Reminder: February 13 UVM Apple Program / VTFGA meeting

By Terence Bradshaw

As the new year rolls over, I’d like to remind everyone of the 124th annual Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and UVM Apple Program annual meeting that will we held at the American Legion hall in Middlebury, VT on February 13. There are still a couple of agenda items we’re wrapping up, so stay tuned for a complete agenda to arrive shortly. This year’s slate of talks and discussions should be especially eye-opening, as we’ll hear from (relatively) new UNH entomologist Dr. Anna Wallingford on insect pest management; learn about decision support systems from UMASS Extension specialist Elizabeth Garafalo; and have a robust discussion on the future of apple cultivars in a post-McIntosh (I’m saying that deliberately to provoke discussion) world from New England Apple Association’s Russell Powell. VTFGA President Eric Boire has again pulled together a great list of vendor supporters, and we’ll have opportunities to hear the latest from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. Keep your eyes peeled for registration materials.

Best,

Terry

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.

USDA Value Added Producer Grants Information Sessions

By Terence Bradshaw

Hello:

The USDA Value Added Producers Grants Program is now open for FY2020. This is a great program available to growers and businesses aimed at helping to scale up or investigate entering the value-added food, fiber, and wood products industries. I have reviewed these grants in the past, and this is an excellent way to help fund the next stage of your farm business. Please see the information below i=on information sessions tio gain more information. –TB

From: Massey, Elijah – RD, Montpelier, VT
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2019 2:42 PM
Subject: VAPG Information Sessions

Good afternoon,

I am writing to follow-up on last week’s notification that USDA Rural Development’s Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program is currently open for FY2020. As indicated, there will be information sessions held in New Hampshire and Vermont to provide folks an overview of the VAPG program, recent adjustments from the current Federal Register Notice, and to address questions about the application process. The dates, times, and locations of these sessions are:

For interested parties located in New Hampshire –

Tuesday, January 28th, 2020.

10:00 am to Noon

Concord Center Building

10 Ferry St., Room 211

Concord, NH 03301

For interested parties located in Vermont –

Wednesday, January 29th, 2020.

10:00 to Noon

Lrg. Conference Room

Green Mountain Power Building

7 Green Mountain Dr.

Montpelier, VT 05602

(please park beyond the fence as the front lot is for State employees)

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding either of these meetings or the program more generally. As a reminder, VAPG program information is available on Rural Development’s website for both Vermont and New Hampshire. Hope to see you at a session!

My best,

Elijah

Elijah Massey

Business Programs Specialist

Vermont Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator

Rural Development

United States Department of Agriculture

Office: 802-828-6081 | Fax: 855-794-3680

87 State Street, Suite 324

P. O. Box 249

Montpelier, VT 05601

www.rd.usda.gov/nh | www.rd.usda.gov/vt

Sign up for Vermont and New Hampshire email updates.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.

Save the Date, Feb 13: UVM Apple Program / VT Tree Fruit Growers Assn Annual Meeting

By Terence Bradshaw

The 124th annual UVM Apple Program / VT Tree Fruit Growers Association annual educational meeting is scheduled for February 13, 2020. It will again be held at the American Legion in Middlebury, VT. We are building a particularly interesting slate of speakers and presentations- stay tuned for that information. Registration will be forthcoming.

http://go.uvm.edu/applemtg

See you in February,

Terry

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.

Produce Safety Improvement Grant program – Accepting Applications

Passing on from the VT Agency of Agriculture- TB

Good Morning all,

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is accepting applications for the Produce Safety Improvement Grant program until Monday, December 9th, 2019 at 11:59 PM. The Request for Applications is posted on the grant program webpage at this link – agriculture.vermont.gov/ProduceSafetyGrants

Please share this opportunity with your contacts and feel free to copy the message below, thank you! We appreciate your help in spreading the word.

Produce Safety Improvement Grant Program

Apply Now For Up to $7,000

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is now accepting applications for the Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant program. Produce Safety Improvement Grants can partially defray the costs of implementing on-farm food safety practices to help vegetable and fruit growers transition to compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and/or meet market demands for on-farm food safety.

