bacteria, especially for those growers who are replanting.
“Our research will also focus on ways to treat it because it is a different type of pathogen,” she said. “There are pathogens that kill plants and this one is different because it doesn’t kill the plant, but changes how the plant grows.”
The next step of her lab research is to experiment, in a controlled setting, how it might affect pecan trees, given that pecans are one of the largest industries in New Mexico.
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NMDA will be hosting our annual Pesticide Disposal Collection event
Good afternoon! Hope you had a great 4th of July weekend!
It’s that time of year again ………. NMDA will be hosting our annual Pesticide Disposal Collection event.
The program assists agricultural producers, licensed pesticide dealers and pest control companies, golf courses, and homeowners with the proper disposal of unwanted pesticides. The program is available at no cost to eligible participants. I have attached a copy of the flyer that is being distributed all over NM. We would greatly appreciate your help in getting the word out to the public. Please feel free to distribute information to communities or individuals who may be interested in participating.
For more information individuals can also go to our website http://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/?s=pesticide+disposal or contact me via phone or email.
Have a great day!
Thank you, Irene
Young riders saddle up for the Dona Ana County 4-H rodeo
Young riders saddle up for the Dona Ana County 4-H rodeo
DATE: 07/06/2015
WRITER: Jocelyn N. Apodaca, 575-646-7562, jocelyn_@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Teresa Dean , 575-525-6649, teresatru@nmsu.edu
The Dona Ana County 4-H Rodeo, held July 11-12 at the Southern NM State Fairgrounds, draws in youth from throughout the state for their shot at a first place prize. The rodeo is open to 4-H members and is free for spectators.
“Sanctioned 4-H rodeos provide a venue for exhibiting the skills 4-Hers learn throughout the year,” said Teresa Dean, agricultural livestock and 4-H agent for New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service office in Dona Ana County. “Local businesses provide sponsorships and community members are invited to attend the event for an introduction to rodeo and the 4-H Youth Development Program.”
Roughly 125 youth participants are enrolled in the event with 16 disciplines offered: barrels, poles, flags, goat tying, break-away roping, step-down roping, ribbon roping, tie down roping, team roping, steer stopping, steer wrestling, bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, steer riding, junior bull riding and senior bull riding.
4-Hers are limited to four disciplines. Seniors, ages 15-19 will compete in their own bracket, while juniors, ages 12-14, and novice, 9-11, will compete in their respective age groups. A booster rodeo for youth under 8 years old will follow each performance.
A dance will follow Saturday’s events from 7-10 p.m.
“The 4-H rodeo project engages youth in activities that build skills related to ranching and horsemanship, while increasing life skills such as responsibility, critical thinking and self-discipline,” Dean said. “Youth also receive training related to personal safety and animal welfare before participating in rodeo.”
Awards are given out to the All Around winners of each age group for the overall weekend. Winners will receive a cash prize and saddle certificate. Reserve weekend All Around winners will be awarded buckles. Daily winners will also receive buckles for their accomplishments.
For more information on the 4-H Dona Ana County rodeo, contact Teresa Dean at 575-525-6649.
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