Penn Aqua 2002 Highlights (Continued from Page El) of potential,” he said. “The industry can not just be productive, but economi cally productive and profita ble,” in the face of considera tions such as biology, nutrition, waste management, food safety, and consumer be havior and marketing. The keynote address of Thursday was delivered by Al bert Tacon, director, Aquatic Feeds and Nutrition, Aquatic Farms Ltd., Hawaii. The challenges facing the aquatic industry are no differ ent than any other food sector, said Tacon. The industry, which is growing at a rate of 9-10 percent per year, based on year 2000 data, is very het erogeneous, boasting more than 200 species of plants and animals. Half of the aquatic products (mainly seaweeds, which com mand $2-$3 per pound) are grown in sea water and are mostly for human consump tion. Besides seaweed, aquacul ture supplies 70 percent of all the fish that America con sumes, to the tune of 14.8 pounds of seafood per person in 2001. In fact, U.S. consumers spent $553 billion for fishery products in 2001, according to Tacon. On the world front, China alone produces 72 percent of total world aquaculture pro- Stop by and see us at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Crower’s Convention Hershey, PA • February 4, 5 & 6 I"TICO/FERBO HOSE REELS" Now, a new generation of automat ic hard hose reels that feature variable travel speed selection with automatic constant compensation to provide uniform irrigation over entire length of pass, and operate at low input pressure to easily, efficiently, economi cally irrigate or spread liquid manure. TICO, a leader in irrigation systems for over 30 years, also offers these other types: •WHEEL ROW •GIANT SPRINKLER •HAND MOVE‘TRICKLE •LIQUID MANURE AND WASTEWATER DISPOSAL Also virtually all makes of couplers, fit tings and gaskets, plus pumps, pipe, diesel, gas, and electric motors. duction, followed by India and Japan. Citizens of developing countries, he said, tend to con sume more fish 50 percent of the protein they consume since it is a more accessible and affordable source of pro tein. As a farming activity in the U.S., aquaculture still has a minor position in, for instance, government policy and con siderations, he said. “We have a seafood trade deficit of almost $7 billion. That the politicians under stand.” The U.S. imports $3.6 bil lion of shrimp, for example. Major exporters of fish (by value) are first Thailand, then China, and third Norway. America, which exports feed, runs the risk of supply ing the world with cheap feed inputs and being swamped with higher cost food imports, he said. In the U.S., 63 percent of aquaculture production is channel catfish, followed by the Pacific cupped oyster and rainbow trout. Tacon sees the future of aquaculture in America in a positive light. “We have a freight train and its growing very fast, al though not in all sectors,” said Tacon. Growth depends on how the industry faces certain challenges, he said. For example, aquaculture We Wafer, • 52 Different Models • 5 Drive Systems • 15 Hoee Lengths From 30-630 gallons per minute output and with hose lengths from 395 ft. up to 1650 ft. Standard features include Automatic Speed Compensation, galvanized cart and stabilizer legs, turntable, pto wind-up and optional hydraulic legs and cart lifting. Economic Irrigation: With low input pressure requirements and constant speed irrigation, FERBO Travelers remain the leaders in low cost automatic irrigation. There isn't another traveler available that is simpler to operate or less expensive to maintain. Waste Water Disposal: Our engine driven travel ers are the simplest and most accurate on the mar ket. Our computer con trolled speed regulation M ensures 99% accuracy to W meet Federal/State design criteria while our simple yet efficient engine/gearbox drive ensures low maintenance. Plus: We manufacture and market a complete line of: Slurry pumps, pump fittings, irrigation pumps, wheel row, giant sprinklers, hand move, trickl inter •'/ots. operators will have to become environmentally and ecologi cally responsible and socially acceptable, he said. “At the end of the day, the top of the food chain is the consumer, because they either buy or don’t buy fish,” Tacon said, so fish food and human food safety are important con cerns to the industry. Traceability and labeling will become more important to health- and safety-con scious