In This Issue:
Calendar
President Signs Ag Appropriations Bill
Midwest Fruit Workers Conference Report
Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Terminal Market Wholesale Fruit Prices
Preliminary Monthly Climatological Data for Selected Ohio Locations October 2000
February 7-9, 2001: Ohio Fruit Growers Society Congress, in conjunction with the Ohio Vegetable and Potato Growers Association and Ohio Direct Marketing Association, in Toledo. Wednesday - general sessions, trade show opens, tree fruit marketing & cider sessions. Thursday - breakfast & society business meeting, tree fruit session, trade show, joint tree fruit and roadside marketing session, cider session, general sessions. Friday - tree fruit session, general sessions. More information will follow at a later date.
February 14-15, 2001: The National Farm Machinery Show & Championship Tractor Pulls, Louisville, Kentucky.
After months of tough negotiations, President Clinton signed the agricultural appropriations bill into law on Oct. 28. The $78 billion bill included $3.6 billion in direct aid to farmers, with special attention given to losses sustained by apple growers.
The measure also includes provisions that would ease the embargo on Cuba and allow for importation of cheaper prescription drugs. Concerns and reservations about these provisions were a major factor holding up the appropriations as it passed through Congress and as the president considered signing the bill.
The appropriations provide the nation's apple growers with $138 million in economic assistance. This total includes $100 million in assistance for market losses, and $38 million for crop losses suffered by apple growers over the past two years.
"Apple growers across America have been hard hit by three terribly tough years in a row," said U.S. Apple Association (USApple) President Kraig R. Naasz, whose group was instrumental in efforts to secure apple assistance. "We are very grateful that Congress acted on our pleas to address the devastating losses suffered by apple growers."
The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make payments totaling $100 million to apple producers to provide relief for the loss of markets caused domestically by a recent flood of unfairly priced apple juice concentrate from China, and in the export arena by trade barriers and the recent financial crisis throughout Asia. Growers will be eligible to receive market loss assistance payments on their first 1.6 million pounds of apple production, which roughly equates to 40,000 bushels.
The bill further directs the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $38 million to compensate apple growers for quality losses to their 1999 and 2000 crops due to fire blight or weather-related disaster, including but not limited to a hurricane or hail.
Apple growers were forced last year to contend with Hurricane Floyd in New England and North Carolina, drought throughout Pennsylvania and the Appalachian states, and hail in Utah and Colorado. Hail and fire blight caused major crop losses this year in New York and Michigan, respectively. Other smaller apple-producing regions of the country reported equally devastating crop losses.
"Mother Nature wreaked havoc on apple producers across our country over the past two years," said Naasz. "For many growers, this crop loss assistance can't come soon enough."
Naasz added, "USApple is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency to encourage the distribution of these funds to growers as quickly after the bill is signed into law as possible. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, apple growers suffered $760 million in losses over the past three years, due to unfairly-priced Chinese concentrate imports, lost sales to key export markets, and weather-related crop disasters.
Other key provisions of the bill included $75 million to compensate growers for losses associated with disease including plum pox virus and watermelon sudden wilt; and $1.6 million for potato research and multi-state variety development.
Illinois: Rick Weinzierl heads a team which recently received a North-Central IPM grant to develop a publication titled "Organic and Low-Chemical Pest Management in Midwest Fruit Crops."
The Illinois weather was naturally unusual. There were no zero days last winter, and the result was a full crop of peaches and blackberries. A relatively dry, early spring followed with rainfall 50% below average by the end of April. The rains started in late May, and more than 30 inches have fallen since then. The prospects for a good apple crop were tempered by temperatures in the 100s during three August and September days resulting in "buckskinning" and burning.
Fruit crop insects mentioned were tufted apple bud moth (which virtually disappeared after severe outbreaks in 1998 and 1999), ribbed cocoon maker of apple, Japanese beetle, heavier than usual codling moth pressures, and potato leafhopper burn in apples.
Apple diseases noted were cedar apple rust, powdery mildew, bitter rot, and white rot. Sooty blotch and fly speck became more severe toward the end of the season. A hail storm on May 17 in northern Illinois caused unprecedented fire blight with most of the trees planted in 2000 needing replacement.
All of the samples collected from stone-fruit trees tested negative for Plum Pox Virus. However, other stone-fruit diseases were evident during the growing season; namely peach leaf curl, powdery mildew, scab, brown rot, and bacterial spot.
