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May 6, 2011
· Seed mixes may spawn big pest problems
· New Mexico’s famed chile crop in danger
· Bolthouse facing IPO or outright sale
· United Fresh donates 33 salad bars
· African poachers convert to organic farming
Seed mixes may spawn big pest problems
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ) – As the use of biotechnology increases and more companies move forward with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval to begin full-scale commercialization of seed mixtures in transgenic insecticidal corn, many researchers believe pest monitoring will become even more difficult.
"Seed mixtures may make insect resistance management
(IRM) risky because of larval behavior and greater adoption of insecticidal
corn," said David Onstad, professor in the
Department of Crop Sciences at the
On the other hand, Onstad said block refuges present a different suite of risks because of adult pest behavior and the lower compliance with IRM rules expected from farmers.
"It's likely that secondary pests not targeted by the insecticidal corn, as well as natural enemies, will respond differently to block refuges and seed mixtures," Onstad said.
The risk management approach to corn pest management has provided tangible benefits to producers in corn-producing regions where target pests were once abundant. For example, Bt corn hybrids have helped to greatly reduce the number of European corn borers, the authors said.
"However, the risk management approach tends to ignore many aspects of IPM, such as monitoring pest levels and concentrating treatments when or where appropriate, because there is an assumption that most pests are controlled throughout the season, regardless of pressure levels," he said. "Although field corn has never been considered an IPM-intensive cropping system, there is less impetus than ever for growers or crop consultants to enter fields."
Onstad said that growers will also have fewer choices in what hybrids they grow in their fields. Experts in integrated pest management are concerned that some seed companies will provide fewer options for regional needs, secondary pests, disease control and refuge plantings.
Onstad and the collaborating authors also questioned whether pyramided toxins would actually increase mortality in targeted pests.
"Without this increase in mortality through independent activity of each toxin, the pyramid has much less value for IRM," he said. "EPA recently acknowledged that a corn hybrid pyramided with two toxins active against corn rootworms does not significantly increase larval mortality."
Mike Gray, U of I Extension entomologist, said this research
is important for stakeholders to consider as the industry transitions to the
new paradigm of 95 to 5 seed blends across the
"A significant consequence of the seed mixture infrastructure emerging within the corn insect protection arena is increasing pressure on the long-term sustainability of the soil insecticide market," Gray said. "As the number of refuges configured as blocks, strips, or separate fields declines, soil insecticide use should also be reduced. Ultimately, loss of soil insecticide products will result in reduced flexibility of producers to effectively manage economic infestations of white grubs, wireworms, and other soil insects."
In addition, if resistance develops to Bt hybrids and becomes widespread, growers will need to have some remaining tools to manage insect pests of corn, Gray added.
"It remains to be seen whether some groups within the agribusiness sector will maintain their investments in this competitive arena just in case resistance develops or to offer products targeted against secondary soil insect pests," Gray said.
More information: Onstad's research, "Seeds of change: Corn seed mixtures for resistance management and integrated pest management," was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.
New
Mexico
(KOB.com) –
How bad is it? In 2010, farmers harvested just 8,700 acres of chile, the lowest in 37 years. That’s also 75 percent lower than the peak year of 1992.
KOB Eyewitness News 4 visited Faron
Lytle's Hatch farm. His chile plants are tiny sprouts right now. They are
growing in the worst drought in more than a century, and there's a good chance
the irrigation water from the
The chiles that do get harvested will be sold at prices kept low by foreign imports.
Some farmers have even started planting cotton instead of
chile. But the hardcore chile growers are counting on customer loyalty and a
high quality historic product to keep them in business. It’s an approach that
may work well in our state, but how it'll play in places like
Governor Martinez signed a new law making it illegal to
advertise or sell
The New Mexico Chile Growers Association says more than 80
percent of the chile consumed in the
Bolthouse facing IPO or outright sale
(Reuters) - The company that made baby carrots popular is more likely to go public or be sold to a different private equity firm than be bought by a giant corporation, according to its CEO.
Bolthouse Farms, the nation's leading carrot processor, was acquired by private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners in 2005. The firm will want to exit its investment "at some point," Chief Executive Jeff Dunn said in an interview.
"We're not in any hurry to monetize," Dunn said, adding that he has a long horizon and would favor an exit strategy that lets him continue to run the company, which has about $700 million in annual sales.
