Michigan Good Food Fund

North Central SARE Grant Opportunities

Seeking farm manager with potential for permanent position

Seeking help with your organic certification or production? Check out this web site www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu or email Vicki Morrone 517-282-3557 or [log in to unmask]

Part 2. Production News for Organic Farmers

Tomato leaf mold in hoophouse tomatoes and fungicide management for organic growers

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tomato-leaf-mold-in-hoophouse-tomatoes

Authors: Marissa Schuh and Benjamin Phillips, Michigan State University Extension

High humidity can lead to tomato leaf mold. Learn about disease basics and organic control options here.

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Tomato leaf mold can rapidly cause alarming symptoms. Photo by Marissa Schuh, MSU Extension.

Hoophouse tomatoes are one of the biggest moneymakers on small farms. While the hoophouse provides relief from many tomato diseases, some plant diseases are favored by the high relative humidity that can occur in hoophouses and greenhouses. Tomato leaf mold (Passalora fulva) is one of these diseases, and due to its biology, it can become a frustrating and recurring issue.

What is tomato leaf mold?

Tomato leaf mold is a fungal disease that can develop when there are extended periods of leaf wetness and the relative humidity is high (greater than 85 percent). Due to this moisture requirement, the disease is seen primarily in hoophouses and greenhouses. Tomato leaf mold can develop during early spring temperatures (50.9 degrees Fahrenheit) or those characteristic of summer (90 F). The optimal temperature tomato leaf mold is in the low 70s.

Symptoms of disease include yellow spots on the upper leaf surface. Discrete masses of olive-green spores can be seen on the underside of the affected leaves. The older leaves become infected first and die prematurely. The pathogen may spread rapidly during periods of prolonged relative humidity. The disease can cause flowers to drop but usually does not affect developing fruit. If infection occurs late in the season, yield losses will be minimal, but if the disease takes hold earlier, the premature defoliation will impact yield.

The pathogen survives by forming scleortia (familiar to those who have dealt white mold) that can survive in the hoophouse or greenhouse to infect future tomato plants when the conditions

What can be done about tomato leaf mold?

Within the season

Limiting the relative humidity in the hoophouse can help to prevent this disease. Vent, if possible, to promote air movement. Increase plant spacing, remove weeds, and prune and trellis plants. Consider using drip irrigation to minimize leaf wetness. If watering overhead, irrigate in the morning so foliage can dry quickly.

There are organic preventive products available, which vary in price but performed similarly in Cornell University trials. Products trialed include Champ (Copper Hydroxide), Double Nickle (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), Oxidate (Hydrogen dioxide), Regalia (Reynoutria sachalinensis extract) and Zonix (Rhamnolipid biosurfactant). While the treatments did reduce the amount of tomato leaf mold, the disease level was still high. In this trial, all treatments performed comparably, but when price is brought into consideration, the copper product Champ gave the best value. Note, only certain copper hydroxide formulations are approved for organic use, including Champ WG and Kocide 3000-O, and formulations with a higher percentage of active ingredient increase the Re-Entry Interval (REI) to 48 hours. Copper products with a lower percentage of active ingredient will lower the REI, but do not work as well against this disease. For more information on product trials, see “Managing Leaf Mold in High Tunnel Production.”

Fungicides for leaf mold of tomatoes – Passalora fungus
*Product (= OMRI label)**	FRAC Mode of action	Rate	PHI/REI	Greenhouse Use?
Kocide, Champ, others copper hydroxide	M1	Various rates depending on formulation.	0 day/48 hours or see label depending on formulation.	Check label, most are silent or yes
Double Nickel LC* Bacillus amyloliquefaciens	44	0.5 – 6 qt. per acre	0 day/4 hours	Silent
Oxidate* hydrogen dioxide + peroxyacetic acid	NC + NC	32 fl. oz. – 2.5 gal. per 100 gal. water depending on severity	0-day/1 hour	Yes, do not apply high rate to flowering crop
Regalia* Reynoutria sachalinensis	P5	1.0 – 4.0 qt. per acre	0 day/4 hours	Silent
Zonix* rhamnolipid biosurfactant	NC	45 – 76 fl. oz. per 100 gal of water	Silent/4 hours	Yes

Pale yellow lesions on the upper side of greenhouse tomato leaves. Photo by Rebecca A. Melanson, Mississippi State University Extension, Bugwood.org.

Destroying crop residue is also important to reduce the number of sclerotia in the hoophouse. Sanitizing the interior of the house as well as any stakes and tools that contacted the plants will reduce the inoculum load next year.

Long-term

If this is a perennial issue in your hoophouse, choosing resistant varieties will be a cornerstone of management. Cornell has developed a list of cherry and slicer type tomatoes that have performed well in New York. For an overview of tomato leaf mold and the varieties recommended in New York, see “Leaf Mold in High Tunnel Tomatoes.” Note that tomato leaf mold has many strains, and it isn’t known how the varieties recommended in New York would respond to Michigan strains of tomato leaf mold.

Grant and Loan Opportunities

Seeking ways to Expand your farming operation?

Check out the Michigan Food Fund to see if their low interest loan and technical service may be right for you. Maybe this loan program is right for you?

Visit: http://migoodfoodfund.org/

This is an example of a funded expansion for an organic farm in Petoskey.

Bear Creek Organics LLC of Petoskey, Michigan, will receive an $80,000 performance-based grant to expand its year-round growing capacity for greens and living herbs. The company will invest approximately $432,500 for this project, which will include new processing space, new greenhouses and new hoophouses at their farm in Petoskey.

