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State News |
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Updated Friday, May 9
SENATOR STABENOW PLEASED WITH FARM BILL U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow is pleased with the 2007 Farm Bill, which makes critical investments in alternative energy. This legislation provides tax incentives for the development and production of fuel from cellulosic alcohol, which is made from materials such as the leaves and stalks of corn, switchgrass, and other organic materials that can be grown anywhere. As a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee, Stabenow has served as a leading voice for Michigan interests throughout the crafting of this legislation, “in my role on the Conference Committee, and in the Senate, I was able to add language that strengthens our ability to protect the Great Lakes. It adds new language and strengthens programs that allow us to address critical funding for soil erosion and other issues that run off into the Great Lakes. This Farm Bill, more than any other Farm Bill, provides language that protects and strengthens the Great Lakes and allows us access to additional conservation programs. Stabenow also says $3.3-billion in the bill is directed to help specialty crop growers, a first in the nation's farm policy. Congressional leadership voiced their hope during Thursday's press conference that the President would sign the proposed Farm Bill. That hope was short-lived as Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer following the conference said the President will veto the bill. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, say they hope for strong votes from both chambers. Farm bills in the past have received strong bipartisan support. While the Senate should have the required two-thirds needed to override a Presidential veto, it's less certain in the House.
MSU EQUESTRIAN TEAM COMPETING FOR NATIONAL TITLE Michigan State University’s Equestrian Team will by vying for a national title. MSU’s team competes against eight other stock seat teams to qualify for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship Show in Burbank California next week. MSU wrapped up its season in first place in its region and finished in third place at the IHSA National Western Semifinal Show in Laurinburg, North Carolina to qualify for the championship berth. This season marks the first time that the entire team has qualified for nationals since the 1990’s.
NEW PESTICIDE CERTIFICATION MANUALS AVAILABLE If you’re planning to take the Michigan pesticide applicator certification exams, there are some new study tools available. The revised commercial and private certification core manuals are now available from MSU Extension. Previously, one core manual included information for private and commercial applicators separated into Parts A and B. To avoid confusion, there is now one core manual for commercial applicators and one for private applicators. Each manual is available for $30 from the MSU bulletin office by calling 517-353-6740, or at any county MSU Extension office.
OTTAWA COUNTY HAS NEW PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners has approved an ordinance designed to help farm owners get development rights purchased for their agricultural properties. The Ottawa County Purchase Development Rights ordinance provides no county funding to purchase development rights or for the administration for the program. But, it will be assist farmers looking for funds from the state to have their development rights purchased. Once rights have been purchased, the land may never be developed, but it would remain in private ownership. For more information about the program contact the Ottawa County Planning and Grants Department.
ALLEGAN COUNTY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO PURCHASE AG CONSERVATION EASEMENTS Through August 1, the Allegan County Farmland Preservation Board is accepting applications from all townships in the county to purchase agricultural conservation easements. To be eligible for state and federal matching funds, participating counties must have an updated master land use plan and have developed and adopted a local farmland preservation program. Only two categories of land will be considered: prime land, defined as a farm of 40 or more acres with at least 51 percent devoted to agricultural use, and unique farmland. Landowners need to fill out the application and submit it to the county. The county then has 45 days to approve or reject the application. For more information, call According to District 11 Commissioner Larry Jones, at (269) 673-0231.
WEEKLY MSU FRUIT CAT REPORT Last week’s freeze saw temperatures in the state drop as low as 19 degrees, with damage to fruit crops ranging from slight to extensive. Apricots, peaches and blueberries were reported to have damage generally on the light side. Sweet cherries were significantly impacted, while in tarts damage was generally light. There was little damage for pears, but there was a fair amount of damage for apples, mostly in flat areas. Some varieties lost king blooms, others lost side blooms. Scattered apple scab infection has been reported, and European Red Mites have been sighted, with a few Oblique Banded Leaf Roller larvae also present. The West Central region is reporting pruning cuts in some apple trees that did not heal well, and what appears to be a fungus is growing where the sap bled out of those cuts. It’s thought this may just be a cosmetic surface mold.
COUNTRY MUSIC CD SALES SUPPORT 4-H YOUTH Alyn Kiel, Michigan Farm Radio Network’s spring semester intern, joins us now with information about a new music CD from the National 4-H. Alyn is a junior at Michigan State University, majoring in Agriculture and Natural Resources Communications and International Studies. She is from Montague, Michigan.
