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Hay & Forage Grower
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A fleet of aerial spray planes began massing in 10 eastern Wyoming
counties last week as part of a program aimed at minimizing the damage
to forage crops likely to be caused by an anticipated massive hatch of
grasshoppers this spring.
“This is something you’re likely to see once in a lifetime,” says
Dean McClain, owner of Ag Flyers Inc. in Torrington, WY. He’s helping
coordinate efforts to bring in eight airplanes from companies located as
far away as Indiana and Texas to battle the hoppers. Officials from
other parts of the state could bring in another 15 or so planes.
“There are only three or four aerial spray application businesses in
the state.”
The game plan is for the planes to spray the insecticide Dimilin mixed
with canola oil on private and government-owned grasslands and
rangelands in the 10-county area. The goal is to kill off grasshoppers
in the nymph stage before they morph into more destructive, mature
insects.
“There are 104 species of grasshoppers in Wyoming, but only 12 that
cause damage,” McClain says. “It’s that ‘dirty dozen’ we’re
really after.”
He adds that, even in the nymph stage, grasshoppers can consume
tremendous amounts of forage. “At a population of eight per square
yard, they’ll eat as much as an adult beef cow,” he says.
Plans for the aerial spraying project began to take shape earlier this
year after USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
released a report warning that Wyoming and several other Western states
could experience severe grasshopper infestations in 2010. As we reported
in the April
13 edition of eHay Weekly, the APHIS warning was based on a
fall 2009 survey of grasshopper populations. The report showed adult
grasshopper populations in Wyoming exceeded 15/sq yd on 2.9 million
acres last fall.
McClain notes that spraying got under way in two counties last week and
will likely begin in at least three other counties this week. Spraying
will continue through the end of June.
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A U.S. senator and congressman are trying to line up support among
colleagues for a letter they intend to send to Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack asking that USDA maintain the ban on genetically engineered
(GE) alfalfa (a.k.a. Roundup Ready alfalfa).
In a letter circulated to fellow senators and representatives last week,
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) contended
“there are numerous reasons to believe” that deregulating GE alfalfa
will lead to contamination of non-GE alfalfa crops and result in
significant economic harm to domestic alfalfa markets and the organic
and conventional dairy industries.
Leahy and DeFazio also claimed there could be major negative
consequences for U.S. hay exports. “Conventional alfalfa growers rely
heavily on the export market and have real reason to worry about those
markets drying up if GE alfalfa is deregulated,” they wrote.
“According to the Foreign Agriculture Service at USDA, conventional
alfalfa producers could lose at least $197 million in alfalfa seed and
forage exports as a result of GE alfalfa deregulation. The largest
alfalfa export markets are to GE-sensitive countries, which have
restrictions against importing GE-contaminated crops.”
See a draft of the
Leahy-DeFazio
letter to Vilsack.
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Extension educators at the University of Illinois (UI) are asking
hay and straw producers in the state to fill out a survey on their use
of pyridine herbicides (Forefront, Milestone, Curtail, Stinger, Grazon
P+D, Surmount, Redeem R&P and Crossbow).
The goal of the survey is to determine the extent to which producers are
using the herbicides, which can be persistent. “When animals eat hay
treated with pyridine herbicides, the herbicides remain active in the
manure,” says Ellen Phillips, crop science educator with UI Extension.
“Treated bedding straw picked up with manure also contains active
residue. When the manure and straw are used in a compost system, the
herbicide remains active in the fresh compost. This can cause problems
for landscapers wanting to use composted manure for seeding mixtures.”
The surveys need to be completed by June 15. Fill out the survey
online. For more information and/or to get a paper copy of the
survey, contact Phillips at 708-352-0109 or ephillps@uiuc.edu.
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- Companies interested in producing cellulosic biofuels are
starting to line up supplies of biomass material around the country.
Learn more via Hay
& Forage Grower on Facebook.
- Orange Patch Dairy has posted a video
showcasing this year’s first alfalfa cutting on its blog. Orange Patch
is a 120-cow operation in Sleepy Eye, MN.
- New Holland Agriculture has launched a new YouTube channel devoted
to all things farming. The channel currently has 36 videos covering
topics ranging from making great hay to equipment at work in the field.
Also featured are how-to tips and animated videos revealing the inner
working of farm equipment.
- Springfield, MO, is gearing up to host this year’s American Forage
and Grassland Council Annual Conference. It will be held June 21-23 at
the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. Read more about the
conference and the Springfield area on the “Springfield
Adventures” blog.
- University of Idaho Extension soil specialist Amber Moore is looking
for 10 alfalfa producers in the southern part of the state who would be
willing to plow down an acre of their fields to determine N availability
in soils. Data collected in the project will be used to develop an
Idaho-specific cover-crop calculator. Get more information on the Central
Idaho Extension blog.
