Caldwell County Agline

Organic growers in North Carolina can apply for partial reimbursement of the cost of becoming certified or recertified producers through a program offered by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Growers who are certified or recertified after Sept. 30, 2009, can apply for assistance. The program will pay 75 percent of the cost of certification, up to $750.

The program is for the 2009-2010 season, and is funded through a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the deadline to apply for reimbursement is Sept. 30, 2010.

To apply, growers must fill out an authorization form that can be found online at www.ncdaorganic.com. The completed form, a copy of the farm’s certification and a copy of the receipts from the certifying agency should be mailed to the NCDA&CS Division of Marketing, Attn. Kevin Hardison, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1020. The invoice must show the total cost of certification and the 75 percent portion that is eligible for reimbursement.

Growers with questions can call Hardison at (919) 733-7887.

“As consumer interest in certified products has grown, so has the number of organic producers statewide,” Hardison said. “North Carolina has more than 6,000 certified organic acres, and these farms produce a variety of vegetables, livestock, herbs and other products.”

Asiatic soybean rust was confirmed today at the Central Crops Research Station near Clayton, North Carolina in the sentinel plot located there. Four pustules on one leaf out of 100 leaves were positive for SBR and they were sporulating. This morning we checked samples from sentinel plots in Columbus, Carteret, Granville, Wayne, New Hanover, and Edgecombe Counties that were all negative for soybean rust. We will receive samples from the rest of the sentinel plots today thru Friday.  Rust was found yesterday at the research station near Suffolk, Virginia, about 15 miles north of Gates County, North Carolina. Rust has now been confirmed on soybeans in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.

If no symptoms of rust are visible on the underneath side of the lower leaves yet, it will typically take four weeks or so before much serious defoliation takes place.  In four weeks from now, probably 80% of our state\u2019s soybeans will already be defoliated anyway.

That leaves no more than 20% of our state\u2019s crop to worry about.  If no symptoms of rust are visible, and the soybeans have one or more pods in the top four nodes of the main stem with full sized seeds (seeds touching each other in the pod), the field is not likely to suffer economic damage from rust, and would not need to be sprayed with a fungicide.  If no symptoms are visible, and there are no full sized seeds in the top four nodes, growers should seriously consider spraying with a triazole fungicide, or a combination of a triazole and a strobulurin.  If other foliar diseases are also present or considered likely to develop, our preference would be to spray with a strobulurin fungicide, or a combination of the two types of fungicides. The benefit of fungicide applications after plants enter growth stage 6 is highly questionable and not recommended at this time because of the general lack of a yield response this late in the season. Be aware that the use of fungicides pursuant to section 18 permits for control of soybean rust is not legal after plants enter growth stage 6. Fungicides with a soybean label for control of rust or other diseases may also have restrictions that forbid late season applications or requirements for lengthy pre-harvest periods, plant-back restrictions, or other restrictions.

North Carolina farmers should continue to check their soybeans that have not yet gotten full sized beans in the top of the plants, and to continue to monitor reliable reports of where else rust has been found. An up-to-date map of where rust has been found is at http://www.sbrusa.net.  The current version of these North Carolina updates should also be available at our Teletip line at 800/662-7301.

When: October 12, 2009, 1pm-4pm

Location: Newland Town Hall Board Room and site visit to the Newland constructed wetlands
(Town Hall Phone 828-733-2023 Address: 301 Cranberry Street, Newland, NC 28657)

About the Workshop:  Participants of this workshop will understand stormwater wetlands and how they function, and understand inspection and maintenance requirements of stormwater wetlands.  This workshop will provide classroom instruction and hands-on in the field training.  Constructed stormwater wetlands in Banner Elk, Newland, and Boone will be highlighted.

Cost:  $10, please bring your money the day of the workshop, checks should be made out to NCCES

Schedule:
1-2pm - Wetlands Maintenance
2-3pm - Wetlands Case Studies
3-4pm - Wetland Site Visit

Instuctors: Bill Lord, Area Extension Specialist and Wendy Patoprsty, Extension Agent

To Register:  Call (828)264-3061 or email at Wendy_Patoprsty@ncsu.edu
Please register by October 9 at noon.

2009 Bioenergy Field Day October 1, 2009 at the Williamsdale Farm Agricultural Extension and Research Facility in Wallace, N.C.  Registration will be at noon and the program will run from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Program highlights include the latest developments in oil-seed, sweet sorghum, industrial sweet potato and cellulosic biomass production, harvesting, and on-farm processing.

