Farming, Saturday, March 14,1998
Cold Weather
Damages Fruit
(Conttniwd from Pag* A 1)
In 1990, peaches bloomed early
on April 8, in Kleiner’s recol
lection “the earliest I’ve seen
peaches bloom,” he said.
However, even though growers
“kissed the apricots goodbye” that
year, Kleiner said, “some growers
had a decent year for the peach
crop.”
Kleiner sees the same this year.
Apricots will be a complete loss, in
addition to many plum orchards.
But for peaches, the speculation is
that Pennsylvania may have some
crop, though reports on the nature
of die crop won’t be available until
next week. And so far, the apple
orchards, normally better at with
standing temperature drops, still
look OK.
Depending on geographical
location, this week’s dangerously
cold overnight temperatures will
have effected crops differently.
The apricots are past bloom
stage and will be “done in” by the
cold, according to Tom Becker,
York horticulture agent
Almost traditionally, peaches
can also be hard hit by the cold.
When die temperature falls below
23 degrees, about 90 percent of die
crop can be killed, according to
Becker.
But when the temperature plum
mets to the teens, as it did this
week, widespread devastation can
potentially result
Benner of El Vista Orchards
noted that Wednesday night the
temperature dropped to 16
degrees. One grower told him that
nearby, the temperature fell to 11
degrees, in a valley.
What had Benner worried was
that, Wednesday evening, at 10
p.m., the thermometer read 19
degrees already too cold for
peaches, depending on their state
of bloom.
As for apple crops, depending
on location, the some of the crop
could be adversely affected,
though many varieties are cold
resistant
Emit growers are staying quiet,
noted Becker. York horticulture
agent Many have assumed a “wait
and see” attitude about the effects
of the brutal cold on the crops.
Becker doesn’t remember see
ing a year like this in his career as a
horticulturalist Becker has never
seen temperatures that descended
“this low, this late,” he noted.
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die blooming daffodils were also
destroyed by die cold because of
stalk and flower freezes.
Covering diem simply is not
enough. Many growers added a
mulch layer, at least, to protect the
bulbs from freeze damage.
But for outside garden areas,
many areas have experienced a
complete loss, especially in the
southeastern part of the state,
which in many cases is “three to
four weeks ahead of schedule or
more,” noted Becker.
Many growers won’t know the
frill extent of the damage until end
of April and early May, according
to Kleiner, regional fruit specialist.
In any cold spell, the buds furth
er out on the branches can be hard
est hit, as well as the weaker buds.
Buds closer to the tree have a high
er survivability.
Kleiner noted that, because of
die heaviness of cold air, growers
know to locate fruit trees on ridges.
Orchard location is key. Trees in
basins can fall prey to severe cold.
However, the cold was widespread
throughout the region with high
winds, in many cases, which could
have a large-scale impact on crops,
according to growers.
Lately, there have been a lot
more frosts that concern the fruit
specialists. Where frosts and
freezes were noted severe every 1
year in 10, growers have had three
years in the past five to warrant
concern, according to Kleiner.
In the case of the Adams County
orchardist, speed of discoloration
is reladve to the heat of the day. In
other words, the cold damage to
the buds of peaches won’t be evi
dent until a few days of wanner
temperatures pass by.
And with temperatures drop
ping below 25 for several days,
growers can do nothing to stop the
damage to die crop.
“I can make no business deci
sion on how good or how bad it
affected me until the weekend,”
said Benner. Benner warned that
any grower who “cries wolf and
claims they are wiped out” is not
being honest They need to take
time on warmer days to look at the
actual damage.
The only thing growers can do is
“sit there and pray,” Kleiner, reg
ional fruit specialist said.
Fruit growers in Georgia, Ala
bama, South Carolina, and North
Carolina where the peach fruit
was in bloom were devastated
by the killing cold, according to
National Letter Writing Campaign
Launched To Save Valuable Pesticides
(Continued from Pad* *1)
reassessment process are critical,
Vroom points out, because they
can result in restriction or cancel
lation of the use of a specific pesti
cide on certain oops.
Organophosphates, First To
Be Evaluated
Carbamates Next
EPA says it will first reassess
organophosphates (OPS), valued
insecticides used to control an ex
tensive array of crop pests. This
widely used crop protection class
includes chhxpyrifos (Dursban),
azinphos methyl (Guthion), disul
foton (Disyston), malathion, para
thion, diarinon, and acephate (Or
thene). Hie OPs are used on some
64 million acres of the nation’s
farmland and have been the main
line of defense against crop loss to
insects for 40 years, Vroom says.
A second widely used class of
insecticides, carbamates, is soon
to follow on EPA’s reassessment
list This group, used to protect a
range of crops from apples and
cotton to peanuts, potatoes and
soybeans, includes such products
as Temik, Sevin, Furadan, Carzol,
Lannate, Vydate and Larvin.