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Arkansas
Fescue hay harvest is just getting under way in Baxter County, reports
Mark Keaton, county agriculture agent/staff chair. “Most people are
about a week or so later than normal getting started,” says Keaton.
“We’ve had a cool spring. It’s only been in the last week or so
that we’ve had nighttime temperatures staying above 60 degrees.”
Bermudagrass harvest is also slightly behind schedule. Keaton says some
producers could get going on first cutting in the early part of June
The hay put up this growing season will likely be in high demand, he
adds. “We had a cold, wet winter and most cow-calf producers had to
feed all the hay they had,” he says.
To contact Keaton, phone 870-425-2335 or email mkeaton@uaex.edu.
Oklahoma
A string of severe thunderstorms over a two-week period in mid-May has
slowed the start of the hay harvest season in Oklahoma, reports Glen
Schickedanz, market news coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of
Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF).
“There’s been some alfalfa put up in some places,” he says. “But
for the most part, people got going a little later than normal.” A
cool spring slowed alfalfa growth. As for new-crop prices, he says
it’s still a little early to get a good read on where they’re
headed. “They’re still searching for a new level, but a firm
undertone seems to be developing,” he says.
Schickedanz reminds producers that ODAFF maintains a hay directory to link buyers and
sellers. You can also get more information by phoning the hay hotline at
800-580-6543.
To contact Schickedanz, phone 405-522-3752 or email glen.schickedanz@oda.state.ok.us.
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The Alabama Cooperative Extension
System (ACES) is launching a new, weekly electronic publication to
help farmers protect crops from insects and diseases.
Called Alabama Ag Alert, the newsletter will provide information about
insects and diseases impacting the state and offer recommendations for
strategies to manage them, according to editor Ayanava Majumdar, an
entomologist with ACES.
Interested farmers and crop advisors can sign up for a free subscription
by contacting Majumdar at 251-331-8416 or bugdoctor@aces.edu.
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High-moisture hay production and nitrate toxicity in forages will
be among the topics discussed at the Tobacco, Beef and More Field Day,
scheduled for June 24 at the University of Tennessee’s High Rim
AgResearch and Education Center in Springfield.
Results from current research projects on utilizing natural fertilizers
will be presented. There will also be a bale wrapper demonstration.
There is no cost to attend. Following the morning tours, a complimentary
lunch will be served. For more information, phone 615-382-3130.
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June 9-10 -- Four-State Dairy Nutrition And Management
Conference, Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA. Register online or download a brochure.
Or call the Wisconsin Agri-Service Association at 608-223-1111 or Jim
Salfer at 320-203-6093 or salfe001@umn.edu.
June 16-17 -- 2010 Hay Expo, Matt and Jana Hamlett Farm,
Strawberry Point, IA. Details at www.HayExpo.com or call 866-264-7469.
June 21-23 -- American Forage And Grassland Council Annual
Conference, University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, MO. Get details.
June 23 -- Dodge County/Fond du Lac County (WI) Forage Council
Twilight Meeting, Lemmenes Custom Farms, LLC, Waupun. Get more information.
June 25 -- Manure Happens Field Day, Mains Dairy, Newville, PA.
Contact Genny Christ at 717-240-6507 or genny@psu.edu.
June 29 -- Northeast Minnesota Forage And Grassland Council Farm
Tour, 4-7 p.m., Pheasants Plus, Warba, MN. Get info.
July 15 -- Central Wisconsin Forage Council Summer Field Day. 1-3
p.m., Bill Herr Farm, Greenwood, WI. Get info.
July 20-22 -- Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, Roger and Bev
Peterson farm, south of River Falls. Get details.
July 21-- Illinois Forage Expo/Hay Contest, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.,
Law-Rae Dairy Farm, Manteno, IL. Get details or call
815-772-4075 or email gmclark@illinois.edu.
Aug. 9-10 -- Kentucky Grazing School, Woodford County Extension
Office, Versailles. Preregistration required. See
a brochure.
Aug. 14 -- 2010 Southern Plains Beef Symposium, Ardmore
Convention Center, Ardmore, OK. For details, contact Tracy Cumbie at
580-224-6411 or tlcumbie@noble.org or Shan Ingram
at 580-224-6412 or shingram@noble.org.
Aug. 17 -- Central Minnesota Forage Council Summer Tour, 10
a.m.-noon, forage; 1-3 p.m., dairy; Stearns County. Watch for details.
Aug. 17-19 -- Penn State University Ag Progress Days, Russell E.
Larson Agricultural Research Center, Rock Springs, PA. Get details.
Aug. 24 -- Northeast Minnesota Forage And Grassland Council Farm
Tour/Summer Field Day, Rick Johnson farm, Aitkin, MN. Get info.
Sept. 1-4 -- National Hay Association Annual Meeting, Griffin
Gate Marriott Resort, Lexington, KY. Watch for details.
Feb. 24, 2011 -- Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, Fayette County
Extension office, Lexington. Watch for details.
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