WTSB AG News

Updated: November 6, 2009

Free Training Through JCC
Do you need training in computer skills to better run your business? Do you have a family member that needs training to get a job? If you are a current or former tobacco farmer or quota holder, you and members of your family may be eligible for funding through the Project Skill UP program at Johnston Community College to take a variety of short-term courses to better run your farming business or retrain for other employment. This opportunity is provided through the NC Community Colleges and the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. For more information, please contact Rosa Andrews at 919-209-2015 or rsandrews@johnstoncc.edu.

Fruit and Nut Tree Sale
The Johnston County Cooperative Extension Service is sponsoring the annual Fruit & Nut Tree Sale.  In this sale we offer apples, peach, pear, fig, blueberry, blackberry, grape, and pecan plants.  Each plant is bare root when it is shipped from the nursery.  For best survivability, they will need to be picked up on the date specified below and planted as soon as possible.  All orders along with payment are due by Friday, November 13, 2009.  You can send your orders and payment to Johnston County Cooperative Extension Service, Fruit Tree Sale 2736 NC 210 Hwy Smithfield, NC 27577. Fruit Trees will be available for pickup on Friday, December 11, 2009 between 8 am until 5 pm. Pecan Trees will be available for pickup on Friday, January 29, 2010.

NCDA&CS seeks to reduce postage costs, save paper by putting soil tests and other agronomic reports online
Beginning November 1, 2009, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will no longer routinely mail out paper copies of agronomic reports.  This policy will apply to reports for soil tests and nematode assays, as well as plant tissue, waste, solution and soilless media analyses.

All these reports are readily available through the NCDA&CS Agronomic Division’s Web site, www.ncagr.gov/agronomi.   Online reports are available to clients faster than mailed reports and make record keeping much easier.   Copies can be easily downloaded and saved, and the data can be exported into spreadsheet format.

Eventually, the NCDA&CS would like to notify all clients via e-mail when their reports are available online.  Clients who provide a valid e-mail address on their sample information form, or who register an e-mail address with the Agronomic Division online, can receive electronic notification.  In the interim, all other clients will receive a postcard with instructions on how to find their reports.

Clients who visit the Agronomic Division home page should select the Find Your Report link from the left-column navigation bar. This link takes visitors into the division’s laboratory-information site, known as PALS. For most people, using the Quick Report Search link is the most convenient way to access reports.

Basic instructions are outlined at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/reportsearch.htm. Anyone who has difficulty using the PALS report-search feature or has questions can call (919) 733-2655 for assistance during regular weekday office hours.

Winter Feeding Management & BQA Workshop
When:  November 12, 2009
Where: Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) Goldsboro, NC
Time:  4-8 pm (Dinner at 6 pm)
Registration Fee:  $5 /per person (pay at door)
To Register: Call Kim Davis at 919-731-1520
For more information:  Eileen Coite 919-731-1520 or Eileen_Coite@ncsu.edu
Details: There will be a farm tour and discussion.  We will have dinner at 6pm with an after dinner talk on Winter Feeding Systems and a BQA update.  Topics of dicussion will include Grazing Stockpiled Bermudagrass, Winter Feeding Supply Planning, Estimating Hay Bale Weights, Sampling & Analysis of Hay, Winter Legumes Drilled into Bermudagrass, Stockpiled Fescue, Beef Quality Assurance Producer Update and Certification.


NC Tobacco Research Commission Referendum – November 19th
The Johnston County Extension Center has released the list of polling places for the November 19, 2009 vote on the NC Tobacco Research Check-Off Referendum.  The polling locations are as follows: Johnston County Agricultural Center - Smithfield, Hilltop Farm Service Center – Four Oaks, CW Flowers Store - Bentonville, Jones Farm Supply – McGee’s Crossroads, Micro Oil Company - Micro, Brewer’s Grill & Grocery - Middlesex, David Pace’s Grocery – Archer Lodge and Holt True Value Hardware – Princeton.
The referendum is being held to let tobacco growers decide if they wish to continue the self-assessment program.  This program has been in place since 1991, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years.  A 2/3 favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support tobacco research and education.  The assessment is ten cents per hundred pounds of tobacco produced in North Carolina.  The check-off funds, about $300,000 annually, are collected at buying stations by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and then allocated by the NC Tobacco Research Commission to support research and extension projects for tobacco at NC State University.  For more information on the referendum and projects funded by the check-off, please go to: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/advancement/09TobaccoReferendum.htm.
Cotton Research and Promotion Referendum

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will conduct a Request for Referendum among eligible cotton producers beginning on Oct 13, 2009 and continuing through November 10, 2009.


