A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 2000 Tour Shows Potential For Ohio Berry Production PIKETON, Ohio - Farmers looking for an alternative, high value crop or berry growers hop ing to improve profits should at tend the Summer Berry Tour, said Sandy Kuhn, berry coordi nator at the Ohio State Universi ty Centers at Piketon. “With the farm economy the way it is, Ohio farmers are look ing for crops that could be high dollar alternatives to com, soy beans or wheat, and berries are one possibility,” Kuhn said. According to Ohio State Uni versity agricultural economists, black raspberries in Ohio generate an average annual re turn of $1,575 per acre from pick-your-own operations and $1,063 per acre from prepicked retail sales. Strawberries earn $495 per acre from pick-your own and $l5O from prepicked operations. In comparison, no-till corn generates only $l3 per acre of annual profit and no-till soy beans $l6 per acre. Corn and soybeans grown conventionally generate only $1 of net profit per acre per year. This year’s Summer Berry Tour is July 27-28 and will visit live farms and farm markets in central Ohio. Two stops on the “drive yourself’ tour are sched uled Thursday, July 27 and three on Friday, July 28, Kuhn said. “Current producers will have a chance to look at other farms and get new ideas in areas such as marketing, production prac tices, diversification of crops, and irrigation,” she said. Growing strawberry plants on raised beds through plastic, called plasticulture, is one new production practice displayed at two of the stops. The plastic holds in heat and warms soils, al lowing strawberries to grow and Dean Foods And Land O’Lakes FRANKLIN PARK, 111. Dean Foods Company (NY SE:DF) and Land O’Lakes, Inc., announced recently that Dean Foods has completed the pur chase of Land O’Lakes Upper Midwest fluid milk operations. The two organizations have also formed a joint venture to na tionally market and li cense certain value added fluid and cul tured dairy products to further expand the Land O’Lakes® brand. Both agreements in clude long-term licens ing arrangements for use of the Land O’Lakes brand name. “In this transaction, Dean Foods is acquir ing a strong and suc cessful fluid dairy business that com mands the leading po sition in its regional market,” said Howard Dean, chairman and chief executive officer of Dean Foods. “In ad dition, this acquisition offers Dean a unique opportunity to go to market with one of the best known brands in the dairy industry and to extend the Land O'Lakes brand name into new, value-added fluid and cultured dairy products and be picked two weeks earlier than normal, Kuhn said. The plastic adds additional costs and may not fit every farm but gives the farm the ability to be ‘first on the market” with their product. “Prospective growers can talk with current producers and get information on how to get started,” she said. New growers need to decide what berries to plant, what equipment to buy, where to sell berries, and how to provide the long hours of labor needed to properly manage a berry patch. Growing berries is initially a high investment - as much as $6,000 per acre for a 2- to 5-acre operation - and requires labor for planting, pruning, irrigating and picking, so potential growers should get as much information as possible before committing, Kuhn said. Other topics discussed during the Berry Tour will include sell ing at farmers’ markets, enter tainment farming, disease issues, pick-your-own operations, labor, the American Berry Cooperative and family businesses. The tour begins at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at Rhoads Farm Market, on Rt. 56 east of Circle ville. Rhoads is a diversified farm market that grows blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and other fruits and vegetables. The second stop is west of Grove City on London-Grove port Road at Circle S Farm. Cir cle S Farm features more than 10 acres of strawberries, more than six acres of black and red rasp berries, and a bakery and gour met food business. An optional dinner on Thursday evening at Circle S Farm will include dis cussions with Ohio State Univer sity berry researchers Dick Funt, Begin Joint Venture into new geographical markets.” “Land O’Lakes sees this joint venture as an opportunity to fur ther leverage the strength of our brand and reputation for quality, and extend the geographic reach of our most innovative fluid state small fruit specialist, and Mike Ellis, plant pathologist. Friday’s tour begins at 9 a.m. at the Schacht Farm Market on Shannon Road in Canal Win chester. Schacht’s