Challenges to small fruit growers were black rot and downy mildew in grapes as well as 2,4-D drifts. Orange rust occurred on black raspberries.
Indiana: A March cold snap caused widely variable damage by crop and region. Rainfall was near normal for most parts of the state, but again varied widely. Indiana produced some beautiful peach crops this year, while the apple crop was described as "patchy." Blocks of Red Delicious and Mutsu were badly affected by the early season freeze.Ohio Fruit ICM News
Persistent wet periods throughout the growing season resulted in moderate disease pressure. There were a number of isolated reports of moderate to severe fire blight. 2000 was a fairly typical year for insects and mites, with Japanese beetle continuing to be a major problem in many areas. Concerns about the loss of post-bloom use of Lorsban were noted.
The grape crop in southwestern areas was damaged by fruit rot; otherwise diseases were not a significant problem. Grape berry moth was at the highest level ever observed in Indiana vineyards, and Japanese beetles continued to be a problem. Blueberry yields were about average with good fruit quality and size. Raspberry and blackberry crop yields were variable due to the March freeze. The southern strawberry crop was excellent, but only fair across central and northern areas.
Iowa: Mark Gleason and Steve Wegulo reported on four research projects involving strawberry anthracnose, control of tarnished plant bug in strawberry, and the performance of SkyBit disease prediction products for sooty blotch and fly speck. Japanese beetle continues to move westward with observations in southeastern Iowa.
Kentucky: A mild winter was followed by March and April freezes which severely affected the peach, apple, and strawberry crops in many parts of the state. The apple crop averaged 75% of normal with a range of 5% in central Kentucky to 100% in the western part. Apple scab, sooty blotch, and fly speck were widespread. This was a typical year for codling moth with good control in most orchards. San Jose scale has become more problematic in apples as well as peaches.
The Kentucky peach crop was about 60% of normal. Rainy spring weather and long leaf wetness periods during the summer favored peach leaf curl, plum pockets, brown rot, peach scab, and plum leaf spot in stone fruit.
The strawberry crop was reduced by a fourth from last year's drought combined with the 2000 freeze. Blackberries were devastated by orange rust in some locations. The grape crop was normal in spite of some bird damage. Blueberry yields were reduced in those planting which were not irrigated in 1999.
Missouri: Research work is continuing on mating disruption for codling moth management
Ohio: The position of Berry Coordinator was added in February to work on expanding the berry industry in Ohio. The strawberry harvest was one of the best in years, and blueberries were in high demand. The June raspberry harvest was excellent, with the fall crop also very good except where gray mold was present. Additional news is in the Ohio Small Fruit Newsletter http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~prec/berry/news/oct/
Plum curculio continues to be a problem in the state's apple orchards. Fire blight infestations ranged from none to severe, depending on orchard locations and varieties. Tree losses appear to be limited to younger, non-bearing trees. Celeste Welty reported her research results with mortality rates of various orchard chemicals with stigmaeid mites.
Wisconsin: Two commercial organic apple orchards are operating in the state, one with 160 acres. There is interest in new currant and gooseberry plantings. Cherry leaf spot was a serious problem this year.
This is an extensive report. The section you should probably examine first is Section II, titled "Water". Wherever water comes into contact with fresh produce, its quality dictates the potential for pathogen contamination.
Water can be a carrier of many microorganisms including pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Vibrio cholerae, Shigella spp., Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Toxiplasma gondii, and the Norwalk and hepatitis A viruses. Even small amounts of contamination with some of these organisms can result in foodborne illness.
Temperature differential between apples and the water-bath has been shown to actually draw pathogens into the fruit. See Ohio Fruit ICM News, Jan. 28, 2000, page 3.
