Water

March workshops will study irrigation

To assist current and future irrigators, Michigan State University Extension is planning several daylong irrigation workshops across the state in 2014. Three workshops of specific interest to fruit and vegetable growers (but all irrigators and... more »

Minimum wage hike will hurt California growers

On top of all the other pressures California fruit growers are facing – rising input costs, labor shortages and tightening water supplies – they are now looking at a $2-per-hour hike in the state’s minimum... more »

Crop insurance deadline nears for Michigan growers

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Michigan fruit growers interested in buying a new federal crop insurance policy, or making changes to an existing policy, to do so by the Nov. 20 sales closing date.... more »

Michigan wetlands law awaits EPA review

While Public Act (PA) 98 was signed into law in July and maintains the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) ability to regulate agricultural development on wetlands, its status remains in limbo awaiting federal EPA... more »

Remote-controlled aircraft spray, perform other tasks

Researchers are working with farmers to study the potential of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to manage crops and improve yields. Also known as drones, UAS aren’t viewed positively by many in the United States, but... more »

Berry growers face a challenging time managing SWD

Weather conditions that created the largest blueberry crop in the last three year have also provided ideal environmental conditions for growth and development of large populations of spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) that in a matter... more »

Edgewood Bogs sustains success in cranberries

Taking a lean and green approach in operating Edgewood Bogs has paid dividends for cranberry growers Matt and Cindy Rhodes. The couple purchased the operation, in the heart of southeastern Massachusetts’ “Cranberry Country,” from Matt’s... more »

High-density system can increase pear yields

Terence Robinson, a professor of horticulture at Cornell University, has studied apples for decades, but lately he’s been “somewhat enthused” about the potential of pears, especially in the eastern United States. Robinson discussed high-density pears... more »

Talkin’ Shop: What’s your take on organic farming?

Editor's note: This is a complete list of the responses to the Talkin' Shop question on page 55 of the May 2013 issue of FGN. Organic chemicals, if not handled or applied correctly, can cause... more »

Organic board limits antibiotics

USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recently rejected a petition to extend the expiration date for the use of oxytetracycline in apple and pear production beyond Oct. 21, 2014, according to Consumers Union, the policy... more »