grows straw berries, blackberries and a vari ety of other produce. Stop two on Friday is at Doran’s Farm Mar ket on Babbitt Road outside of New Albany. Doran’s has rasp berries, strawberries and other specialty crops. The final Friday stop is at Jacquemin Farms on Hyland-Croy Road near Plain City, featuring strawberries and raspberries, among other crops. Recent health studies that show berries can reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease have increased their demand, and there are many new types of ber ries available with better flavor, shipping qualities, and other im provements that make marketing easier, Kuhn said. So now is a good time to start growing ber ries. “The tour offers examples of good operations with all types of berries represented,’’ she said. “We’ve chosen some of the more progressive operations in Ohio, and some that have had berries around for quite a while.” The Summer Berry Tour is $l5 per person for those eating dinner at Circle S Farm or $5 per person otherwise. Advance regis tration is required. For more information on the tour or a registration form, call the Ohio State University Centers at Pike- ton at (800) 297-2072 and ask for Kuhrt or Melissa Fitzpatrick. Kuhn can also reached by e-mail (kuhn.37@osu.edu). dairy products,” said Chris Po licinski, executive vice presi dent and chief operation officer for Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods (Turn to Page A 25) Gov. Ridge Signs Bill For Additional Crop-Loss Payment HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Gov. Tom Ridge recently signed S.B. 1417 to allow the De- partment of Agriculture to make final crop-loss payments to pro ducers who qualified under Act 57, the drought disaster relief law signed into law last year. “Our farmers exemplify the best of Pennsylvania,” Gov. Ridge said. “They work hard, and they don’t ask for much in return. I was proud last year to sign legislation offering our farmers the largest state drought-aid package in the na tion. And today I’m proud to help them again as they con tinue to recover from last year’s devastating drought. “With this new law, our De partment of Agriculture will be able to complete the job. We will send a final payment to qualified applicants, in an amount that will be nearly equal to what they already have received.” Gov. Ridge thanked Sen. Noah W. Wenger (R-Lancaster) and Rep. Raymond Bunt Jr. (R- Montgomery) for supporting this bill. Last year, Pennsylvania pro vided more drought assistance for Pennsylvania farmers ($5 million for hay assistance, $5.6 million for crop insurance, and $6O million in crop-loss pay ments for a total of $70.6 million * Repels deer both by taste and smell. * All organic. ..made from fish & beef-by products. * Ideal for tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries at transplant time. * Prevents late season damage to sweet corn, pumpkins, and melons. * Long lasting (up to 2 months with one application) * No phytotoxcity...does not burn the foliage. * No petro chemicals...needs no special handling. * Exempt from ERA registration under FIFRA 25-B. * Concentrated.(lo:l )...1 gallon makes 11. Can be diluted 151 on special applications. s l79plus shipping 5 gallon pail. (Makes 55 gallons) in state funds) than in any other Mid-Atlantic or Northeastern state. These final payments reflect the balance of the $6O million portion of the existing disaster relief package. The $5.6 million portion of the package designated for crop in surance assistance will be admin istered directly through insur ance underwriters and the federal Risk Management Agen cy. The Department of Agricul ture has arranged to have the producers’ crop insurance billing statement reflect the state assist ance, eliminating the need for producers to be reimbursed. “I am very proud of our pro ducers for managing through a very difficult crop year,” Agri culture Secretary Samuel E. Hayes Jr. said. “Likewise, I thank Gov. Ridge and Pennsyl vania lawmakers for quickly re sponding with $70.6 million in state assistance. This financial assistance has made a difference to our farm families. It has helped them to protect the viabil ity of Pennsylvania’s agricultural community and its capacity to produce food and fiber.” S.B. 1417, sponsored by Sen. William L. Slocum (R-Warren), passed the House 189 to 1, and the Senate unanimously. It takes effect immediately. Prevent deer damage to sweet Mm and pumpkins. All organic deer epeilent effective ip to 8 weeks...will lot wash off in rain. Bobbex CallsfOOO) 555-9634 wwwMeercontml.com
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