"Being a public company would be interesting," Dunn said, adding that he was less enthusiastic about being acquired by a large corporation, such as Coca-Cola Co, where he worked for two decades.
Bolthouse Farms and its rival Grimmway Farms, both based in
In addition to a marketing campaign for baby carrots that urges consumers to "Eat 'em like junk food," Bolthouse is working to drive sales with its bottled juices and salad dressings.
Bolthouse Farms drinks -- which include juices, smoothies and protein drinks -- are the No. 1 "super premium" refrigerated juice brand in the United States, overtaking Coca-Cola's Odwalla and PepsiCo Inc's (PEP.N) Naked Juice, Dunn said.
But the brand is still purchased only by a small percentage
of
"If we can get down to where we're $3.99, now we're talking," Dunn said.
United Fresh donates 33 salad bars
(Wire Services) – Almost 80,000 children throughout
In a ceremony this week, United Fresh commemorated the
donation of salad bars to 33 schools across the city. The donation comes as the
fresh fruit and vegetable industry converges on
“The salad bars donated this week come from produce industry members all across the United States, and are another fantastic example of our members’ commitment to providing healthier options for kids and increasing access to fresh fruit and vegetables not only in their home communities, but also for the thousands of school kids in our host city of New Orleans,” said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel.
The event, “Let’s Move Salad Bars to New Orleans Schools,” brought together local dignitaries and officials to recognize the 33 recipient schools and the 26 donor companies. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to end childhood obesity within a generation. United Fresh is a founding partner of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative, which has a goal of donating salad bars to 6,000 schools nationwide within the next three years. United Fresh has pioneered the nationwide adoption of school fruit and vegetable salad bars as a proven strategy for significantly increasing children’s produce consumption.
“We are elated to have been selected to be a recipient of salad bars donated by the Let’s Move Salad Bars to New Orleans Schools program,” said New Orleans Public Schools Director of Foodservice Rosie Jackson. “As a result of the donations, our students will now receive more fresh produce as well as have an opportunity to make healthier choices in their food selections. This initiative will truly enhance our overall program for our students, and show our commitment to the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative. Thanks! Thanks! On behalf of our students.”
The schools receiving salad bars are: Algiers Technology Academy, Alice M. Harte Charter School, AP Tureaud Elementary School, Believe College Prep, Bethune Elementary School, Central City Academy, Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy of Global Studies, Edna Karr Charter High School, Emily C. Watkins Elementary School, Esperanza Charter School, International School of Louisiana, International School of Louisiana – West Bank, James Weldon Johnson Elementary School, Joseph A. Craig Elementary School, Joseph Clark Senior High School, Lafayette Academy New Orleans, Lagniappe Academies, LB Landry Senior High School, McDonogh 15 Elementary School for the Creative Arts, McDonogh 28 City Park Academy, McDonogh 35 High School, McMain High School, Miller-McCoy Academy for Math and Business, New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy, New Orleans College Prep, New Orleans College Prep Elementary School, O. Perry Walker College and Career Prep High School, Paul B. Habans Elementary School, Priestly Charter School, Renaissance High School/KIPP New Orleans Leadership Academy, Sarah T. Reed High School, Sojourner Truth Academy, and William J. Fischer Accelerated Academy.
The salad bar donations are made possible through the generous sponsorship of the following companies: The Andrew Smith Company, Apio, Inc., Bonipak Produce, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, CAMBRO, Capitol City Produce, Chiquita Brands, Ciruli Brothers, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Dennis and Susi Gertmenian, DMA Solutions, Dole Food Company, DuPont Crop Protection, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Horton Fruit Company, Mann Packing Company, Marie’s, McEntire Produce, Muir Copper Canyon Farms, the National Watermelon Association, Pero Family Farms, Stemilt Growers, Taylor Farms, the Produce Exchange, the Tom Lange Company, and True Organic Products.
Today’s donation is in addition to the salad bars that the
United Fresh Foundation donated to 10
To date, the United Fresh Foundation has donated salad bars
to more than 100 schools in 12 states and the
For more information visit www.unitedfresh.org
African poachers convert to organic farming
Shifts in the local climate are pushing small-scale farmers
like Mwale, working on the fringes of eastern
“Sometimes rainfall is prolonged; sometimes there is too much rain in a short space of time followed by longer dry spells,” explains Nemiah Tembo, COMACO’s agricultural conservation manager.