Awards will range from $2,000 to $7,000. PSIG funds can be used for any of the following, but are not limited to: harvest, wash, pack, and storage supplies; wash/pack area construction or renovation; monitoring/control devices; handwashing stations; cleaning/sanitization tools; health and hygiene signage; compost/manure handling improvements; and materials and systems to improve training and record-keeping.

Applicants must grow, harvest, pack, or hold “covered produce” as defined by the U.S. FSMA Produce Safety Rule and have average annual produce sales of greater than $27,528 over the past three years. ­­The term covered produce includes any raw fruit or vegetable commonly consumed raw, as defined by the FDA. More information can be found in the FY2020 PSIG RFA, located at agriculture.vermont.gov/ProduceSafetyGrants.

How to Apply

· Mark your calendars! Grant applications will be accepted no later than Monday, December 9, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

· Download the FY2020 PSIG Request for Applications (RFA) here.

Please note: Farms that were previously awarded a Produce Safety Improvement Grant are ineligible to apply for a grant in this round.

Technical Assistance

We encourage applicants to contact the University of Vermont Extension Produce Safety Team for technical assistance while developing applications and during implementation of projects. Contact: producesafety.

Questions related to Produce Safety Improvement Grant program or the FSMA Produce Safety Rule should be directed to Gina Clithero at (802) 585-6225 or gina.clithero.

Dominique Giroux

Produce Program Outreach & Education Coordinator

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets

116 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620

dominique.giroux | (802) 522-3132

agriculture.vermont.gov/produceprogram

Subscribe to Agriview!

Find us on social media:

Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant Applications Open November 1

For Immediate Release:

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets

Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant Applications Open November 1

Apply Now For Up to $7,000

November 1, 2019 | Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is now accepting applications for the Vermont Produce Improvement Grant program. Produce Safety Improvement Grants (PSIG) can partially defray the costs of implementing on-farm food safety practices to help vegetable and fruit growers transition to compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and/or meet market demands for on-farm food safety.

Awards will range from $2,000 to $7,000. PSIG funds can be used for any of the following, but are not limited to: harvest, wash, pack, and storage supplies; wash/pack area construction or renovation; monitoring/control devices; handwashing stations; cleaning/sanitization tools; health and hygiene signage; compost/manure handling improvements; and materials and systems to improve training and record-keeping.

“Vermont farmers are dedicated to quality and community,” remarks Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. “By investing in produce safety improvements, growers can improve operational efficiencies, reach new markets, and improve the quality of their end products.” These grants are important to Vermont’s efforts to support growers before and while the state regulates on-farm food safety under the federal food safety rule. “We are proud to support Vermont produce growers in obtaining essential infrastructure and training to reduce food safety risks and stay competitive in today’s market,” Tebbetts said.

Applicants must grow, harvest, pack, or hold “covered produce” as defined by the U.S. FSMA Produce Safety Rule and have average annual produce sales of greater than $27,528 over the past three years.1

How to Apply

• Mark your calendars! Grant applications will be accepted no later than Monday, December 9, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

• Visit agriculture.vermont.gov/ProduceSafetyGrants to download the FY2020 PSIG Request for Applications (RFA).

To date, the Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grant program has awarded $204,000 in grants to 29 Vermont farms. All PSIG grantees have seen broad, positive impacts on their farms as a result of completing produce safety projects, such as increased efficiency, worker satisfaction, produce quality, or production capacity. Approximately $51,000, provided by the Vermont State Legislature, the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and Castanea Foundation, is available for this fourth round of PSIG funding. With limited funding available, VAAFM prioritizes reaching as many produce farms as possible to support on-farm projects that minimize food safety risks. To that end, applications for this round of funding will not be accepted from farms that previously received a Produce Safety Improvement Grant.

Questions related to Produce Safety Improvement Grants or the FSMA Produce Safety Rule should be directed to Gina Clithero at (802) 585-6225 or AGR.FSMA.

1 ­­The term covered produce includes any raw fruit or vegetable commonly consumed raw, as defined by the FDA. More information can be found in the FY2020 PSIG RFA, located at agriculture.vermont.gov/ProduceSafetyGrants.