For more information contact Matt Veal at 919.515.6764 or mwveal@ncsu.edu

The 45th annual irrigation conference sponsored by the North Carolina Irrigation Society Wednesday November 4th.  We will be applying for 6 CEUs for both operators of animal waste systems and operators of wastewater land application systems.  There is no guarantee that a full 6 hours will be awarded but we are requesting that.

The program, speakers and registration information can be found at:

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/irrigationconference/index.html

Johnsongrass and other weedy grasses can be difficult to control in hay fields and pastures. A new wick-style applicator, called a rotowiper, offers control options for farmers.

To demonstrate this new technology to local farmers the Caldwell Extension Center, Caldwell Soil & Water District, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture are working together to host a demonstration in Kings Creek on October 6 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The demonstration will be in the large hayfield on the east side of Hwy 18, just south of the Kings Creek School (MAP)

Forage weed control will be discussed followed by a demonstration of the rotowiper applicator on johnsongrass. North Carolina pesticide applicators will receive one hours of continuing credit by attending the program.

Our plan is to demonstrate something new and provide local farmers with information about this new technology. What producers need to decide is if this will increase their profits and this is something each farmer will have to decide for himself.

For questions about this event, please contact Seth Nagy.

Asiatic Soybean Rust was confirmed yesterday on soybeans in Dorchester County, SC, and in St. Clair County, AL. The Dorchester County site is about the same distance from Charlotte as the previously announced Berkeley County, SC site, at 145 miles. It is a little farther from the other 7 cities we’re tracking than the Berkeley County site. The Berkelely County site is approximately 145 miles from Charlotte, 305 miles from Elizabeth City, 145 miles from Fayetteville, 260 miles from Murphy, 195 miles from Raleigh, 240 miles from Washington, 145 miles from Wilmington, and 200 miles from Winston-Salem. The closest rust to Murphy is now St. Clair County, AL, which is approximately 160 miles away.

Rust has now been confirmed on soybeans in AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS and TN. The other counties announced in the past week to have rust on soybeans are all farther away from our North Carolina soybeans than the sites mentioned in the first paragraph.

We do not consider this find to pose any imminent threat to our North Carolina soybeans yet. North Carolina farmers should continue to check their soybeans that have not yet gotten full sized beans in the top of the plants, and to continue to monitor reliable reports of where else rust has been found. An up-to-date map of where rust has been found is at http://www.sbrusa.net.The current version of these NC updates should also be available at our Teletip line: 800/662-7301.

A Tri-State Cow-Calf Conference will be held at the fairgrounds at Gray, Tennessee on September 22 and 23, 2009. A tour of three Tennessee cow-calf operations will take place at 1:00 p.m. followed by a light supper and brief program on September 22 with an 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. meeting on September 23. Topics covered at the meeting on the 23nd will include Beef Cattle Outlook, Utilization of By-Product Feeds in Beef Cattle Diets, Managing Genetic Defects and Enhancing End Product, What A Cow-Calf Producer Can Expect From a Custom Feedlot, Making the Decision to Market My Calves or Retain Them and Weaning Healthy Calves. There will also be a panel of Virginia cow-calf producers who will share information about their operations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit a trade show of agribusinesses who support the cattle business. While the focus of the meeting is towards cow-calf producers, anyone in the cattle business will benefit from the information presented. The meeting is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension and North Carolina State University-A & T State University Cooperative Extension and a USDA Risk Management Education Grant. Advance registration is requested to plan for materials and a steak lunch. Registration is $10 before September 16 and $15 thereafter. Registration information is available through local County Extension Offices. One may also review information on the conference on the Internet at the following address: www.tnbeefcattleinitiative.org.

RALEIGH  - Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food.

Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus. "This toxin can be harmful to both humans and livestock, so it's worth a farme's time and effort to have corn tested," Troxler said.