| Chicago http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/HX_FV010.txt | |
| Apples: market about steady | |
| Cartons cellpack New York
US Fancy McIntosh 80's 23.00 96's 22.00 Wisconsin
Cartons 12 3-lb film bags Illinois
|
Bushel cartons loose Illinois
US Fancy Red Del. 2 1/4" up 12.00 US Fancy Jonathan 2 1/4" up 11.00-12.00 US One Red Delicious 3" up 12.00 No grade marks Golden Delicious 2 ½" up 12.00 Jonathan 2 ½" & up 12.00 Michigan - No grade marks
|
| Detroit http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/DU_FV010.txt | |
| Apples: market steady | |
| Cartons 12 3-lb filmbags Michigan
U.S. ExFcy Red Del. 2 ½" min 10.00-12.00 Golden Delicious 2 ½" min 10.00-12.00 Rome 2 ½" min 10.00-12.00 U.S. Fancy Red Del. 2 ½" min 10.00-11.50, mostly 10 Golden Delicious 2 ½" min 10.00-12.00, mostly 10 Rome 2 ½" min 10.00-12.00, mostly 10 McIntosh 2 1/2" min 10.00-12.00, mostly 11.50-12.00 Jonathan 2 1/2" min 11.50-12.00, mostly 12.00 Empire 2 1/2" min 10.00-11.00, mostly 10.50-11.00 |
Bushel cartons loose Michigan
US Fancy Red Delicious 2 3/4" up 10.00-12.00 US Fancy Red Delicious 3" min 11.50-12.00 Golden Delicious 2 3/4" up 10.00-12.00 Golden Delicious 3" min 11.50-12.00 Rome 2 3/4" up 10.00-12.00 Empire 2 3/4" up 10.00-12.00 Idared 3" min 10.00-12.00 Cartons cellpack New York
|
| Pittsburgh http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/PS_FV010.txt | |
| Apples: market about steady | |
| Cartons cellpack New York
U.S. ExFancy Red Rome 56s 16.00-18.00 64s 16.00-18.00 U.S. ExFancy McIntosh 100s 20.00-20.50, few 22.00 120s 18.00-18.50 Cartons traypack New York
Cartons 12 3-lb filmbags New York
Michigan
|
Bushel cartons loose Michigan No grade marks
Red Delicious 2 ½" min 12.00-14.50 Golden Delicious 2 ½" min 12.00-14.50 Gala 2 ½" min 14.00-16.50 McIntosh 2 ½" min 12.00-14.50 Paula Red 2 ½" min 11.00-11.75 Pennsylvania No grade marks
|
| Weather Station Location | Monthly Precip | Normal Monthly Precip | Year-to-Date Precip | Normal Year-to-Date Precip | Average High | Normal High | Average Low | Normal Low | Mean Temp. | Normal Mean |
| Akron-Canton | 2.39 | 2.35 | 40.81 | 30.86 | 64.2 | 62.1 | 44.1 | 42.7 | 54.1 | 52.4 |
| Cincinnati | 1.37 | 2.86 | 40.30 | 34.72 | 69.3 | 66.0 | 46.2 | 44.2 | 57.7 | 55.1 |
| Cleveland | 3.56 | 2.54 | 35.28 | 30.37 | 63.9 | 62.1 | 45.5 | 43.5 | 54.7 | 52.8 |
| Columbus | 2.70 | 2.15 | 37.13 | 32.01 | 67.9 | 64.5 | 46.4 | 42.9 | 57.1 | 53.7 |
| Dayton | 3.52 | 2.48 | 29.60 | 30.64 | 67.8 | 64.5 | 46.3 | 43.6 | 57.0 | 54.1 |
| Mansfield | 2.05 | 2.34 | 35.23 | 33.07 | 65.4 | 62.3 | 45.0 | 43.1 | 55.2 | 52.7 |
| Norwalk | 1.92 | 2.21 | 40.37 | 29.96 | 66.6 | 62.7 | 44.8 | 40.9 | 55.7 | 51.8 |
| Toledo | 2.83 | 2.10 | 34.73 | 27.23 | 65.4 | 62.4 | 45.4 | 40.0 | 55.4 | 51.2 |
| Wooster | 1.84 | 2.25 | 28.28 | 30.64 | 66.7 | 63.8 | 43.1 | 40.6 | 54.9 | 52.2 |
| Youngstown | 2.28 | 2.62 | 31.84 | 31.28 | 63.9 | 60.9 | 43.2 | 41.5 | 53.5 | 51.2 |
Temperatures in degrees F, Precipitation in inches
Record low tied: 9th - Akron-Canton 31
Table Created by Ted W. Gastier, OSU Extension from National Weather Service, OARDC & Local Data
Ted W. Gastier
Extension Agent, Agriculture
Tree Fruit Team Coordinator
Ohio State University Extension Huron County
180 Milan Avenue
Norwalk, OH 44857
Phone: (419)668-8210
FAX: (419)663-4233
E-mail: gastier.1@osu.edu
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