Michigan Organic Listserv
March 27, 2015
News for and about organic farming
This news is to assist you. It is not intended as promotion or advertisement for any businesses.
Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University
Desk of Vicki Morrone ([log in to unmask])
Organic and Family Farming In the News
Spinach, organic foods distributed in Michigan recalled over listeria concerns
Some spinach products are being recalled because of Listeria concerns.
By
Emily Lawler | [log in to unmask]
on March 25, 2015 at 11:40 AM, updated March 26, 2015 at 9:15 AM
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LANSING, MI -- Various spinach products distributed in Michigan and nationally are being recalled amid listeria concerns, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a bacteria that can cause symptoms including fever, muscle aches, convulsions, confusion and loss of balance. Pregnant women who
are infected can experience miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening infection of a newborn.
Here are the spinach products that could affect Michigan consumers:
• Twin City Foods, Inc. is
recalling Meijer Organics Chopped Spinach, 16-ounce frozen packages. To see if your spinach falls
in the affected date range,
look here.
• Superior Foods is recalling Simply Balanced Organic Chopped Spinach 10-ounce steam in bag, which was distributed exclusively in Target stores. For more information on whether your spinach falls into the
recalled range, look here.
• Rising Moon Organics has recalled some of its ravioli products that contain spinach. Specific information is available
here.
• Amy's Kitchen has recalled its frozen vegetable lasagna and other products containing spinach. For a full list of affected products, look
here.
Nationally, more brands distributed outside of Michigan have been recalled as well.
Emily Lawler is a Capitol/Lansing business reporter for MLive. You can reach her at
[log in to unmask],
subscribe to her on Facebook or
follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler.
Policy released on urban livestock recommendations
Urban livestock workgroup calls for the creation of an urban agriculture act to stimulate and support efforts to raise and grow food locally.
Posted on March 26, 2015 by
Brad Neumann, Michigan State University Extension
On March 15, 2015, the
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) issued the
Urban Livestock Workgroup Recommendations Report to MDARD Director Clover-Adams and State Senator Joe Hune. The report is the product of deliberations by the 21-member Urban Livestock Workgroup organized
last summer with the charge “to formulate recommendations to stimulate and support local efforts to address the increased interest in raising livestock in urban/suburban areas for home use and sale to local markets.”
The workgroup was comprised of individuals representing municipalities, associations, farmers of various scales and legislators. The group discussed and recommend policy related to raising livestock in
urban/suburban areas.
Over the course of five meetings, the Urban Livestock Workgroup developed the following recommendations:
Develop an Urban Agriculture Act to address, stimulate and support local efforts and interest in raising livestock in urban/suburban areas.
Acknowledge the interconnection of raising livestock and plants (crops), recommending the proposed Urban Agriculture Act require development of guidelines for urban/suburban agriculture.
Grant authority to develop and approve guidelines for urban/suburban agriculture to the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Provide for local zoning authority over agriculture in urban/suburban areas.
Introduce the bill to establish the Urban Agriculture Act during the 2015/2016 Legislative session.
Many of the recommendations were made with less than unanimous support and the report also presents the position of minority interests for each of the recommendations. For instance, recommendation 4) –
to provide for local zoning authority over agriculture in urban and suburban areas – included a minority viewpoint that the Legislature should consider (in addition to adopting an Urban Agriculture Act) amending the
Michigan Planning Enabling Act and the
Michigan Zoning Enabling Act to require that local governments plan and zone for food production at least somewhere in their jurisdictions.
The report also includes, in the appendix, extensive guidelines for raising livestock in urban/suburban settings, including the topics Understanding Soils; Livestock Health; Livestock Housing; Waste and
Manure Management; Livestock Slaughter and Euthanasia; and Pest Control. The appendix is intended to highlight specifics to consider and sources of information for both policy makers and urban livestock producers.
The recommendations are now in the hands of the MDARD Director – Jaime Clover-Adams, and the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee – Senator
Joe Hune, R- Fowlerville. The workgroup’s report is the start of a policy discussion and there are expected to be many opportunities in the future for further
public discussion on the topic of urban livestock in Michigan.