Some farmers may need to have corn samples tested for crop insurance purposes. These farmers must submit their samples to a grain marketing location certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The tests cost $22.20. Farmers should send a 5-pound sample of shelled corn by mail, UPS or FedEx to one of the following USDA-certified grain marketing locations:

    Cargill Soybean Plant
    Attn: Ben Honeycutt
    1400 S. Blount St.
    Raleigh, NC 27601
    (919) 733-4491

    Grain Grading Office
    Attn: Judy Grimes
    407-G Griffin St.
    Elizabeth City, NC 27909
    (252) 337-9782

Aflatoxin tests for other purposes are free and will be conducted at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Constable Laboratory, 4000 Reedy Creek Road in Raleigh. Farmers may drop off 5-pound samples of shelled corn at the lab or at one of the following agricultural research stations:

• Border Belt Tobacco Research Station, 86 Border Belt Drive, Whiteville, (910) 648-4703; Ray Horton, superintendent.
• Peanut Belt Tobacco Research Station, 112 Research Station Lane, Lewiston-Woodville, (252) 348-2213; Tommy Corbett, superintendent; station contact is Margaret Pierce.
• Tidewater Research Station, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth, (252) 793-4118; Jewell Tetterton, superintendent.
• Lower Coastal Plain Tobacco/Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Road, Kinston, (252) 527-3579; Phillip Winslow, superintendent.
• Piedmont Research Station, 8350 Sherrills Ford Road, Salisbury, (704) 278-2624; Joe Hampton, superintendent.
• Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, 74 Research Drive, Fletcher, (828) 684-7197; Denny Thompson, superintendent.

Forms for submitting samples will be available at collection sites.

Samples also may be mailed directly to the lab at the following address:

    N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Food and Drug Protection Division
    1070 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh, NC 27699-1070

For additional information about the aflatoxin testing program, contact Jennifer Godwin or Michelle Gilliam at the NCDA&CS Food and Drug Protection Division, (919) 733-7366.

The North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share Program (NCVACS) was recently announced. The NCVACS complements the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) by offsetting the costs (by approximately 50 percent) to value-added producers for professional services and equipment purchases. Applications for the NCVACS must be submitted by September 1, 2009.

The professional services supplemented by the NCVACS in Fall 2009 and 2010 are 1) VAPG grant writing and 2) enterprise feasibility assessment and business plan development. Equipment purchases, which cannot be funded by a VAPG, will be eligible for funding through the NCVACS in Spring of 2010 and 2011.  Applicants for the NCVACS must also be planning to apply for a VAPG.

NCVACS is funded by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and administered by N.C. Cooperative Extension and the N.C. State University Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture Program at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC.

For more information about the NCVACS or to download an application, visit www.ncvalueadded.org.

When temperatures get up to 95 degrees or more, soybeans tend to:

• Close their stomates to conserve moisture within the leaf. They can't move enough water through the plant to keep up with that high an evapotranspiration demand. Soil moisture levels, therefore, have little to do with it.
• Stop producing photosynthate, since carbon dioxide can't get in through those closed stomates either.
• Abort flowers. Not a big deal, since soybeans can replace those flowers, and they don't seem to care much which flowers become pods.
• Abort small pods. This is a little more serious, but the plants may well have enough pods left anyway. If a pod was about half full size or bigger, it probably did not abort.
• Abort seeds within larger pods if the seeds were still pretty small.
• Produce smaller seeds if the seeds were very big already.

Remember that soybeans typically produce more pods than the combine will ever find, and produce way more flowers than the combine will find as pods. That's one of the major ways they survive adversity like this. The net result will probably be not much worse than losing a few days of potential production. I wouldn't expect any lasting effect of this response to high temperatures.

The Johnston County Goat Producers and NC Cooperative Extension will present the fourth Dairy Goat Field Day.  The event will be held August 1st at the Johnston County Livestock Arena on County Home Road just off Highway 210 in Smithfield, NC starting at 9 AM and ending around 2 PM.

The day will feature several different opportunities where new and experienced goat producers can learn goat care. There will be demonstrations on soap making, cheese making, sanitary milk handling, hoof trimming, and goat milking. There will be instruction on practical nutrition for milk production, milk goat selection and mastitis testing, as well as other topics of interest.

A few product vendors will be displaying their wares to participants. For more information contact: Ron Hughes at (919) 989-5380 or ronald_hughes@ncsu.edu.

Current Status of Soybean Rust in North America – July 2009

Asiatic Soybean Rust has been confirmed in Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.  Most finds, with the exceptions of Louisiana and Alabama, are on Kudzu.  Soybean rust has spread very little this year, even with above average rainfall in many soybean growing areas.  Temperatures in the 100 degree range along much of the Gulf Coast have limited its development.  With more moderate temperatures and soybeans approaching or at reproductive stages, we can expect rust to accelerate its northward movement.  Still, it seems unlikely that rust will arrive until soybean harvest is in progress.