In addition, the average temperature in
Farmers are struggling to cope with the changes in their climate. “The shortening of the rainy period delays the planting of crops, and too much rain in a short duration brings flooding and water-logging,” Jain said.
Mfuwe is not an easy place to farm. On a flood plain between two valleys, it experiences natural flooding every year. But this has been exacerbated by increased rainfall intensity and deforestation. Trees in the valley are chopped down for firewood, leaving vast areas open to floods and erosion as water washes away top soil.
Money-making opportunities are few, and most families find it hard to make ends meet. Agricultural markets are limited by poor road infrastructure and the predominant production of low-value crops like maize.
Only a handful of game hunting licences
are available. It is prohibited to live inside
SWAPPING SNARES FOR SPADES
Many, like Mwale, turn to illegal poaching. “I was not a free person,” he says, recalling his days as a hunter. “I was leading a life of hide and seek from the authorities.”
After killing an elephant, he was caught and sentenced to more than two years in prison. Being away from his family forced him to rethink his priorities.
Backed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, COMACO’s original goal was to protect and preserve local wildlife in game management areas by teaching organic farming and conservation techniques as an alternative to poaching.
But the focus has expanded to encompass humans. “We realised that this is about much more than saving elephants. It’s about making families food secure,” says director Dale Lewis. “Now we have families in a food surplus situation.”
Since 2004, in consultation with the government and conservation authorities, COMACO has helped 845 poachers across 10 districts to surrender their guns and snares in exchange for organic farming advice.
‘IT’S WILD’
The farmers are grouped into cooperatives that supply supermarkets across the country under COMACO’s “It’s Wild” trademark.
The Kakumbi Green Market is a small “It’s Wild!” store in the heart of Mfuwe town. Every Monday and Thursday, it is restocked with colourful non-traditional vegetables: yellow, red and green peppers, carrots, spinach, and herbs and spices, including ginger, garlic, coriander, parsley, basil and mint.
The number of different food crops grown by COMACO’s 45,000 members rose from 10 to 16 between 2008 and 2009 alone, and they are encouraged to add value to their raw produce.
As a result, the Mfuwe store’s shelves are stacked with an enticing range of products - pots of organic honey gathered from local bee hives and delicious natural peanut butter made from groundnuts.
Twelve local tourist lodges and hotels stock up their kitchens from the market, and the produce is also sent to a national network of shops.
The organic non-traditional crops and vegetables introduced by COMACO - from soya beans and groundnuts to legumes and salad vegetables like cucumbers - have improved both local biodiversity and diets, the organisation says.
“People here never used to eat aubergines, for example, now they do,” observes horticultural extension officer Simon Banda. “We’ve also given people a wider source of nutrients and variety of relish.”
TRAINING FOR FARMERS
Farmer groups and regional-level cooperatives receive training from COMACO representatives and over 700 “lead” farmers, whose role is to introduce organic farming practices and skills, while motivating communities to adopt them.
Participants are taught organic methods of horticultural, rice and livestock farming, as well as pest management techniques like crop rotation.
Treadle pumps have been distributed to groups as an incentive to raise quality standards. These provide a year-round water supply which not only boosts yields but leads to better, healthier crops and a higher income.
Another technique is to improve soil fertility by interspersing rice plants with nitrogen-rich acacia tree saplings and pigeon pea, a leafy legume and high-protein food crop.
ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Given the climate difficulties faced by many farmers, the COMACO initiative is helping them adapt to changing rainfall patterns by growing a combination of hardy crops like cassava, which can survive drought, alongside soil nutrient-boosting crops such as soya bean and higher-value crops they can sell to boost their income.
“There are going to be dramatic changes (in the climate),” says COMACO director Lewis. “Today more than 50 percent of our farmers grow cassava. It may not have commercial value, but people have food all year.”
COMACO also assists farmers through its seed recovery programme. When harvests fail in one part of the country, leaving farmers without seed to plant the following year, they can access the network’s seed stocks.
“Mitigating climate change is a global effort,” says Lewis. “But I think at the local level we are making an effort to reduce the need to cut and burn trees, and encouraging better management of soils and water resources to help farmers withstand future climate shocks.”
End Transmission