The project will create five new jobs and will allow the company to invest in new technology and ensure Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance. The company was launched six years ago and has grown to be a recognized leader in the farming, food, and greater business community; and it is the only farm in their area growing fresh greens 52 weeks a year.

North Central SARE offers grants to farmers, ranchers, educators, researchers, grad students.

Check it out: Visit: https://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs

North Central SARE has announced the funded Partnership Project for 2019

This is a partnership to conduct research with an educator and farmers. The educator can be from the university Land-Grant system or from a nonprofit organization, as you will note below by the descriptions of the awards! Maybe you will apply for one next year?

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is pleased to announce the projects selected for funding for the 2019 Partnership Grant Program.

For the 2019 Partnership Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded almost $566,000 to 15 projects. NCR-SARE’s Partnership Grant Program is intended to foster cooperation between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers to catalyze on-farm research, demonstration, and education activities related to sustainable agriculture. Those selected to receive funding included (in order by state):

Suzan Erem of Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) in West Branch, IA was awarded $33,365 for the project, “SILT Development and Implementation of Iowa Landowners Guide to Sustainable Food Crops.”
Bridget Holcomb of Women, Food, and Agriculture Network in Ames, IA was awarded $39,832 for the project, “Women Farmland Owners as Sustainability Ambassadors: Educating Farmers and other Landowners to Make Changes.”
Catie Gregg of Prairie Rivers Network in Champaign, IL was awarded $29,740 for the project, “Field Salad: A No-management Cover Crop to Move Practice Adoption Beyond Just the Innovator Farmer.”
Teresa Steckler of the University of Illinois in Simpson, IL was awarded $39,955 for the project, “Management-Associated Risk Factors and Economic Impact of Anaplasmosis in Illinois Beef Herds.”
Steve Swaffar of No-Till On The Plains in Berryton, KS was awarded $32,187 for the project, “Alternate Weed Control Strategy in Sorghum Utilizing Companion Crops.”
Matthew Clark of the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $38,390 for the project, “A Comprehensive Curriculum for Cold Climate Grapevine Production: Practical Skills for the Novice and Vineyard Manager.”
Kitt Healy with the Organic Seed Alliance was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Building Farmer Capacity to Produce and Market Vegetable Seed in Minnesota through Seed Production Trials and Education.”
Jianfeng Zhouof the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO was awarded $39,913 for the project, “Develop an Efficient Fruit Handling System for Elderberries.”
Andrea Basche of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Partnering in Conservation: Engaging Women Farmland Owners and Their Tenants in Collaborative Conservation Planning.”
Cody Creech of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Scottsbluff, NE was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Incorporating Grain Sorghum in Semi-Arid Crop Rotations with Short Growing Seasons to Increase Resiliency of Cropping Systems.”
Bethany Johnston of Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition in Burwell, NE was awarded $33,781 for the project, “Building the Legacy—Heartache and Triumphs from Transitioning Ranch Families.”
Andrew Kirk of the Ohio State University-Ashtabula ARS in Kingsville, OH was awarded $39,977 for the project, “Early Leaf Removal Strategies for Bunch Rot Reduction in Pinot Noir Clones.”
Hongmei Li-Byarlay of Central State University in Wilberforce, OH was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Improving the Honeybee Queen Qualities and Genetic Diversity by Transferring Selected Queen Cells.”
Jason Fischbach of Bayfield County UW-Extension in Washburn, WI was awarded $39,777 for the project, “Hazelnut-Finished Pork in the Upper Midwest: A New High-Value Product From A Sustainable Production System.”
Marie Raboin of Dane County Land Conservation in Madison, WI was awarded $39,900 for the project, “Building Sustainable Relationships Around the use of Grazing Cover Crops on Dairy and Livestock Farms in Southern Wisconsin.”

Read descriptions of these projects online at http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Recent-Grant-Projects.

The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. The AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofits.

Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.

Employment Opportunities

The Martin Family Farm is seeking 1 individual for a full time position from June-November 2019. This position could lead to a salaried farm manager position in the future.

Job Description

The Martin Family Farm is located in Armada, Michigan and is a USDA certified organic vegetable farm. We have a 100 person CSA, 2 farmers markets, grocery stores and several local restaurants. We are seeking a motivated person who has aspirations of pursuing a career in organic farming.

Responsibilities:

Tractor work

General Labor

Delivering produce

Customer relations

Picking and packaging

Detailed record keeping

Cold-frame maintenance and construction

Wages:

Based on experience. Ranging from $10-15 an hour 30-50 hour work weeks

Can lead to salaried farm manager position $20,000-25,000 per season

Physical responsibilities:

· Must be able to lift/carry up to 50 lb.

· Must be capable of constant walking, standing, lifting, reaching, crouching, standing, and carrying for long periods of time

· Must be able to reach hands and arms in any direction

· Must be able to stoop repeatedly

· If you need any accommodations from us to enable you to perform essential job functions, please notify us

Verbal and Reasoning Requirements

Must be able to speak clearly and listen attentively to co-workers and managers. Must have the ability to read and/or follow verbal instructions and implement the same. Must be capable of applying common sense and understanding to carry out oral and/or written instructions.

Sexual harassment and harassment based upon race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual preference, or disability is prohibited and will not be tolerated.

If interested please contact; Matt Martin at 586-212-5834 or email at [log in to unmask]

For more information on our farm visit our website at themartinfamilyfarm.com

Vicki Morrone

Organic Farming Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd

East Lansing, MI 48824

517-282-3557 (cell)

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www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu

sorrone11 (skype)