Contact:
Gina Clithero
Produce Program | Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets
(802) 585-6225 | gina.clithero

###

Scott Waterman

Policy and Communications Director | VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets

802-622-4662 | scott.waterman

Find us on social media:

Please complete this brief survey to help us improve our customer service. Thank you for your feedback!

fire blight webinar

Fall 2019 Tool Box Webinar Series

Fire Blight IPM Using Non-Antibiotic Control Methods, October 9, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Quan Zeng, Agricultural Scientist, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Daniel Cooley, Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Neil Schultes, Agricultural Scientist, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Read more and register for “Fire Blight IPM Using Non-Antibiotic Control Methods”

Quan Zeng, PhD
Assistant Plant Pathologist & Bacteriologist
Department of Plant Pathology & Ecology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street,
New Haven, Connecticut 06511
Phone: 203-974-8613

Website: http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2812&q=556282

fire blight webinar

Fall 2019 Tool Box Webinar Series

Fire Blight IPM Using Non-Antibiotic Control Methods, October 9, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Quan Zeng, Agricultural Scientist, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Daniel Cooley, Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Neil Schultes, Agricultural Scientist, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Read more and register for “Fire Blight IPM Using Non-Antibiotic Control Methods”

Quan Zeng, PhD
Assistant Plant Pathologist & Bacteriologist
Department of Plant Pathology & Ecology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street,
New Haven, Connecticut 06511
Phone: 203-974-8613

Website: http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2812&q=556282

Grape maturity testing, week of 9/13/2019

By Terence Bradshaw

Grapes continue to be slow to ripen. Warm days later this week should move early cultivars (Brianna, St Croix) along a bit, but most grapes need quite a bit more heat accumulation before harvest.

9/13/2019

Cultivar

Brix pH %TA (g/100ml)
Brianna 16.1 2.85 0.71
Verona 16.5 2.75 1.40
St. Croix 17.2 2.93 1.28
Louise Swenson 18.8 2.97 0.89
St. Pepin 19 2.94 1.46
Crimson Pearl 19.8 2.86 1.17
Petite Pearl 20.6 2.9 1.11
Itasca 21.8 2.95 1.19
Data collected 9/13/2019 at UVM Horticulture Research & Education Center Vineyard, South Burlington, VT.

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.

2019 grape maturity testing

By Terence Bradshaw

September is here, and grape harvest will soon be ‘on’ in Vermont vineyards. While the spring was generally wet overall, diligent management should have left you with relatively disease-free grapes and vines. The dry, hot/warm weather since July has been great for grape maturity, but these recent cool nights are likely to slow development.

This year, we will once again be posting fruit / juice maturity values on the UVM Fruit Program website. Watch for that link in the next couple of days, as I just switched computers so still have to load my web editing software. Until then, I am posting a snapshot of the data below. We don’t have all of our cultivars here yet, but you’ll notice some new ones from our new NE-1720 cultivar evaluation trial. We may pick Brianna next week, but the rest have some time to go.

9/9/2019 Brix pH %TA (g/100ml)
Briana 16.2 2.92 0.83
Louise Swenson 17.7 2.97 1.07
Crimson Pearl 19.0 3.02 1.36
Itasca 23.0 3.11 1.19
Petite Pearl 17.7 2.99 1.15
St. Peppin 18.3 2.98 1.50
Verona 15.9 2.78 1.63
Data collected at UVM Horticulture Research & Education Center Vineyard, South Burlington, VT. Accumulated degree days (base 50°F, BE model) since April 1 = 2118.

How do you assess grape maturity using juice data? Please see our relatively new fact sheet, Pre-Harvest Winegrape Juice Testing. That sheet also contains some target values for when to harvest each of the winegrape cultivars in our vineyard.

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.

Preharvest orchard management

By Terence Bradshaw

First things first: I’m going off-line later today for a rare, two-week, no-work vacation. Please note that I won’t be responding to emails that come in during that time.

Harvest for early apple varieties is just around the corner. That brings in a few management items that should be tended to:

1. Now is the time to collect plant tissue samples for nutrient analysis in apples to best tweak fertility programs next year. If you’re applying fertilizers without tissue samples, you are doing it blind. Samples collected every two, up to three years should be sufficient, unless you are noticing or correcting a particular deficiency. Samples should be collected separately by cultivar, rootstock, and planting system/block- basically, the sample should come from a uniform set of trees. I’ve given instructions on sample collection, and refer to those now if you need them. As for timing, apples leaves are typically collected July 15 – August 15, so now’s the time.

