Crop Protection

New certifications combat nursery tree viruses, costs

Fruit tree viruses cost growers and producers thousands of dollars each year, and increased expenses often get passed down to the consumer. New standards to test for viruses in fruit trees and small fruit in... more »

Crop damage: Northern Michigan orchards are ‘devastated’

On Aug. 2 a storm swept through Northern Michigan leaving fruit crops “devastated.” Large hail and damaging winds have been reported throughout the area.Apple, grape and tart cherry crops were left in shambles — a... more »

Jolene Brown to keynote farm marketing program at Great Lakes EXPO

Jolene Brown will make the keynote presentation for the farm marketing program at the 2015 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, to be held Dec. 8-10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Brown is a farmer,... more »

New tools will advance efforts to ensure safety of imported foods

The FDA has published a proposed rule and a draft guidance document to support a new program under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that will help eligible foreign entities demonstrate that imported food... more »

MSU: Small farmers can make food safety work

This case study provides an overview of the processes, challenges, benefits, and lessons learned from the Group Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) pilot project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The project goal was to test... more »

Disease Update: Rots wreaking havoc on stone fruit

The extremely wet weather over the last month has triggered rot issues in both sweet and tart cherries. As a result of the volume of fungal spores flying around and the persistent warm wet conditions,... more »

NovaSource adds a pair of new staff members to their team

NovaSource, the crop protection business unit of Tessenderlo Kerley (TKI), announced the addition of Tim Kuechmann as account manager for the Pacific Northwest and Newton Roda as director of international business, Southern Cone, South America.Kuechmann... more »

Blueberry fruit rot severe this year

Anthracnose (also called ripe rot) in blueberry, has been quite severe this year, especially in highly susceptible varieties such as Bluecrop, Bluetta, and Blueray. Anthracnose in blueberry is caused byColletotrichum species, the very same troublesome... more »

Waiting to harvest after a rain enhances food safety

To protect consumers from foodborne illness, produce farmers should wait 24 hours after a rain or irrigating their fields to harvest crops, according to new research published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.Rain or... more »

‘Field Operations and Harvesting’ now available in Spanish

Thanks to the hard work of a small group of volunteers, the “Field Operations and Harvesting” and the “Combined Harmonized Food Safety Standards” are now both available in Spanish.The Harmonized Standards were created by a... more »

Current Issue

On-farm AI: Water, farm, labor research guide decisions

Data collection tool expands farm management

Carmel Valley winegrapes: Parsonage Village Vineyard

IFTA Yakima Valley tour provides orchard insights

IFTA recognizes tree fruit honorees

Pennsylvania recognizes fruit industry professionals

Fresh Views 40 Under 40

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