The closest to North Carolina confirmation of rust on soybeans is in Gadsden County, FL (near Tallahassee).  It is approximately 320 miles from Murphy, NC, 390 miles from Charlotte, and 450 miles from Fayetteville.  We do not consider this find to pose any imminent threat to our North Carolina soybeans.

Soybean Disease Summary for North Carolina

Soybean rust currently poses no threat to North Carolina Soybean.  Unless a tropical storm or remnants of one moves through the southern US to North Carolina, it is unlikely that soybean rust will affect the soybean crop prior to harvest.

Other soybean diseases that are common this year are soybean cyst nematode, Phythophthora root and stem rot, and brown spot.  Phytophthora root rot is most prevalent in low spots in fields.  Many varieties are resistant to this disease.  If the disease occurs on a resistant variety, identify the source of resistance genes or races that variety is resistant to and do not use a similar type of resistance in the future.

Resources for Soybean Rust in 2009

There are more resources for information on Asiatic soybean rust available this year, than in many years in the past.  Some sources for more detailed information are listed below:

Teletip Phone Number: 1-800-662-7301 (the same number as for the cotton insect update) with a message updated as necessary.

The USDA soybean rust web site  http://www.sbrusa.net/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi

The North Carolina Crop Protection Manual  http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/6-9.pdf

Results of the wheat yeild contest are in.  The State wheat yeild winner is Michael Cobb.  The is a Coastal Plain farmer from Greene County.  He grew SS 520 with a yeild of 106.5 bu/ac.  Louie Johnson was the Agent working with Mr. Cobb.

 The top Piedmont entry was from Travis Starnes in Union County.  He grew SS 8302 yeilding 88.7 bu/ac.  For the entire results go to www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/Contest/Results2009.pdf

August 11-12, 2009: Mid-Atlantic Grass-Fed Beef Conference “Making Sense of Grass-Fed Beef” at the Sheraton Imperial RTP in Durham, NC. The conference kicks off with a Pre-Conference Tour to Baldwin Beef, Rogers Cattle Company, and Triple B Farms. Conference sessions will address the economics of grass-fed beef, genetics, grazing management, processing, marketing, and the benefits of eating grass-fed beef. For complete details, download the conference brochure and registration form. Contact Sandy Maddox at 919-658-7682 for more information.

(WASHINGTON, June 10, 2009) – The prospective U.S. Agricultural Health Study with over 50,000 farmers recently found that exposure to certain pesticides incurs twice the risk of developing an abnormal blood condition called MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) compared to individuals in the general population. The disorder, characterized by an abnormal level of a plasma protein, requires lifelong monitoring as it is considered pre-cancerous for its risk of developing into multiple myeloma, a painful cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. The study will appear in the June 18 issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.  

“Previously, inconclusive evidence has linked agricultural work to an increased multiple myeloma risk. Our study is the first to show an association between pesticide exposure and an excess prevalence of MGUS. This finding is particularly important given that we recently found in a large prospective cancer screening study that virtually all multiple myeloma patients are preceded by an MGUS state,” said lead author Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute. “As several million Americans use pesticides, it’s important that the risks of developing MGUS from the use of pesticides is known,” said senior study author Michael Alavanja, Dr.P.H. 

A cohort of 678 individuals licensed to apply restricted-use pesticides were assessed for MGUS prevalence via a blood draw. Their median age was 60 years (range 30-94 years) and all lived in either Iowa or North Carolina. Participants also completed questionnaires providing comprehensive occupational exposure information for a wide range of pesticides, including information such as mean annual days of use of the individual pesticides, years of use, use of personal protective equipment while applying pesticides, and pesticide application methods. Information on smoking and alcohol use, cancer history of first-degree relatives, and other basic demographic and health data was also obtained. Individuals with prior histories of lymphoproliferative malignancies (such as multiple myeloma or lymphoma) were excluded. Cancer incidence and mortality were monitored annually and, after five years, follow-up interviews were conducted to update the participants’ occupational exposures, medical histories, and lifestyle factors. 

For comparison, data was obtained from a large MGUS-screening study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, and the results from the pesticide-applicator group were compared with the assessments of 9,469 men from the general population of Olmsted County, Minnesota. The two groups were similar in terms of age, race, and educational attainment. Due to the low prevalence of women among the pesticide applicators, women were excluded from analysis.  