2. Pest management: keep an eye on apple maggot and second-generation codling moth. Some orchards may also have populations of obliquebanded leafroller that warrant treatment. Each of these is really best managed on an orchard-by orchard basis, so check your traps and check NEWA for models for the lepidopteran pests.

3. It’s dry out there, so if you have the ability to water, plan on doing so. Dry hot weather also increases mite incidence, so keep an eye out for them.

4. Approaching harvest means thinking about preharvest drop control. Dr. Duane Green at UMASS recently offered some tips on drop management strategies in an issue of Healthy Fruit:
“The time is rapidly approaching for choosing the preharvest drop control strategy you will use this harvest season. The approach for each variety will undoubtedly be different. There are a number of factors to consider in making this decision including the variety, the product to use, the weather before and after application, the time from application to harvest and the intended use of the apples (immediate sale, short storage period, long storage period). A successful preharvest drop control strategy requires consideration of all of these factors.

As an apple matures and approaches the time of harvest it starts to produce the gas ethylene. The ethylene generat­ed by the ripening apple further stimulates fruit ripening. The ethylene moves through the intercellular spaces in the apple to the abscission zone which connects the spur of the apple with the pedicel of the fruit. The ethylene weakens the abscission by stimulating synthesis enzymes that destroy cells in the abscission zone and the enzymes that hold cells together. Ethylene plays a significant role in the fruit abscission process and controlling it is a key component for drop control and regulation of ripening.
Orchardist have the choice among three currently-available preharvest drop control compounds: ReTain (aminoe­thoxyvinylglycine, AVG), NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid and its many formulations) and Harvista (1-aminocyclopro­pane-1-carboxylic acid). Each compound is different. Their modes of action are different which determines in part how they are use and the responses you can expect following application.

Harvista

This is the newest drop control compound to be made available. It influences physiological responses in the apple by inhibiting the action of ethylene. As a fruit starts to ripen it produces ethylene receptor sites. In order for ethylene to in­fluence any response in an apple (ripening, fruit drop etc.) it must bind to a receptor site. Harvista works by irreversibly binding to these ethylene binding sites. As apple ripens it continues to produce new binding sites. Loss of preharvest drop control activity from Harvista is not due to Harvista being inactivate or metabolized but rather the apple continues to produce new ethylene binding sites which are then available for ethylene to attach to and stimulate fruit ripening and preharvest drop. In initial research using a different method of Harvista application we found that application of more than one low rate of Harvista was able to extend the period of drop control of Harvista. Two to 3 applications of low rates of Harvista, equal to the sum of one application at a higher rate, resulted in longer drop control. Another observation made during the early evaluation of Harvista was that loss of drop control of Harvista can occur very rapidly, within 2-3 days. The current application of this compound made is through a proprietary in-line injection system where sprayers are retrofitted to make this specialized application. Recommendations for the use of Harvista are being handled and overseen by Agrofresh.

ReTain

ReTain (AVG) has been available to growers for over 20 years. During that time it was the main drop control com­pound used by growers. The mode of action of ReTain is by blocking a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway, thus in­hibiting production of ethylene in apples. It requires at least 10 days following application for the drop control of ReTain to become effective.

There are several factors that growers should keep in mind when using ReTain as a drop control compound.

· The more ReTain you apply the greater the response (more drop control and a greater delay in fruit maturity) you can expect. In general the response to ReTain is linear with the amount you apply.

· The earlier you apply ReTain in the season the greater the retardation of ripening and red color development will occur.

· When one pouch of ReTain per acre is applied on McIntosh effective drop control (less than 20%) will generally last for 30 to 35 days. Supplemental application of ½ to 1 333g pouch will extend the period of drop control and contin­ued retardation of ripening.

· Split applications of ½ pouch of ReTain will have much more drop control than 1 application of 1 pouch.

· Trees under water stress, heat stress or severe mite damage do not respond to ReTain well and its use on these trees is not recommended.