consumers. Also, marketing will also become increafingly impor tant. “We’ve got to get a lot smarter at convincing people to eat a lot more fish and tout ing the protein’s health bene fits,” he said. Tacon sees increased biose curity and increased transpar ency in food production on the horizon for the industry. In addition, aquaculture needs to position itself as a recycler of aquatic feed and wastes turning by-products into food. Marc Tosciano, Pennsylva nia State Director, National Ag Statistics Service, informed conference attendees about the 2002 aquaculture census that will count all the aquacul ture growers in the common wealth. The project is funded by the Pennsylvania Depart ment of Agriculture and is a mandatory census. Results will be summarized and public when 'all the reports are in. On the other hand, the trout Eetth Whetf Mother - - is a yelping Hand. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 1,2003, Grower & Marketer -E9 reliable units on the market; • Special permanently lubricated mechanical seal for longer life • Over-sized bearings • Lubricated chopper shaft bearings • Chopper shaft shear-pin to reduce risk of damage to the shaft and impeller • A range of four tractor pto pumps and four Bare-shaft pumps with flows from 105-1000 gpm • Replaceable wear ring • 540 rpm or 1000 rpm speeds • Finest grade cast iron for high efficiency • Unique water cooled gearbox for extended gear life. The pump is mounted on a heavy-duty wheeled cart with pto shaft, 6” quick-action suction fittings and 4” discharge fittings as standard. Growing census, funded by the USDA, includes 20 major states, and is voluntary. Results should be summarized and published by Feb. 28. Information in both surveys is confidential. Thomas Zeigler, president, Zeigler Brothers, Inc., a spe cialty feed manufacturer, Get tysburg, also spoke at the con ference. “There is a growing consen sus that aquaculture is des tined to play a major role in supplying the world with food,” he said. Industry lead- Greenhouse, Landscape School Feb. 26 TOWANDA (Bradford Co.) Penn State Cooperative Ex tension in Bradford County will host a Greenhouse and Land scape School on Feb. 26 at the Patterson Building at Guthrie Square in Sayre from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be concurrent sessions for both greenhouse grow ers and landscapers. Landscapers can come and leam which in sect and mite problems that they can expect for 2003 here in northeast Pennsylvania. Greg Hoover, extension entomologist from Penn State, will speak to landscapers about insect control. Also on the morning program will be Lee Nelson to speak about perennials in the landscape. Nelson is an authority on perennials and their care. In the afternoon, landscapers will be able to learn tips to help them more effectively prune trees and shrubs. Penn State urban forrester Vinnie Cotrone will lead the workshop. A 1 Scala, consultant with Penn State Seed Company will speak to greenhouse growers. Scala has more than 40 years of experience in the green industry and will speak to growers on tips for successful greenhouse management. Also on the pro gram for greenhouse growers will be Penn State Entomologist Greg Hoover, speaking on beneficial insects and their place in Industry ership and vision, government support, and adequate re search is necessary for growth, he said. Zeigler presented details on several years of milestones in Pennsylvania aquaculture. The commonwealth hosts 160 aquaculture facilities, he said. However, Pennsylvania is significantly behind in reaching its economic poten tial it is lagging in its contri bution to the total Pennsylva nia economy, said Zeigler. controlling pests in the greenhouse. In the afternoon, Lee Nelson will speak to green house growers on perennials and their selec tion, care in the greenhouse, and point of pur chase tips. Cost for the program is $25, which includes a hot lunch. Pesticide credits will be offered for this program two core pesticide points and two category points for categories 1,6, 18,22, and 23. A complete program and sign-up form can be obtained by calling the Penn State Cooper ative Extension Office at (570) 265-2896. Reg istrations are due by Feb. 17. If you have any questions about the program, contact Tom Maloney, extension agent, at (570) 265-2896. Lancaster Farming Check out our Website! irmim
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