In the pesticide-applicator group, no MGUS cases were observed among those who were less than 50 years of age, but the prevalence of MGUS in those greater than 50 was 6.8%. Compared to the Minnesota men of comparable age, the MGUS prevalence was 1.9-fold higher among pesticide applicators.  

The researchers also evaluated the potential association between MGUS prevalence and 50 specific pesticides for which usage data was known. Of the chemicals studied, a significantly increased risk of MGUS was observed among users of dieldrin (an insecticide), carbon-tetrachloride/carbon disulfide (a fumigant mixture), and chlorothalonil (a fungicide). The MGUS risk for these agents was 5.6-fold, 3.9-fold, and 2.4-fold, respectively. Several other insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides were associated with MGUS, but not significantly. “Our findings are intriguing. If replicated in a larger sample from our study and other large studies, further work should be focused on a better understanding of the molecular basis of MGUS and multiple myeloma. Ultimately, this will result in the identification of novel molecular targets involved in the progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma and in the development of targeted therapies,” said lead author Ola Landgren, MD, PhD. 

###

The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. In September, ASH launched Blood: The Vital Connection (www.bloodthevitalconnection.org), a credible online resource addressing bleeding and clotting disorders, anemia, and cancer. It provides hematologist-approved information about these common blood conditions including risk factors, preventive measures, and treatment options.

The economic outlook for agriculture will be the focus of the 2009 Ag Development Forum on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the State Fairgrounds.

Economist Michael Walden of N.C. State University will be the featured speaker at the forum, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holshouser Building. Walden will offer insights on how the economy will affect agriculture in North Carolina and the United States this year.

The forum also will feature a panel of experts talking about the credit outlook for farmers. In addition, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will deliver his first-ever State of Agriculture address.

Farmers, agribusiness professionals and others interested in farm policy are invited. Admission is free, and lunch will be provided. Registration is requested. To register, go to www.ncagr.gov/agforum.

The forum is sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Carolina Farm Credit and Cape Fear Farm Credit.

June 8th, 2009 @ 9:00 AM - June 11th, 2009 @ 12:30 PM - Valle Crucis, NC

Designed for beginning gardeners or those who would like to switch to organic methods. Topics include garden planning, seed starting, companion planting, how to attract beneficial bugs, pest management, soil tests and amendments, composting and vermi-composting, growing herbs, landscape planning and edible landscaping. Held at the ASU Sustainable Development Farm in Valle Crucis, 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Monday, June 8th through Thursday, June 11th. Cost is $20.00 for all 4 days. Reserve your spot by paying in advance, NC Cooperative Extension, 971 West. King St., Boone. For more information call 264-3061.

Event Location
Appalachian State University Sustainable Development Farm
Valle Crucis, NC

May 28th, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
Sugar Grove, NC
The class will cover foot trimming and care for the grazing season. It will also cover de-worming and management of parasites. Please call the Extension office at 264-3061 to register.

Event Location
2478 Bethel Road
Sugar Grove, NC 28679

Contact
Eddy Labus at Watauga County Cooperative Extension - (828) 264-3061

On Tuesday, June 2, 2009, NC Cooperative Extension will offer a free, full-day workshop on what preparations should be made by growers who plan to start a vineyard in our mountain region. While wine grapes are a crop of great interest to many, they are also beset by issues such as spring freezes, economically-damaging diseases, and other potential problems. Successfully managing these problems requires proper planning and actions long before the first vine is planted. This workshop will bring-together some of the best authorities in the southeast on the subjects of vineyard planning and management, with presentations geared toward helping local growers make smart decisions about whether wine grapes are a good fit for their own farms.

The workshop begins at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, June 2, and will be held at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. There is no charge for the workshop, but pre-registration is required. To register, call the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office at (828) 264-3061.

