NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. -
Four New Jersey members of the
Future Farmers of America have
been recommended by the
National FFA Board of Directors
to receive the American Farmer
degree, according to Nancy J.
Schnetzer, State FFA Program
Specialist, of Cook College,
Department of Education.
The American Farmer degree,
recognizing achievement in
agriculture and leadership, is the
highest degree of membership
presented by the Future Farmers
of America for students of
vocational agriculture. It will be
presented during the National FFA
Convention held in Kansas City,
MO., Nov. 8-10.
The four New Jersey FFA
members are; Janet Johnson
Duckworth, 20, daughter of Mrs.
Ellen Johnson, Belvidere, member
of the Belvidere FFA- Chapter;
Steven P. Gruenberg, 19, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Gruenberg,
Lebanon, member of the North
Hunterdon FFA Chapter; David
Pool, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.
4 N.J. FFA’ers to get American degree
Owen Pool, Mickleton, member of
the Woodstown FFA Chapter;
Debra E. Wooster, 20 daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. David Wooster,
Nutley, member of the West Essex
FFA Chapter.
The American Farmer degree is
much sought after because it is
presented to approximately one
member in 600 of the 451,722
member organization. It is
presented only by the National
FFA Organization to members
who have demonstrated ex
ceptional agricultural and
leadership achievements.
The New Jersey candidates were
among 688 FFA members
throughout the nation recom
mended for the American Farmer
degree in 1984.
Janet Duckworth’s Supervised
Occupational Experience Project
(SOE) centered around the hor
ticulture aspect of agriculture.
Janet gained horticulture ex
perience working in an orchard
after school and on weekends in
her early years of vocational
agriculture/FFA. After learning
floral design techniques in her
vocational agriculture classroom,
Janet started working at a florist
and was soon named manager of
the shop.
Janet was also very active in the
Belvidere FFA Chapter. She was
Chapter President and went on to
serve the New Jersey FFA State
Association as State Secretary.
Steven Gruenberg’s
achievements in vocational
agriculture and FFA stem from his
involvement with a dairy goat
project. Steve raised several goats
and managed a dairy goat farm
during his years at North Hun
terdon High School.
He then enrolled in Cook College,
Rutgers University, a
Agriculture Science major. He
plans to continue his education to
prepare for a career in Agriculture
Politics.
Steve served North Hunterdon
FFA as Chapter President and the
State Association as State
Reporter and State President. He
is presently on the State FFA
Association Executive Committee,
Uncartw Farming, Saturday, Septembar 29,1984—A17
is the New Jersey FFA Alumni
President, and will represent New
Jersey at the National Convention
as a National FFA Officer Can
didate.
David Pool’s recognition for thee
American Farmer degree is based
on his involvement in the dairy
production phase of agriculture.
Dave owns 30 head of registered
Holstein cattle and is Assistant
General Manager/Herdsman of
the Ted Fox Dairy Farm in
Woodstown. Dave often takes full
command of all the breeding and
health records of the 160 cow dairy
farm. He also shares management
decisions and helps balance feed
ratios. He was awarded the Star
State Farmer Award in 1982 for his
achievements.
Dave was an active member and
leader of the Woodstown FFA
Chapter and served the State
Association as State Sentinel.
Dectes borer
Southern Region Vice-President
and Executive Committee
member.
Debra Wooster’s Supervised
Occupational Experience
Program is based on her work in
the field of horticulture. Deb
worked at a garden center since
high school and continues to in
crease her skills, knowledge and
responsibilities in the area of
horticulture. She served as
assistant manager at the garden
center until she transferred to a
greenhouse range operation. Deb
received the Star STate
Agribusiness Person Award in
1982.
Deb was very active in the West
Essex FFA Chapter, serving as
Chapter Sentinel and Vice-
President. She served as State
Treasurer, Executive Committee
member and is presenttly serving
as Northeast Region Vice-
President.
attacks beans
NEWARK, Del. Dectes stem
borer outbreaks in soybeans aren’t
currently a problem in all parts of
Delaware, but when this insect is
present, it can cause severe
economic damage. Research has
shown that borer damage results
in direct loss due to plant lodging
plus an estimated 10 percent loss
in seed weight. Such losses can
range from 9 to 27 bushels per
acre, so it’s important to detect
borer infestations before soybeans
dry down and lodge, warns
University of Delaware extension
pest management specialist
Joanne Whalen.
The borer usually infests native
wild host plants such as common
ragweed and cocklebur. But in
creased soybean production in
Delaware has reduced native weed
hosts and apparently caused
Dectes to shift to soybeans, Whalen
says. Surveys conducted by her
and fellow entomologists in
Delaware have shown that this
insect is most likely to infest fields
having sandy soil types and areas
planted almost exclusively in
soybeans.
Adult beetles emerge from
girdled stems in early July and lay
their eggs on the petioles of
soybean plants from July through
August. Larvae initially feed in the
petiole and then move inside the
main stem where they tunnel up
and down. When borer larvae
reach maturity, they move to the
base of the stem, girdle it inside
about 1 or 2 inches above ground
level, and pack it with frass. High
winds or heavy rains will cause the
stems to break at the girdled point.
Fortunately, says Whalen, not all
infested stems are girdled prior to
harvest.
She advises growers to start
looking for Dectes infestations in
late September or early October
before their beans dry down. Early
detection is essential for ia-season
control. Once plants begin to lodge,
yield losses have already oc
curred.
Whalen says to base control
decisions on a random sample of 20
consecutive stems collected from
five areas throughout a field. Split
each stem open lengthwise and
count the number of larvae
present. In general, she recom
mends harvesting fields early if 10
percent or more of the plants are
infested with borers.
If scouting is not done prior to
harvest and a high percentage of
soybeans lodge at harvesttime,
sample stems for Dectes larvae
after harvest. The sampling
system used pre-harvest can also
be used at this time. If 10 percent
or more of the stems are infested,
consider a control measure for
next year.