For other articles written by
Michigan State University Extension on this topic, check out:
•
Right to Farm Act can preempt local
regulation authority, but not all local regulations
•
New Right to Farm Act Siting GAAMP now in effect
•
Changes to Site Selection GAAMP mean
communities have greater opportunity to plan for food systems
•
New Right to Farm Site Selection GAAMPS
needs local government attention
•
Existing livestock farms in ‘primary residential’
areas can continue
•
Changes to the Right to Farm 2014 Site Selection GAAMPs
New asparagus IPM bulletin provides information on asparagus insect pests and diseases
Need to know what pests are bothering your asparagus? Check out the new MSU Extension Bulletin E3219, “Disease and Insect Pests of Asparagus.”
Posted on March 11, 2015 by
Ben Werling, Michigan State University Extension
Get up to speed on asparagus pests with new MSU Extension Bulletin E3219, “Disease and Insect Pests of Asparagus.” Visit the MSU Extension Bookstore to order a print copy or download a free PDF.
Michigan State University Extension has developed “Disease
and Insect Pests of Asparagus,” a new bulletin that helps scouts and growers learn about the pest complex attacking asparagus. This resource is aimed at new scouts, new asparagus growers or anyone who wants a comprehensive reference on the insects
and diseases that can be important in asparagus. It contains high quality color photos in addition to information on the life cycle of each pest. Search for bulletin E3219 at the
MSU Extension Bookstore website to order a print copy or download a free PDF version.
Good sanitation in the field will reduce pathogen inoculum in vegetable plants.
Posted on March 6, 2015 by
Lina Rodriguez Salamanca, Michigan State University Extension
Zucchini yellow mosaic virus on leaves. Photo credit: Gerald Holmes, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org
Sanitation is one of many tactics needed for an effective
disease management strategy in the
greenhouse and field. Sanitation includes any practice that aims to prevent the spread of pathogens by removing diseased and asymptomatic infected tissue, as well as decontaminating tools, equipment
and washing hands.
This article will help you and your employees use good sanitation and reduce pathogen inoculum, also known as “seeds” of the pathogen. Consistent and effective sanitation greatly increases the chances of
raising healthy plants.
Sanitation in the field
Sanitation in the field needs to take place before, during and after the growing season. Prior to planting, fine-tune your weed management plan. Many weeds are known reservoirs for plant pathogens and insects.
By controlling weed populations in your fields, you can reduce pathogens and their vector populations.
Wash soil off of farm equipment, including brushing off soil particles from shoes. These practices are especially important to prevent movement of soilborne pathogens such
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (causal agent of White mold), Phytophthora capsici,
Verticillium dalhiae and different species of Fusarium. A power washer is an important piece of equipment in the battle against these diseases. Plows, discs, cultivators and other pieces of equipment should be power washed between fields.
Avoid working fields when plants are wet. This practice minimizes bacterial spread from diseased plants to healthy ones. For example, this tactic is important for tomato bacterial diseases such as spot,
speck and canker that can prove challenging to control once in the field.
Remove infected plants or plant parts. As soon as symptoms appear, collect, bag and destroy or pile diseased material away from fields. Removing infected fruit and plant debris from the field can reduce
the amount of pathogen inoculum that could move into healthy plant parts. Cull piles should be placed away from production fields and waterways and, if possible, covered with a plastic tarp to speed up microbial decomposition and minimize pathogen spores from
escaping. Burn, chop and spread, or deep plow debris at the end of the season. The choice of practice depends on the specific disease that was present in the field the previous season.
At harvest, carefully pick only healthy produce and avoid any mechanical damage on the fruit or other plant parts harvested. Damage such as small wounds or bruises can be the point of entrance for microorganism
that can compromise fruit quality while in transit or storage (short or long term).
Clean tools during use, disinfecting knives, shears and other harvesting tools often. To accomplish this, wash tools with soapy water and dip or wipe in 70 percent ethanol or
other products. It is important to refresh sanitizing solutions as specified on the product label. Tool sanitation and hand-washing can help minimize plant-to-plant spread of diseases caused by several
bacteria and viruses. Provide hand-washing stations equipped with clean water and soap. During harvest, careful hand-washing is critical to minimize plant pathogen spread. For example, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) can be transmitted to tomatoes and peppers if
hand-washing is poor after smoking cigarettes. This tobacco virus is very stable and can be present on dry tobacco in cigarettes.
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Hoophouses for Health program increasing access to Michigan Good Food
Learn more about a program that assists Michigan farmers with purchasing hoophouses and increases vulnerable children and families’ access to good food.
Posted on March 6, 2015 by
Kaitlin Koch, Michigan State University Extension
Hoophouses can extend the growing season for crops.