· This use of an organosilicate surfactant (Silwet L-77 or Sylguard 309, 6-12 oz/100 gal) is strongly suggested. It im­proves the performance of ReTain and it imparts a certain amount of rain fastness.

· The maximum amount of ReTain that can be used per year is two 333g pouches. Maximum drop control will be achieved using this amount.

Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)

Since the discovery of auxins (including NAA) in the 1930s, this group of has been known to retard preharvest drop. NAA is available in many commercial formulations. It is generally applied at a rate of 10 ppm. One can expect drop control to last 7-10 days from one application. A second NAA application of 10 ppm will extend the drop control to about 14 days. Generally, it requires 2-3 days for the drop control of NAA to take effect. NAA is most effective if it is applied just prior to the start of drop. Determining this time may be difficult. The label suggests that NAA should be applied when the first few sound fruit are found under a tree. NAA is most effective when applied prior to the start of drop. Careful monitoring of the orchard is recommended. Unlike ReTain and Harvista, NAA is known to have the abil­ity to advance ripening and shorten the storage life of fruit. Advanced ripening can be accentuated when warm to hot weather follows application, harvest is delayed, used on stressed trees or applied at rates higher than 10 ppm.

NAA may be useful when applied with other drop control compounds. NAA can be used in conjunction with ReTain. Some researchers have reported that it can enhance the drop control of Retain. Some growers wish to delay the applica­tion of ReTain to 10 to 14 days prior to anticipated harvest to minimize the influence that ReTain may have on delaying red color development and ripening. In this case NAA can provide near term drop control until the drop control prop­erties of ReTain can start to take effect. There are no reports on the use of NAA in conjunction with Harvista. Another frequent use of NAA is when it is applied with ethephon to increase red color and advance the ripening of apples early in the season. In this case, NAA can be tank mixed with ethephon or it may be applied separately 2-3 days after ethephon application.

Specific Drop Control Recommendations Differ with Cultivar

Suggestions for preharvest drop control in New England were initially developed to be used on traditional New En­gland cultivars that had a preharvest drop control problem, most notably McIntosh and Macoun. However, recently the popularity and the extensive planting of Honeycrisp and Gala have presented new challenges. Both of these cultivars are low ethylene producing cultivars, thus rates used on these cultivars must be lower to minimize the inhibitory effect of ReTain on red color development.

-Honeycrisp.

Honeycrisp has a significant drop control problem that if not countered with a drop control compound, could result in preharvest drop losses of up to 50% before harvest. Frequently, 1/3 to ½ a pouch per acre is applied to minimize the reduction in red color development. The timing of this could be 2 to 3 weeks before harvest or a split application of 1/3 to ½ 333g pouch at 3 week and 1 week before harvest. Depending on the situation, a low rate of NAA may be included with the ReTain to enhance drop control. Low rates of NAA applied on Honeycrisp will probably have a limited influ­ence on adversely influencing flesh firmness and fruit quality. There is limited information available to document the effects of Harvista on Honeycrisp drop and fruit quality.

More recently we have published work that documents the advantages of making a split application of one pouch of ReTain 3.5 weeks prior to anticipated harvest and a second 1 333g pouch application 2 weeks later. This results in a sig­nificant the delay of preharvest drop until early October. Under this scenario fruit ripen under more favorable weather conditions and red color at harvest was excellent.

-Gala.

While preharvest drop is not a malady suffered by Gala, fruit frequently experience stem-end split as they ripen, develop an undesirable “greasy” feel and internal browning may develop in storage. Under warm to hot conditions this can occur very rapidly. ReTain can delay ripening and thus reduce these maladies, but it comes at the expense of retard­ed red color development. Low rates of ReTain (1/3 to ½ pouch/ acre should be used to minimize the delay in red color development. NAA is not useful here since it does have the tendency of advancing ripening and aggravate the problem. Little information is available for the use of Harvista on the delay ripening on Gala.”

Enjoy the end of summer, this looks to be a busy harvest season ahead.

Best,

Terry

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification,

no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

Always read the label before using any pesticide.

The label is the legal document for the product use.

Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the

label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the

University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, a USDA NIFA E-IPM

Grant, and USDA Risk Management Agency Funds.