Editor's note: This is a month ly column from the Pennsylvania Ag Statistics Service (PASS), a field office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Ag riculture (PDA). The Website is www.usda.gov/nassl. CENSUS UPDATE CALLING ALL GROWERS! As of this writing, Pennsylva nia growers are responding well to the Ag Census, exceeded only by growers in Ohio, Indiana, and Rhode Island. A big “thank you” goes to the thousands of growers who have returned completed forms for the 2002 Census of Ag riculture. However, our good response rates can change over the next several weeks as nonrespondents are phoned or visited in all states. Any undercount could have an impact on the funding of the ag services or programs in your county or across Pennsylvania during the next five years! Since we are required by law to conduct the Census of Agricul ture, we must make every effort to get a completed census form from every grower, including large, small, and hobby farms. We are beginning intensive ef forts to call or visit those who have not yet completed the 2002 Census of Agriculture. We really don’t want to bother folks at home, but we have no choice. There still may be time to avoid a visit or phone call if you send in a completed census form right away. Returning the form by mail also saves the excessive taxpayer cost of collecting in formation by telephone or a per sonal visit. Initially, we are calling grow ers in the lowest responding counties. In Pennsylvania, this includes Cameron, Crawford, Fayette, Forest, Lackawanna, and Lawrence counties. After that, we will contact as many nonrespondents as possible in all counties. County statistics from the Ag Census will often be the only in formation about a county until the next Ag Census which is five years away. A complete count is needed for every county so that each county is properly repre sented compared to the rest. So far, Adams, Centre, and York counties are showing the highest response rates in Pennsyl vania. Any county that comes up short in the final tally may not get fair consideration for exten sion services or other decisions that affect Pennsylvania growers. Here is a partial list of items that are affected by counts from the Census of Agriculture: exten sion funding and staffing, ag re search grants, Farm Bill pro grams, crop insurance, farm loans by private lenders, small farm programs, Sustainable Agri culture Research and Education program, programs run by the Pennsylvania Department of Ag riculture, and much more. Remember that small, part time, and hobby farms must be counted too, because they make up about half the farms in Penn sylvania. Call (888) 4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828 if you need a census form or any help complet ing it. 2003 PLANTING INTENTIONS PUBLISHED MARCH 31 First, I want to thank all grow ers who answered our March Ag ricultural Survey. This survey al lows us to publish intentions for NASS Agriculture Counts By Marc Tosiano Pa. State Statistician the coming crop year in Pennsyl vania and across the nation. Pennsylvania farmers intend to plant more acres of barley, oats, soybeans, and sorghum this spring and harvest more hay in 2003. Corn and tobacco acreage in tentions in Pennsylvania are un changed from a year ago. Wheat acres planted in Pennsylvania last fall are down from a year ago. For the complete report with all states, look for the Prospective Plantings report on March 31 in the 2003 DATE search at www.usda.gov/nass/search.htm. 2003 SMALL GRAIN INTENTIONS In Pennsylvania, all wheat, at 175,000 acres, is down 8 percent from last year, but 3 percent above the 2001 planted acres. Ex pected barley planted acreage is 75.000, up 7 percent from 2002 and 5,000 acres more than were planted in 2001. Expected oats planted acreage is 145,000, up 4 percent from 2002, but 5,000 acres less than two years ago. Ex pected oats acreage for harvest is 115.000, unchanged from the last 2 years. Nationwide, wheat fall-planted acres are up 2 percent from last year. Barley planting intentions are up 6 percent. Oat seedings are expected to be down 4 per cent from 2002 and oat harvested acres are expected at 5 percent above 2002. 2003 ROW CROP INTENTIONS In Pennsylvania, intended plantings of com for ail purposes are 1.45 million acres, unchanged from last year and 50,000 acres below two years ago. Soybean planted acreage intentions are ex pected at 370,000 acres, 1 percent above the 365,000 planted last year, but 30,000 acres less than two years ago. Sorghum plant ings are expected to be at 13,000 acres, up 18 percent or 2,000 acres over last year. Nationwide, farmers intend to plant 79.0 million acres of com for all purposes in 2003, virtually unchanged from 2002, but 4 per cent above 2001. Soybean pro ducers across the U.S. intend to plant 73.2 million acres in 2003, down 1 percent from last year and, if realized, the lowest plant ed area since 1998. This is the third consecutive year that soy bean acreage has declined in the U.S. Sorghum planted acres are ex pected at 9.45 million acres across the nation, 1 percent below previous year. 2003 TOBACCO AND HAY HARVEST PLANS In Pennsylvania, intentions are to harvest 1,300 acres of South ern Maryland, Type-32 tobacco, unchanged from a year ago. Pennsylvania Seedleaf Type-41 tobacco harvested acreage is ex pected to be 2,100 acres, also un changed from last year. Nationally, Southern Maiy land Type-32 tobacco expecta tions are to harvest 2,800 acres, 7 percent less than the 3,000 acres in 2002. All U.S. tobacco harvest is expected from 417,510 acres, down 3 percent from last year. Pennsylvania harvest inten tions for all dry hay in 2003 is 1.9 million acres, up 6 percent or 100,000 acres over last year. Na tionally, dry hay is expected to be harvested from 63.6 million acres, down 1 percent from 2002. Farmers: Be Aware Of