Fruit Growers News

Robinette’s Turns 100 - Switching to retail helps farm market last a century

Jim Robinette’s passion for his family history is obvious – and why shouldn’t he be proud? Five generations of his family have been running the same fruit farm (now called Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery) for 100 years, clinging to the northeast edge of Grand Rapids – Michigan’s second-largest city – while every other farm in the area has disappeared. Now 84, Jim saw much of the farm’s history with his own eyes. He shared some of what he knows: The farm itself goes back more than a century. It was established in 1870 by Harvey Braman, who thought it had good potential for growing peaches because it had white oak and hickory trees and sandy loam soil with a little clay loam. Braman soon made a name for himself as a successful fruit grower. In 1910, Braman was ready to retire and sell the…  » Read more

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Winter bee losses holding steady

Total losses from managed honeybee colonies nationwide were 30 percent from all causes for the winter of 2010/11, according to the annual survey conducted by USDA and the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA). This is roughly similar to total losses reported in similar surveys done in the four previous years: 34 percent for the 2009/10 winter; 29 percent for 2008/09; 36 percent for 2007/08; 32 percent for 2006/07. “The lack of increase in losses is marginally encouraging in the sense that the problem does not appear to be getting worse for honeybees and beekeepers,” said Jeff Pettis, an entomologist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), who helped conduct the study. “But continued losses of this size put tremendous pressure on the economic sustainability of commercial beekeeping.” Pettis is the leader of the ARS Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Md. The survey, which covered the period…  » Read more

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Extension’s financial foundation has shifted over the years

Through its college of agriculture, experiment stations and Extension offices, a land-grant university can greatly aid its home state’s fruit and vegetable growers, providing them with practical, unbiased advice to help them stay in business. But when its funding base erodes, the university has a much harder time doing its job and is forced to rely on new sources of revenue – which can shift its priorities away from helping growers. In a nutshell, that’s the story of Extension in the last few decades, according to numerous sources. Dwindling funds A 2006 report analyzing Cooperative Extension System (the partnership between USDA and land-grant universities that ties state Extension services together) funding from 1970 to 2004 said the system’s funding model – split between federal, state and local governments – worked for a long time, but in the last decade or two it’s been stretched to…  » Read more

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New model may predict fruit set for apples

Growers have long faced the dilemma of predicting fruit set when it comes time to thin. Researchers have been looking at different paths to predicting set and are looking at the carbon balance in the tree for answers. Alan Lakso at Cornell University has developed a carbohydrate balance model for apple, which Jim Schupp from Penn State University has been testing for predicting fruit set. This model estimates carbohydrate supply and demand and calculates the carbon balance of the trees. During times of high supply and low demand (sunny and cool), the balance is positive and it is difficult to thin chemically, according to Schupp. When the balance is slightly negative (0 to minus 20˚ F), chemical thinning becomes easier. When the balance drops to the range of minus 40˚ F, the trees are under significant carbohydrate stress and chemical thinning will be strong. Below…  » Read more

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Should USDA encourage schools to buy local?

On May 23, USDA implemented a final rule designed to encourage the consumption of local farm products in school meals. The rule – called the Geographic Preference Option for the Procurement of Unprocessed Agricultural Products in Child Nutrition Programs – will let schools and other providers give preference to locally grown and locally raised agricultural products when purchasing food for federal meal programs. “This rule is an important milestone that will help ensure that our children have access to fresh produce and other agricultural products,” said Kevin Concannon, a USDA undersecretary. “It will also give a much-needed boost to local farmers and agricultural producers.” As an example of the impact the new rule might have, foodservice officials in New York state can now openly prefer products labeled “New York-grown” or “Eastern Grown” or “Northeast” when purchasing food. They also can offer a premium on local…  » Read more

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Farm lenders seek diverse asset base, good records

While the lending market remains sluggish, loans are being made – albeit in limited quantity to qualified borrowers. Lenders want to see accuracy, a good credit history and a regular payment record. They also like a performance record of sales growth plus a diverse asset base. Lenders generally rely on the four Cs when deciding whether to grant a loan: Cash – how much you’ve got. Collateral – hard assets i.e., real estate, equipment, etc., that may be used as security. Credit – your bill-paying history. Character – are you a worthy risk? If you can satisfy at least three of the four Cs, your chances are good at obtaining a loan. However, the greater the risk you’re perceived to be, the higher your interest rate will be – or you’ll be required to pledge more collateral. “Your reputation is very important,” said Russ Story,…  » Read more

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There are ways to manage Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) has established itself in North America and most likely will continue to pose a serious threat to agricultural systems for some time. During the last two years, researchers and Extension specialists throughout the mid-Atlantic region have documented the alarming potential BMSB has to devastate fruit and vegetable crops. According to Greg Krawczyk and Larry Hull, entomologists with Penn State University, damage on fruit can occur throughout the entire growing season. Although the BMSB feeding mechanism is similar throughout the season, the time of the season the feeding occurs can have a profound influence on the type and appearance of injury. For example, early season feeding usually causes misshapen fruit, whereas late-season feeding usually causes depressions on the fruit surface and the appearance of browning or dead tissue just below the skin. This led to many BMSB injuries being confused…  » Read more

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