Farmers and programs are changing the perception of year-round agricultural production in Michigan. By implementing season extension techniques, such as hoophouses, farmers are able to harvest crops throughout
Michigan’s winter. These structures allow farmers to plant and harvest warm season crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, earlier and later in the spring and fall. They can also plant and harvest certain cold-hardy crops throughout the winter. The ability to
harvest and sell in these colder months provides farmers with additional income by increasing farm sales when outside weather conditions are too harsh.
While hoophouse production can increase the economic viability of a farm business, they are also a significant investment, particularly for small to mid-sized farms. Hoophouses for Health is one program
that provides financial assistance to make this cost more attainable for farmers. This program is a shared initiative of the
MSU Center for Regional Food Systems,
Michigan Farmers Market Association and the
MSU Department of Horticulture with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
This program provides capital for farmers to build hoophouses to advance season extension capacity throughout the state while improving access to Michigan agricultural products for vulnerable children and
families. By partnering with Michigan farmers markets, early childhood programs and K-12 schools this program increases access and usage of
Good Food - food that is defined as healthy, green, fair and affordable by the
Michigan Good Food Charter.
The program partners with community organizations, such as local Head Start programs, to distribute Hoophouses for Health vouchers to vulnerable families. These families can then use the vouchers to purchase
fresh produce and other qualifying agricultural products produced by participating farmers at participating farmers markets. Community partners also assist with the promotion of the program and utilization of the vouchers. The unique aspect of this program
is that participating farmers submit these vouchers as a “payment” towards their initial borrowed amount. Farmers pay back their loans through farm products instead of cash.
Starting in 2014, farmers were also able to deliver their food to early childhood care centers, schools or school districts, and use its monetary value as a “repayment” towards their loans. This strategy
advances Michigan Farm to School efforts by increasing access to local, fresh food, primarily fruits and vegetables, for children through
institutional food programs while also assisting farmers in gaining ownership of their hoophouse.
The 2015 application for farmers to participate in this program was launched on March 2. The application can be found on the
Hoophouses for Health webpage, along with program requirements, frequently asked questions and additional programmatic information. Partner organizations
can also fill out commitment forms to be considered for participating in the program.
Michigan State University Extension promotes increasing access to good food, and the year-round purchasing
and production of local food throughout the state. For more information on local food systems, consider
subscribing for news on community food systems and farm & farmer’s markets.
Disease management tactics for vegetables
A prerecorded webinar on vegetable disease management tactics is now available at the Online IPM Academy website.
Posted on February 26, 2015 by
Lina Rodriguez Salamanca, Michigan State University Extension
Successful disease management is achieved by accurately identifying the pathogen (causal agent of the symptoms), understanding the pathogen biology and the environment that affects its development. An integrated
disease management plan should comprise tactics for disease prevention and once present, tactics that minimize disease spread in the greenhouse or the field.
Preventative management tactics are the best approach to manage diseases. Basic principles of disease management include avoidance, exclusion, use of resistant varieties, scouting and accurate pathogen
diagnosis, and pathogen reduction. A combination of tactics within those principles can provide growers with the best disease management strategy.
Principles of plant disease management
Avoidance. Disease avoidance focuses on preventing the disease by selecting a field where there is no pathogen inoculum (structures or “seeds of the pathogen”
such spores, sclerotia, etc.), or where the environment is not favorable for infection or disease development. Planting date is a common avoidance example; planting first in better drain soils or delaying planting until soils have warmed up can avoid certain
soilborne diseases.
Exclusion. This principle uses tactics that prevent the introduction of the pathogens to the greenhouse or the field. Planting pathogen-free seed (for direct
seeded crops) or pathogen-free transplants will reduce pathogen introduction to clean greenhouses or new fields.
Carefully inspect transplants once you have received them from your supplier. Look for symptoms and insect vectors. Management of insect vectors is also important in minimizing the spread of some viral
diseases and insect damage.
Host resistance. Utilize varieties that are resistant or tolerant. This tactic is particularly useful in fields with history of disease and in cases where
traits have been bred on commercial varieties. When looking at seed catalogs and websites, take a closer look at the features of the varieties and look for the words “resistant” or “tolerant.” It is important to understand the difference between those two
terms.
When a variety is listed as resistant, it does not necessarily mean the variety is immune to a specific pathogen. It means the variety carries traits that delay the infection process or suppress disease
development. Tolerance means that even though plants may become infected, they are capable of attainable yields. Local environment and weather can influence vegetable varieties performance. Review the “Midwest
Vegetable Variety Trial Report” and examine the local performance of different varieties.
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