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Fruit Times
Events in the orchard that matter to you. A multidisciplinary publication from the Penn State College of Ag Sciences.
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Fruit Times
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Special Workshop on Managing Apple Scab in the Age of Multiple Fungicide Resistance
February 6, 2012
A special workshop on the apple scab situation in Pennsylvania will be held on March 6, 2012, 8:00 am to noon at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center in Biglerville, PA. The featured guest speaker is Dr. Dave Rosenberger, Tree Fruit Plant Pathologist at Cornell's Hudson Valley Lab.
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Pennsylvania Farm Energy Audits Program—Cost-Share Funds Available
February 6, 2012
The “Pennsylvania Farm Energy Audits Program,” is available to help agricultural producers identify the best methods to improve their farm’s energy efficiency. USDA will offset the cost by paying 75% of the energy audit, leaving only 25% of the cost to the farmer. The audits are carried out by Penn State agricultural energy specialists or specially trained private consultants, depending on the location of the farm and availability of personnel.
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Investigating Value-Added Apple Product Consumption and Interest, Part I
February 6, 2012
The Ag. Entrepreneurship Extension Team at Penn State (farmbusiness.psu.edu) investigates opportunities for stakeholders (e.g. growers, wholesalers, processors, retailers) and disseminates applicable information to these groups. A few of us in the team have been focusing on gathering data from consumers residing in Pennsylvania and surrounding states pertaining to their fruit and vegetable purchasing attitudes and behaviors, with particular emphasis on better understanding the fresh and processed apple purchaser. We have conducted a few studies since 2008 and would like to share that data and provide examples of marketing strategies that stakeholders could implement based on the research.
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A Stinker of a Pest: IPM Researchers, Educators Team Up Against Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
December 7, 2011
A new pest has been pigging out on many of North America’s most important crops, posing an unprecedented threat to U.S. farmers. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) burst onto the scene in 2010, causing catastrophic damage in most mid-Atlantic states. Some growers of sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, apples, and peaches reported total losses that year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now awarded $5.7 million to ten institutions across the country for research and education to help growers cope.
The value of susceptible crops in the 33 states where BMSB has been established or sighted exceeds $21 billion, says Tracy Leskey, the USDA entomologist at the project’s helm. Last year, the pest cost apple growers alone $37 million.
Leskey’s team of 51 researchers has its work cut out: uncover the mysteries of BMSB and use that knowledge to find management tactics that work—traps and lures, biopesticides, and natural enemies that kill BMSB. The Northeastern IPM Center will coordinate outreach, putting solutions in the hands of growers who need them.
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Agritainment' Offers Farm Owners a Chance to Boost Revenue
December 7, 2011
It's getting tougher all the time to be a farmer, and managers of small agricultural operations have to be increasingly efficient, clever and resourceful just to stay profitable.
But the concept of "agritainment" -- any form of farm-based tourism operation that provides economic benefit to the farm owner and offers entertainment, activities or product for the visitor -- may help farmers improve their bottom lines, according to agricultural business experts in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
"Agritainment creates the opportunity for farm owners to entice visitors to their farm, provide education about agriculture and increase their overall profits," said Lynn Kime, senior extension associate in agricultural economics. "The concept offers hope for small, struggling farms."
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Special Workshop on Managing Apple Scab in the Age of Multiple Fungicide Resistance
February 6, 2012A special workshop on the apple scab situation in Pennsylvania will be held on March 6, 2012, 8:00 am to noon at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center in Biglerville, PA. The featured guest speaker is Dr. Dave Rosenberger, Tree Fruit Plant Pathologist at Cornell's Hudson Valley Lab.Investigating Value-Added Apple Product Consumption and Interest, Part I
February 6, 2012The Ag. Entrepreneurship Extension Team at Penn State (farmbusiness.psu.edu) investigates opportunities for stakeholders (e.g. growers, wholesalers, processors, retailers) and disseminates applicable information to these groups. A few of us in the team have been focusing on gathering data from consumers residing in Pennsylvania and surrounding states pertaining to their fruit and vegetable purchasing attitudes and behaviors, with particular emphasis on better understanding the fresh and processed apple purchaser. We have conducted a few studies since 2008 and would like to share that data and provide examples of marketing strategies that stakeholders could implement based on the research.A Stinker of a Pest: IPM Researchers, Educators Team Up Against Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
December 7, 2011A new pest has been pigging out on many of North America’s most important crops, posing an unprecedented threat to U.S. farmers. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) burst onto the scene in 2010, causing catastrophic damage in most mid-Atlantic states. Some growers of sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, apples, and peaches reported total losses that year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now awarded $5.7 million to ten institutions across the country for research and education to help growers cope. The value of susceptible crops in the 33 states where BMSB has been established or sighted exceeds $21 billion, says Tracy Leskey, the USDA entomologist at the project’s helm. Last year, the pest cost apple growers alone $37 million. Leskey’s team of 51 researchers has its work cut out: uncover the mysteries of BMSB and use that knowledge to find management tactics that work—traps and lures, biopesticides, and natural enemies that kill BMSB. The Northeastern IPM Center will coordinate outreach, putting solutions in the hands of growers who need them.