Cool weather hurts pumpkin crop
Disease may put a damper on an upcoming holiday tradition -- the carving of a jack-o-lantern for Halloween.
Agriculture researchers note that fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, downy mildew and Microdochium blight have taken a toll on the pumpkin crop that will be available in the upcoming weeks.
Mac Riedel of Ohio State University said that wet weather and cool temperatures have been severe enough this growing season to affect the pumpkin crop yields.
The vegetable pathologist also said that poor fruit set has been a factor in this year's yields.
"Large pumpkin growers ... have been reporting that the diseases have cut their yields nearly in half," Riedel said. "These diseases show up every year, but to have yields cut by 50 percent, that's pretty destructive."
Mildew in some form or another shows up nearly every year on pumpkins, ornamental gourds, cucumbers, melon and squash.
It affects foliage and fruit stems and is distinguished by a white, powdery mass of spores. In severe infections, leaves will turn yellow and die, and stems will turn brown. That affects the value of the crop.
"Losing foliage affects the total tonnage and size of the pumpkin," Riedel said. "A variety that might normally yield a 20-pound pumpkin may only yield a 6-pound pumpkin when damaged by powdery mildew."
Farm bill to come up Wednesday
Agriculture-related groups got in their final words to lawmakers as the House of Representatives prepared to begin debate Wednesday on the farm bill.
The National Farmers Union was urging House members to approve an amended version of the measure recommended by an agriculture committee in order to provide greater aid payments to farmers and ranchers.
"Provisions of (the farm bill) must be modified to avoid extending the mistakes made in 1996 for another decade," union President Leland Swenson said.
Disagreeing was the National Corn Growers Association, which said the extra spending for aid payments would really "over-inflate conservation spending" while taking money from farmers.
Cloned heifer already sold
Mandy II, a cloned heifer calf that was born Sept. 2, had a buyer even before she was born.
Infigen Inc. officials, who developed the calf, said it was sold at auction to the Minneapolis-based Landox Syndicate for $82,000 and will be on display at the World Dairy Expo Wednesday through Sunday in Madison, Wis.
Of the new calf, Infigen President Michael Bishop said, "Her birth demonstrates not only the commercial viability of our proprietary cloning technologies, but also verifies that we can deliver these animals when they are needed."
Officials trying to figure out cause of deaths
University of Kentucky officials are trying to figure out how ranchers can avoid an epidemic of foal deaths and abortions similar to what happened in the Bluegrass State last spring.
The problem is, they're still not sure what caused the massive number of deaths, which cost as much as 5 percent of this year's Thoroughbred foal crop and 20 percent of next year's crop.
The university's Equine Research Center said officials are unable to determine the cause of the deaths. Gov. Paul Patton's office said the state suffered economic losses as high as $250 million due to deaths.
More U.S. apples to be sold in Chile
The Agriculture Department has reached an agreement with Chile to allow for the exportation of apples and pears grown in Oregon and Idaho, giving growers in those states equal footing with Washington.
Officials say the move allowing for more U.S.-grown apples to be shipped to Chile is a first step toward gaining greater access to other South American countries.
The Chilean market for Northwest apples, pears and cherries is expected to top out at about $5 million annually.
EPA urged to halt food irradiation plant
The Illinois Food Safety Coalition wants the state's Environmental Protection Agency to stop construction of a food irradiation plant in Glendale Heights, Ill., because they say the builder has failed to obtain a required air pollution permit.
The plant, which will contain a high-power linear accelerator, will release significant amounts of ozone, and also could release unspecified quantities of nitrous oxides into the Chicago suburb's air.
San Diego-based SureBeam Corp. began work on the facility in August but the activist group says that the company has not submitted estimates to the state about how much ozone and nitrous oxide will be released into the air.
Crops near completion
The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 81 percent of the corn crop is mature, compared to 64 percent last week, 91 percent at this time last year and 80 percent average for the past five years. Twenty percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 13 percent last week, 36 percent last year and 22 percent for the past five years. Fifty-seven percent of the crop was in excellent or good condition, 30 percent fair and 13 percent poor or very poor.
For soybeans, 79 percent of the crop is dropping leaves, compared to 60 percent last week, 88 percent last year and 80 percent for the past five years. Sixteen percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 6 percent last week, 35 percent last year and 23 percent for the past five years. Fifty-five percent was excellent or good, with 30 percent fair and 15 percent poor or very poor.
For winter wheat, 52 percent of the crop is planted, compared to 32 percent last week, 32 percent last year and 40 percent for the past five years. Twenty-five percent of the crop is emerged, compared to 14 percent last week, 10 percent last year and 19 percent for the past five years.
For cotton, 84 percent of the crop is opening, compared to 76 percent last week, 89 percent last year and 82 percent for the past five years. Twenty-one percent is harvested, compared to 15 percent last week, 30 percent last year and 23 percent for the past five years. Forty-four percent is excellent or good, with 29 percent fair and 27 percent poor or very poor.
For sorghum, 79 percent of the crop is mature, compared to 70 percent last week, 90 percent last year and 74 percent for the past five years. Fifty-two percent is harvested, compared to 43 percent last week, 71 percent last year and 42 percent for the past five years.
For rice, 79 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 66 percent last week, 72 percent last year and 73 percent for the past five years.
For peanuts, 30 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 18 percent last week, 26 percent last year and 31 percent for the past five years. Sixty-two percent was excellent or good, 26 percent fair and 12 percent poor or very poor.
For sugarbeets, 10 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 13 percent last year.
For sunflowers, 6 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 16 percent last year.
Grains mixed on CBOT
Grains futures were mixed at the close Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Soybean futures rose early on thoughts the market was oversold from last week's losses. But harvest pressure caused some contracts to falter.
Corn futures were down on forecasts for favorable weather conditions during the next several days in the Midwest.
Wheat futures were down due to sluggish export inspections figures and technical selling by traders.
Oats futures were higher on concerns over supply with many expecting a smaller crop coming from Canada.
The prices:
Soybeans: Nov 4.52 up 3/4, Jan 4.60 1/2 off 1/2, Mar 4.67 1/4 unch, May 4.71 off 3/4.
Corn: Dec 2.10 1/2 off 4, Mar 2.22 1/2 off 3 3/4, May 2.30 1/4 off 3 1/2, Jul 2.35 1/4 off 3 3/4.
Wheat: Dec 2.66 1/4 off 4 1/2, Mar 2.77 1/4 off 4 1/2, May 2.80 3/4 off 4 1/4, Jul 2.86 1/4 off 2 1/2.
Oats: Dec 1.73 3/4 up 6 3/4, Mar 1.57 1/4 up 4 1/4, May 1.49 1/4 up 2 1/2, Jul 1.43 up 2 1/2.