Japanese Knotweed DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff MILL HALL (Clinton Co.) Japanese knotweed, a fast-grow ing perennial also known as Jap anese bamboo, has become a con cern in some parts of northern Pennsylvania, according to a crop agent here. The ornamental plant can be “aggressively competitive” with native vegetation as well as farm crops when accidentally intro duced into fields, said Tom Butzler, Clinton County exten sion agent. Butzler said Japanese knot weed was originally brought into the U.S. from Asia as an orna mental landscaping plant. The flowers and plants are “very at tractive,” he said. According to Butzler, there are several characteristics that made the plant desirable to American gardeners. It is a shrub-like per ennial that can grow to more than 10 feet in height. Also, Japa nese knotweed is an aggressive spreader, through its under ground stems called rhizomes. As a result of its aggressiveness and height characteristics, gardeners saw its potential as live screening material and erosion control. As an added bonus, small greenish white flowers bloom in attractive, branched sprays during the months of August and Septem ber. But those desirable character istics also created many prob lems. The plant spreads so quick ly that it forms dense thickets that exclude native vegetation and greatly alter natural ecosys tems, especially around water ways. Japanese knotweed is placed into a category called invasive species. According to the Penn sylvania Department of Conser vation and Natural Resources, “Invasive plants are environ mentally noxious weeds that grow aggressively, spread easily and displace other plants. They are hard to control, and if they escape from cultivation, can overtake large areas, degrading their habitat value not only for other plants, but insects, birds and animals.” Although the flowers produce seed in prolific numbers, new Japanese knotweed plantings are most likely started with the movement of underground rhi zomes. The rhizomes, once estab lished, can be a nightmare to eliminate. Butzler said that the most common way for the plant to be introduced on farms is when soil is hauled in from another site to fill low spots in fields. If the soil contains knotweed rhizomes, the weed can become established and spread in the field, competing with corn, soybeans, forage, or vegetable crops. Stands of escaped Japanese knotweed are often seen along waterways in the area, Butzler said. Knotweed rhizomes can float down a river or stream and eventually become established along the banks. Another situation Butzler ob served is where soil was placed alongside a roadway to bring the surrounding yards up to grade with the pavement. The soil placed along the road contained Japanese knotweed rhizomes. A minor infestation occurred in sev eral surrounding yards. Shown is Japanese knotweed blooming in late summer. Japanese knotweed invades a corn field. When rhizome-infested soil is transported to another locatiop it can give rise to a stand on the new site. Beside the concern for crop production, Butzler also noted that Japanese knotweed can also threaten native plant populations with its aggressive spreading na ture. While he has not yet seen an economic impact from knotweed, Butzler said the potential is there if the weed goes unchecked for too long. “It can be a pretty nasty weed,” he said. “It is really de stroying ecosystems along water ways.” Many people are “not aware what the plant is,” he said. Unfortunately, Butzler noted, the usual herbicide program for crops does little to control this weed problem. Control of Japanese knotweed can be achieved by various meth ods, but the goal is to destroy the extensive rhizome system. Re peated pulling or cutting will, after several years, eventually de- MAHA Spring Classic May 2-3 MERCER (Mercer Co.) Join Mid-Atlantic Highland Associa tion (MAHA) for their 14th an nual show. The first show of the new sea son, in a new location, will be conducted at the Mercer County 4-H Park. Mercer is at the cross roads of Interstate 80 and Inter state 79. Highland enthusiasts may begin arriving on Thursday, May 1, with or without animals. There are plenty of activities all week end for all to enjoy, whether you are showing cattle or not. Friday afternoon features the Junior Show. Feast at the HOG Rally (Highland Owners Group) plete the energy reserve of the rhizpme and kill the plant. It is important that all cut or pulled knotweed stems are disposed of properly. As stems, crowns, and rhizomes readily regenerate, they must be allowed to dry out thor oughly after they have been pulled or cut. Several herbicides can be used for control, but it still may take several years to eradicate the en tire plant. It will take patience to eliminate this weed, Butzler noted, and the earlier the prob lem is tackled, the easier it will be to control. An established stand is very difficult to control. Larry Kuhns, professor of or namental horticulture at Penn State stated that “compared to invasive plants and weeds, the chemical pollutants of the ’6os, ’7os and ’Bos will be considered an easy cleanup.” Bob Anderson, crop agent from Lancaster County, said he has not yet noticed any Japanese knotweed stands south of the Snyder/Union county area. Barbeque, then enjoy an evening of informative activities. Watch a hoof trimming demonstration. Or, bring an animal to the arena, for a showmanship workshop and practice show. See some of the finest High lands in the east at the Open Show on Saturday morning. Highland hamburgers will be available for lunch, to benefit the MAHA Juniors. In the evening, convene back at the host hotel to enjoy a social hour and banquet. You can pack up your animals and head home on Sunday, as clean up will be taken care of for you.
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