NC Farm Energy Efficiency Project (FEEP)
North Carolina Farm Bureau will host a series of meetings to discuss a program to make your farm more efficient.  Presentations will focus on discussing the program highlights and elaborate on how FEEP can provide extremely low cost farm energy assessments.  Farm Bureau will also introduce their energy efficiency cost-share an renewable energy grant programs.  Representatives from USDA will be on hand to discuss how this program leads into their 9007 (REAP) program, which provides grants and loan guarantees for energy improvements.
Meeting locations near Johnston County are listed below.  Please plan to attend one of these meetings to learn more about the FEEP program.  A meal will be provided at each meeting.  Please RSVP at least 5 days in advance if you are planning to attend. 
Meeting Locations:
November 10, 7:00 pm – Martin County Farmers Market, 4001 W. Main Street Extension, Williamston, NC 27892
November 12, 7:00 pm – Duplin County Agricultural Center, 165 Agriculture Drive, Kenansville, NC 28349

Soybean Yield Contest

The North Carolina Soybean Producers Assn. is still offering a prize of $2,500 for the first grower to enter a 100 Bu/A or higher yield.  If the grower was a member of the American Soybean Association when he planted the crop, the prize will be doubled to $5,000.  Please note that there a special set of additional rules to qualify for the 100 Bu/A prize -- most notably, that it takes two people, from two different counties, to supervise the measurement of the plot area so we will need some extra time to coordinate with other agents.
 
The hundred-bushel club contest being publicized out of Jefferson City, MO, is some thing different.  Qualifying for that contest does not automatically qualify a grower for the NC contest.  Neither does qualifying for the NC contest automatically qualify a grower for the other contest, since they require a minimum of 4 acres, and NC only require 3 or more.

Soybean Rust
Asiatic Soybean Rust was confirmed today on a sample from a sentinel plot in Columbus County, and from research plots at the experiment station in Kinston, North Carolina.    Soybean rust has now been found in nine North Carolina counties – Bertie, Columbus, Johnston, Lenoir, Onslow, Robeson, Sampson, Washington and Wayne Cos.  Samples from other sentinel plots were negative.  Rust has now been confirmed on soybeans in AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, OK, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, and VA.

It is considered likely that rust spores are present in many if not all of our North Carolina counties.  The late arrival of rust means it is unlikely to impact much of the soybean crop.  Rust has developed slowly over the past month because night temperatures were too low for new infections to occur even with favorable moisture.  Most of our state’s soybeans are mature and safe from damage from rust.   It is probably too late to apply fungicides to the remainder.

North Carolina soybean farmers should continue to check their soybeans that have not yet gotten full sized beans in the top of the plants, and to continue to monitor reliable reports of where else rust has been found.  An up-to-date map of where rust has been found is at http://www.sbrusa.net.  The current version of these NC updates should also be available at our Teletip line: 800/662-7301.

Johnston County Forestry Seminar
On November 3rd, North Carolina Cooperative Extension would like to invite all forest landowners to a seminar at the Johnston County Ag Center.  The seminar will start at 9:00 am and end at 2:00 pm.  A sponsored lunch will be served from 12:00-1:00.  Topics will include, how to survive in a down forestry market, short-term management and sales, conservation strategies, and beaver management.  After lunch, we will discuss some new programs such as, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that they hope to have next year and we will have a consulting forester speak.  Discussions about the Biomass Crop Assistance Program will be discussed.  If you plan to attend, please call the Johnston County Extension Center at 919-989-5380 by Friday, October 30th so that we can plan for the meal.

Woodland Owners Update- Join the NCSU Extension Forestry’s Woodland Owners Update, Our New Email Listserv.

