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Agri-Bytes Jan. 22, 2009
In This Edition:
Cut costs by reducing farm-related injuries
Even if you think you've cut your operating costs to the bone, one area you may not have considered is broken bones and other serious farm-related injuries.
Worker accidents and injuries can cost you, both in the short term and long term, says an Alabama Cooperative Extension expert.
Farming remains one of the riskiest occupations in the United States, says Jesse LaPrade, coordinator of the Extension's farm safety training program in Auburn, Ala.
He cites data from the National Institute of Safety and Health that show that about 20 percent of U.S. farms experience at least one injury annually that results in at least one lost work day and that also requires professional medical attention.
Roughly 2 percent of all farm injuries nationwide result in permanent disabilities that can cost thousands of dollars to treat and can result in years of lost income to the victim, he said in a news release.
These sobering statistics are the reason why every farm operator should provide safety training on a regular basis for all their employees, LaPrade says.
At a time when farmers are more preoccupied than ever with reducing operating costs, this is one of the biggest factors that should be considered, he says.
"Many farm safety experts maintain that there is virtually no such thing as an accident—practically all injuries can be prevented," LaPrade says.
He says the biggest risks to farmers typically are when farm workers are up against deadlines, such as harvesting ahead of an approaching storm.
"That's when things can happen, whether it's driving the harvester down the highway from field to field or trying to do three things at once," he says.
To reduce these risks, LaPrade says farmers should work out a detailed schedule for harvesting and other critical chores in advance.
"That's one thing they can do, even if they don't study any of the do's and don'ts of farm safety," he says. "Don't ever let yourself get into a situation where you're too pushed to get everything done."
LaPrade has developed a farm safety Web site, http://www.aces.edu/farmsafety.
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Plan IDs organic strategies for Western spud production
A pest management strategic plan for Western organic potato production is now available online through the Western Integrated Pest Management Center, which is based in Davis, Calif.
Developed by Ronda Hirnyck of University of Idaho Extension and Jennifer Miller of the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, the plan takes a pest-by-pest approach to identifying current management practices. It also summarizes the research, regulatory and education needs of the region’s organic potato growers, according to a news release.
It includes insects, diseases, weeds, nematodes and vertebrates, and production overviews of Idaho, California, Colorado, Columbia Basin, Klamath Basin and west of the Cascade Mountains.
“This is the only pest management strategic plan in the nation for an organic crop,” Hirnyck says. “It’s complex, because organic potatoes are managed using a cropping system approach.”
The plan was developed by growers, commodity associations, food processors, crop consultants, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Cooperative Extension and other land-grant specialists.
Participants placed a priority on research into long-term organic soil management, organic sprout control, improved storage dormancy, evaluation of biological control agents and conservation of natural enemies. They also cited the need for faster development and approval of organic pest management materials and for education on comprehensive pest management practices, including resistant varieties, green manures, and certified seed.
The plan is available at http://www.impcenters.org. For a printed copy, contact Hirnyck at rhirnyck@uidaho.edu or (208) 364-4046.
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The nut industry's version of Are You Smarter than a Sixth Grader?
University of California, Davis, researchers could very well star on the Fox Network show, Are You Smarter than a Six Grader?, after a youngster showed that a major insect pest preferred pistachios over almonds.
Researchers have long believed the opposite was true and that almonds were the preferred host.
"Everybody knows that navel orangeworms prefer almonds," says Walter Leal, UC Davis chemical ecologist and professor of entomology.
In an elementary school science fair project, Leal's 11-year-old son, Gabriel, proved that notion wrong. He based his project on the fact that since he prefers pistachios, navel orangeworm may, too.
"I thought, 'No way,'" the elder Leal says. "No way would the navel orangeworm prefer pistachios over almonds.
"Gabriel got enough replicates to demonstrate that female navel orangeworms do prefer pistachios over walnuts and almonds. We are very excited with our little scientist's discovery. I reported 'our' findings at the state almond industry conference in Modesto."
Paramount Farming Co. research entomologist Brad Higbee called the boy's findings "interesting, provocative and intriguing."
"It's provocative in the sense that we know little about the natural preference of the navel orangeworm," says Higbee, who is based in Bakersfield. "NOW is a pest that attacks tree crops planted on over 1 million acres in California, and it is the primary and most destructive pest on almonds and pistachios, which represent about 800,000 of those acres. About 152,000 are in pistachios. The economic impact of NOW damage varies from year to year, but it can easily reach $10 [million] to $15 million for our company and much higher statewide."
As a result, Leal's lab has begun studying navel orangeworms' attraction to pistachios to find more effective ways to control the pest, according to a news release.
Navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella), also known as NOW, is considered the key insect pest of almonds and pistachios in California because the larvae feed directly on the nut meats, making them unmarketable. Navel orangeworm larvae also feed on walnuts, pomegranates and a number of other crops.
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