If you’re looking for a way to spice up your summer play list, the newest 4-H fundraiser might be just what you need. Country music artists like Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Vince Gill and the late Johnny Cash have contributed tracks to Clover Country, a new CD showcasing the talents of former 4-H alumni. Laura Philips-Garner, director of marketing and communications with the National 4-H says the CD was created to demonstrate of 4-H membership through the talents of 4-H alumni, “we realized that we had a lot of talented 4-H alumni who are in country music. Because of their star power and generosity, we’ve been able to turn Clover Country into a signature fundraiser for 4-H.” Since the CD’s March 25 release date, nearly 30.000 copies have been sold. Philips-Garner says it’s easy to add this CD to your collection, “Clover Country is available for purchase at www.clovercountrycd.com. It’s $9.99 a copy and the proceeds go to the National 4-H Council to promote and support 4-H youth development programs across the nation.” To support Michigan’s specifically, call the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Office at 517-432-7575.
PRV INFECTION DETECTED IN GAME RANCH Pseudorabies has been detected in swine on a Michigan game ranch. The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s Geagley Laboratory confirmed pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in 19 sport swine on a privately owned cervid facility in Saginaw County. The MDA says all swine on the facility will be captured and destroyed. Feral swine in the vicinity of the facility are being trapped and euthanized by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services for disease testing. MDA State Veterinarian Steven Halstead says there has been no change to the state’s pseudorabies virus free status; and likely won’t be; unless testing on nearby commercial swine operations detect addition cases of the disease. Halstead says the state is working as quickly as possible to determine that the disease has not spread to other farms, “we will establish, and actually have at this point, a five-mile radius circle in Saginaw County. And all swine operations; commercial, exhibition, feral, whatever they might be; or other game operations, all of the pigs will be tested. That will be done at the state’s expense, similar to what we’re doing with the TB circle in Shiawassee County. So we’ll test within that five-mile radius circle every pig that is there and make sure that we don’t have any spread. We’ll also be trapping and capturing any free-ranging swine that is in that area and, again, testing but destroying those pigs as well.” According to Halstead, producers in the area should expect a call from the MDA regarding on-farm testing, “producers, farmers, 4-H families should be expecting that we will be making contact in that area and testing those pigs. Again at the state expense so there won’t be any cost or assistance from the families; so that we’re sure we don’t have any other infections in those areas.” Effective immediately, MDA is banning the importation of swine intended for: breeding on game ranches, for supply to game ranches, or facilities using swine for sport, hunting, or shooting. Any farms that sold to, or received live swine from this facility will be quarantined and tested. Halstead has also been in contact with state vets from states in the Great Lakes region and all assure him that they will not close their borders to Michigan swine, as the state’s free status has not changed. For more information, visit the MDA’s website at www.michigan.gov/mda or contact the department directly at 517-373-1077.
CSP PROGRAM DEADLINE EXTENDED The Natural Resources Conservation Service has extended by two weeks the application deadline for producers to sign up for the Conservation Security Program in fiscal year 2008. NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster says the new deadline is May 30. In Michigan, producers within the Boardman Charlevoix river watershed are eligible for signup. Interested individuals should contact their local NRCS office for application details as soon a possible.
WEEKLY CROP PROGRESS REPORT The National Ag Statistic Service Michigan Field Office released their weekly crop progress report and according to that report:
Soil moisture for week ending 05/04/08 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate :Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 4 19 72 5 Subsoil : 0 10 81 9 ---------------------------------------------
Crop condition for week ending 05/04/08 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Oats : 1 1 26 54 18 Pasture : 1 10 27 50 12 Winter Wheat : 1 4 17 64 14 -----------------------------------------------------------
Crop progress for week ending 05/04/08 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Barley, planted : 16 10 33 53 Barley, emerged : 3 1 7 20 Corn, planted : 41 12 25 38 Corn, emerged : 1 0 1 2 Oats, planted : 74 50 67 79 Oats, emerged : 35 5 25 39 Potatoes, planted : 31 22 24 24 Potatoes, emerged : 10 0 1 NA Soybeans, planted : 8 1 6 11 Sugarbeets, planted : 95 85 84 94 ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