Speakers will include Norm Oches, Director of the Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing; John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University; Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University; Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University; and Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University. Topics to be covered include Soils, Site-Evaluation, Cultivar Selection, Planting, Vine Management Concerns, Grapevine Diseases, and Vineyard Pest Management. Extension Agents Richard Boylan (Watauga/Ashe) and Adam Keeener (Avery) will moderate the discussions, and be on-hand to give local examples of working with growers who are beginning High Country Vineyards. A full schedule for the day follows:

• 8:30 - 9:00 Check-in - Moderator: Richard Boylan
• 9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and Housekeeping - Richard Boylan, Area Specialized Cooperative Extension Agent, West District, Watauga Center, Boone, NC
• 9:15 - 10:00 Opportunities and Challenges for High Elevation Vineyards in NC - Norm Oches, Director, Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 10:00-11:00 Soil and Site: Evaluation and Management Issues - John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
• 11:00-11:15 Break
• 11:15-12:15 Cultivar Selection, Planting and Vine Management Concerns - Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
  
• 12:15 - 1:30 Lunch on your own
• 1:30 - 2:30 Grapevines Diseases - Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
  
• 2:30 - 3:30 Vineyard Pest Management 101 - Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
• 3:30 -   Question and answer session all speakers 

The Butner Beef Cattle Field Lab, NC A&T, Upper Piedmont Research Station, Tidewater Research Station and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems will be holding a cattle sale at 11:00 am on Saturday June 6, 2009 at the Upper Piedmont Research Station in Reidsville, NC. 

The sale will consist of 37 registered Angus, 15 halfblood Braunvieh heifers and 84 commercial females.  They will be available for viewing  at the sale site on Friday June 5.

Most don't give grass a second thought. Maybe we think about it when the lawn needs mowing. There is probably some level of conscientiousness while we enjoy a round of golf, or watch a ball game. But, this is just the icing on the cake. Our civilization would be unrecognizable without the gift of grass.

Grass supplies the human race with 70% of our total daily calories. The major cereal grasses are corn, wheat, and rice. Most of the time these grains are processed into flour for breads, cakes, crackers, breakfast cereal, and pasta. However, we also consume other grasses. Oatmeal is just grass seed smashed between two rollers. Cane sugar and molasses come from the juice of tropical grasses.

So, why am I writing about grass? Because right now it is in full display. Look along any roadside, meadow, or small grain field. Grass is flowering. It does not shout “look at me” with bright gaudy colors. It whispers en masse, with seed heads swaying in the breeze. But, soon these will be gone. The roadsides will be mowed, the meadows swathed, and the wheat fields harvested. We will wait for next year and like always, the grass will flower again, giving us its bounty. Grass is nature's meekest plant, giving us our daily bread and asking little in return.

According to NC Department of Agriculture statistics, Caldwell County grows enough wheat to bake 840,000 loaves of bread, harvests enough hay to make 21,500 large round bales, and combines enough corn to ship 75 fully loaded tractor trailers.

There will be a program Tuesday June 9th at Weaver Labs, NCSU Campus in Raleigh on crops mazes.  GPS offers many advantages for making crop mazes.

One of the most significant is the ability to greatly reduce the time required to layout a maze in the field.  In this workshop, you will learn how to take a maze design from concept to layout. The morning session will focus on designing the maze and fitting the design in the field. Participants will have access to a computer with all the necessary software tools and will be guided through the process. The afternoon session will feature taking the designs from the office computer and locating points and paths in the maze with hand held computers and GPS receivers. Several types of GPS receivers will be available to allow the participant to judge which will work best for the kind of maze they want to do. A sample maze will be created based on the designs created.

More information.
 

Several new pesticide record-keeping rules went into effect May 1 following approval by the N.C. Pesticide Board. The new rules involve recording the ending time of applications, the recording of daily applications and how long growers must maintain records.

The changes reflect recommendations of the 2008 Governor's Task Force on Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure and implement the requirements of Senate Bill 847.

Growers making applications that fall under the scope of the federal Worker
Protection Standard must now add the actual "end time" of application to the
records under the change. This is in addition to the "time of the application" that is required to be posted before the application takes place under the current WPS regulations.

Also each day of application must be recorded as a separate application record. After application information has been displayed for the appropriate time (30 days after the restricted-entry period expires), the application information must now be maintained for a period of two years.This coincides with the USDA Requirements for Restricted-Use Pesticides.

Also effective May 1, aerial applicators must record the year, month, date and time of day when each pesticide application was completed for every pesticide application. Additionally, each day of aerial applications must be recorded as a separate record. The commercial ground applicators regulation addressing the same issues for restricted-use pesticides became effective April 1.

Revised record keeping forms may be downloaded from the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division's Web page, www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/pesticides/Cmfo.htm, or from your local Cooperative Extension Service. Applicators requiring assistance with these or any pesticide regulation, may contact the NCDA&CS Pesticide Section at (919) 733-3556 for help.