A44-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 16,2002
Lancaster Growers Hear Crop, Soil Updates
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
When it comes to life in the
soil, “more is better,” according
to Soil Agent Mark Goodson.
Goodson was one of a group of
agents who updated growers on a
variety of topics at the Lancaster
County Crops and Soils Day here
Thursday.
He gave an overview of the
vast array of organisms in
healthy soil, including earth
worms, nematodes, numerous
species of mites and insects, hun
Crop and soil experts shared their knowledge at the
Lancaster County Crops and Soils Day Thursday. Pictured
in front, from left, John Yocum, Greg Roth, John Rowehl,
and Mark Goodson. In rear, from left, Del Voight, Joe
Mayer, Jerry Martin, Sjoerd Duiker.
Topics included the latest invaders of soybeans, bean
leaf beetles and soybean aphids; the life and ecosystems
found in soil; soil compaction; and the phosphorus index.
USDA Names Counties Eligible
For Emergency Farm Loans
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Counties in several eastern states
are included in the Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman’s an
nouncement of those eligible for
USD A emergency farm loans due
to losses caused by drought, hail
and high winds that occurred last
year. The eligibility became effec
tive March 1,2002.
“This assistance will help
farmers recover from natural dis
asters that hit in their counties
last year,” said Veneman.
In New York State, 12 counties
were reported eligible. Chemung,
Seneca and Tioga counties were
named as primary disaster areas
March 1, 2002. Also eligible be
cause they are contiguous, are
Broome, Cayuga, Cortland, On
tario, Schuyler, Steuben, Tomp
kins, Wayne and Yates counties.
In Vermont, 14 counties are el
igible. Addison, Bennington, Ca
ledonia, Chittenden, Orange, Or
leans, Rutland and Washington
counties were named as primary
disaster areas. Also eligible, be
cause they are contiguous, are
Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, La
pioille, Windham and Windsor
counties.
In Virginia, eight counties
were designated eligible. Gooch
land County was named as a pri
mary disaster area. Also eligible,
because they are contiguous, are
Chesterfield, Cumberland, Flu
vanna, "Hanover, Henrico, Louisa
and Powhatan counties.
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dreds of fungi, and thousands of
species of bacteria and other mi
croorganisms.
“Think of your soil as an eco
system,” Goodson said.
The top six inches on an acre
of healthy soil can have as many
as 15,000 pounds of fungus bio
mass, according to Goodson.
Much of that fungus is crucial
to plant growth by intertwining
with the roots of crops and draw
ing nutrients and minerals from
the surrounding soil to help feed
the plant.
Earthworms, insects, and other
In Tennessee, 13 counties are
regarded eligible. Claiborne,
Hamblen, Jefferson and Union
counties were named as primary
disaster areas. Also eligible, be
cause they are contiguous, are
Anderson, Campbell, Cocke,
Grainger, Greene, Hancock,
Hawkins, Knox and Sevier coun
ties.
This designation makes all
qualified farm operators in pri
mary and contiguous disaster
counties eligible for low-interest
EM loans from the Farm Service
Agency, provided eligibility re
quirements are met.
Farmers in eligible counties
have eight months from the date
of this declaration to apply for
the loans to help cover part of
their actual losses. FSA will con
sider each loan application on its
own merits, taking into account
the extent of losses, security
available and repayment ability.
FSA has a variety of programs
available, in addition to the emer
gency loan program, to help eligi
ble farmers recover from adversi
ty-
Interested farmers may contact
their local FSA offices for further
information on eligibility require
ments and application proce-
dures.
Additional information is also
available online at: http://
www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/disaster/
assistancel.htm
microrganisms also play impor
tant roles in maintaining a
healthy soil for crop production.
The amount of life in the soil
can be gauged from the organic
matter percentage given on soil
test results. Growers should pay
attention to that percentage,
Goodson said. Healthy levels of
organic matter help anchor and
supply air and water for roots,
furnish nutrients, and release
water with low levels of nutrients.
“There’s a lot going on in that
number in your soil test,” he said.
Adding organic matter in the
form of manure or compost to
fields and avoiding repeated ap
plications of pesticides toxic to
soil organisms are two practices
that encourage soil life. Integrat
ed pest management (IPM) is an
important part of maintaining
the soil ecosystem, Goodson said.
Lime applications can also in
crease microbial activity, he
pointed out.
Other topics throughout the
day included soil compaction, the
phosphorus index, soybean pro
duction research, com stand un
iformity, and an update on the
latest invaders of soybeans.
Pest Management Agent Del
Voight noted two soybeans pests
that growers should be on the
alert for this growing season.
The bean leaf beetle tends to
become a problem after mild win
ters such as this one, he said.
Another pest to watch for is
the soybean aphid, first identified
in the area last year.
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Produce Auctions To
Open In Coming Weeks
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
It’s produce auction time!
Produce auction market
season gets under way in the
next several weeks. Many are
opening in time for bedding
plant and materials sales and
flower sales in time for Easter.
Following are several auc
tions and their start-up dates
and times:
• Weaverland Produce
Auction, New Holland. Begins
March 21 and continues every
Tuesday and Thursday. For
sale: mostly flowers, some pro
duce, local and shipped.
• Kutztown Produce, Fleet
wood. Begins March 19 with
flowers. The first big nursery
sale is Thursday, March 21,
from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., and Tues
day and Thursday at 10 a.m.
thereafter. Saturday features,
as usual, hay and straw.
• Lebanon Produce, Reist
ville. Start-up date is April 17,
with flowers, mainly. Auction
continues on Tuesdays. Satur
day, April 13, begins with a
large nursery stock sale, 10
a.m., with 12-15 consignors. A
craft sale is under one roof.
• Leola Produce Auction,
Leola. Start-up date is Tues
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day, March 19, at 9:30 a.m.,
and continuing every Tuesday
and Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
• Snyder’s Produce Auc
tion, Port Trevorton. Opened
March 8, continues Fridays at
10:30 a.m., and will go to
Monday later on. Easter sale is
March 22 at 10:30 a.m. with
flowers, and occasionally poul
try.
• Windmill Produce Auc
tion, Penn Yan, N.Y. Will
open April 27 at 8 a.m.
• Kirkwood Produce Auc
tion, Kirkwood. Begins April
25 at 9 a.m. with flowers and
bedding plants.
• Shippensburg Produce
Auction, Shippensburg. Oper
ates on Tuesdays up to the last
week of March, then every
Tuesday and Thursday at 9
a.m. Includes flowers, Easter
flowers, and 4-inch pots of
primrose, hyacinth, pansies,
and flats of pansies.
• Buffalo Valley, Richfield.
Begins Tuesday, April 16, at
10 a.m., and every Tuesday
and Thursday thereafter. Fea
tures mostly flowers and bed
ding plants.