Rush To Judgment
Vroom notes that industry and
agriculture accepted FQPA when
passed hurriedly in late 1996. “Wc
supported many of its provisions.”
he says, “because the act’s funda
mentals are ones to which my in
dustry has long subscribed hu
man health and safety, extra mar
gins of safety for children. Its
requirements are strict, but
achievable, if EPA rather than
a rush to judgment on many of the
essential pesticides growers need
for profitable farming takes
time to allow development of
needed scientific data and me
thods to meet FQPA require
ments. "Then,” Vroom adds, “re
gulatory decisions can be based on
well-conceived, uniform and prac
tical policies rather than highly
exaggerated estimates. Right now.
that is not being done.”
media reports. What effects this
will have on peach supplies for the
Mid-Atlantic are hard to
determine.
As for the mild winter in Pen
nsylvania. many suspected that a
cold-down was inevitable.
Said York horticulture agent
Tom Becker, “We knew it would
have to catch up to us sometime.”
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Instead, the agency appears to
be setting pesticide tolerances (the
amount of a pesticide’s residue al
lowed on or in a harvested crop)
based on theoretical estimates, or
defaults, in cases where data based
on actual use is not yet available.
EPA’s rationale is that it must
meet the short deadlines imposed
by FQPA, Vroom says. But, con
gressional mandates under FQPA
can be met without undue risk to
farm and consumer use. Farmer
and grower pest control products
need not be placed in jeopardy.
Farmers Urged To Act Now
A concerned, vocal agriculture
is essential to preserve needed
crop protection products within
farmers’ arsenals. Vroom urges
farmers: “Contact your com
Jr, Holstein Embryo Sale
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) —The Pennsylvania Junior Hol
stein Association will sponsor an Embryo Sale as part of the Pennsyl
vania Showcase Sale on Thursday. March 26, at 7 pjn. at the Farm
Show Building - Small Arena, Harrisburg. The Junior Association
wants to publicly thank the 11 breeders who have donated an embryo
to support our Junior Activities in Pennsylvania.
The breeders and embryos are as follows:
1) Ed & Glen Brake. Mcrccrsburg
Manifined x Oakleigh Mascot Heather VG-8S +7 IP
3.00 330 d 29,580 5.6 1652 3 2 1000
2) Bovine Boutique, Elizabethtown
Mascot x CMV MeUwood Millie VG-88
3- 365 34,980 4.2 1456 3.2 1104.
3) James A Nina Burdette, Mcrccrsburg
Counselor x Windy-Knoll-View Ultimate Pala EX 94-2 E
5- 365 27,970 4.5 1267 3.3 932
4) Emily Cloninger, Centre Hall
South wind x Andacres Matt JR Annamae EX-90
6- 305 25,020 3.2 796 2.9 731
5) Alice & John Foster Jr., Petersburg
Counselor x Globe-Run Sexy Darlene EX-93-4E
8-01 365 35,980 4.1 1492 3.2 1149
6) Jim A Kim Grove, Petersburg
Counselor x Beaver-Crest Starbuck Jo EX-90-2E
4- 36Sd 25.760 4.3 1111 3.6 930
7) Paul Hartlc, Bellefonte
Wade x Mammoth-Spring Miss America EX-94-2E
5- 305 29,940 3.8 1124 2.8 833
8) Hillside Farms Inc., Shavertown
Final Score x Beachlawn Tam CH Valiant-ET VG-87 +69P
2-00 305 proj. 26.151 809 947
9) Tara Kocher, Mifflin town
Roybrook Vintage x Ore Farm Avenger Jill VG-87
4-07 305 17,270 4.6 786 3.3 578
10) Rick Wadel, Shippcnsbuig
Formation x Wa-Del RC Blacks tar Mary-ET EX-90-2E
4- 365 30,556 3.6 1109 3.1 938
11) Elizabeth Walton, Carlisle
Lin jet x Fountain Farm Lead Emblem VG-87
5- 365 33,820 3.3 1106 3.1 1055
We would appreciate your support in purchasing one or mote of
these embryos on March 26. All hinds raised will go to support Junior
Activities for the 2,000 Junior mem ben in Pennsylvania.
MOLDY CORN?
modify organization about your
concern, then your member of
Congress, EPA and The While
House. Tell them to help save the
pesticides you need to protect
your crop and your farm income.
Insist that science, not politics, be
followed in implementing the
Food Quality Protection Act
Vroom concludes, “When the
law is carried out the way Con
gress intended, the consumer
wins, the farmer wins and Ameri
ca's agricultural productivity is
not placed in jeopardy.”
For more information on
helping save needed crop pesti
cides, or about the Food Quality
Act access ACPA website
http://wwwjrcpa.org/.
SAVE
SCHNUPP’S
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> - Box 840, Lebanon, PA 17046
865-6611 Fax #865-7334
800-452-4004
I. GROFF, RD #3 Lewisburg, PA
717-568-1420