To better serve woodland owners in North Carolina, NCSU Extension Forestry has created a new listserv “Woodland Owners Update”.  This service updates you directly through email on woodland owner events throughout the state.  We also inform you on current and new publications as they come out.  Informed landowners make the right decisions about their woodlands and we are dedicated to providing NC woodland owners the best information available.  If you would like to join Woodland Owners Update, please visit our website for more details and registration: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/list.html

Biomass Crop Assistance Program
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to producers or entities that deliver eligible biomass material to designated biomass conversion facilities for use as heat, power, biobased products or biofuels.  Initial assistance will be for the Collection, Harvest, Storage and Transportation (CHST) costs associated with the delivery of eligible materials.

The 2008 Farm Bill provided a means to pay producers of “eligible biomass material” matching funds - $1 for $1 – up to $45/ton collected (cut, processed and loaded), delivered, stored and transported  to a “Qualified Biomass Conversion Facility.”  Note:  Payment is based on dry tons – not green.

A complete description can be accessed eligible materials can be found at the flowing website: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/bcap_elig_mats_090714.pdf

Soybean Harvest
As wet weather delays the harvest over much of North Carolina, Extension crops experts encourage soybean growers to combine as early as possible to prevent yield losses due splitting, lodging or poor threshing of the plant. However, they caution, if soybeans are harvested at greater than 14 percent moisture, artificial drying is necessary.  Growers should manage their options for storing higher-moisture soybeans according to the following recommendations.

Soybeans with greater than 14 percent moisture are likely to mold under warm conditions.  However, if the storage temperature is kept below about 60 degrees, soybeans can usually be stored for at least six months at <14 percent moisture) without mold problems.  For storage in temperatures higher than 60 degrees or for periods of time lasting longer than six months, the recommended moisture content is 11 percent. Soybeans harvested at 11 to 13 percent moisture can be placed directly into ordinary storage bins equipped with simple aeration systems.

In regard to harvest loss, soybeans that don’t make it inside the combine account for roughly 80 percent of harvest loss.  To minimize this loss, it is essential to remember that ground speed, combine adjustments, and the location and speed of the pickup reel are important factors.  These items should be checked periodically in the field and combine may need adjusting for the crop conditions.  To estimate soybean harvest loss: Extension specialist suggest, check an area of 10 square feet.  Approximately 40 soybeans lost in this area will add up to one bushel per acre.  Make loss determinations at several locations and calculate an average.

Removing Peanut Vines
Just so the growers realize what they are removing with the peanut hay.  This is good hay with lots of protein, but is it worth it to the grower to remove this much fertility from the soil.  I have heard a lot of complaints about peanut leftovers being difficult to work with a disk.  It may be a good idea for some of these growers to add a spreader to their peanut combine to make it more workable.  

Between the N and K, there is about $75 worth of nutrients being removed, so if the grower is not getting that for the hay, he’s definitely going in the hole on the hay.  Most growers are planting wheat behind the peanuts, which can make good use of the N left from the crop. A 5000 lb peanut vine bale removes the following nutrients:

100lbs- N, 17lbs- P2O5, 150lbs K2O, 88lbs Ca, 20lbs Mg, and 11lbs S

This information was obtained from NCSU extension soil facts found at this web address. Nutrient Removal in NC Crops.

Peanut Harvesting
Nuts must have moisture content of 10.5 percent or less to be suitable for further processing and shelling.  The ability to determine moisture before grading begins would allow processors to divert high-moisture nuts for further drying instead of discarding them.  Currently, the nuts are shelled, and then the moisture content is determined.

Making sure that U.S. peanuts are top-quality requires drying them enough to prevent growth of fungi that can seriously decrease their market value.  Market value is directly tied to peanut quality, and one of the most important quality factors is moisture content. Peanuts must be dried, or cured, to ensure the moisture content does not exceed 10.5 percent, to ensure quality is preserved and to prevent growth of microbes naturally present in farm fields.  One of these, the fungus, Aspergillus flavus, can produce a potentially dangerous mycotoxin called aflatoxin. 

In the Southeast, freshly dug peanuts may contain up to 40 percent moisture.  Harvesting can occur at 20-30% moisture.  The lower the moisture, the less time it takes to cure.  However, with high moisture, frost damage is a real concern with a late maturing crop of peanuts.  Growers should pay close attention to the weather forecast stop digging if a frost is predicted within 48 hours.  Peanuts that have been dug for a few days and have dried in the field, typically can withstand a frost with out freeze damage. 

Soil Sampling
October is the best time frame to take both soil samples and nematode assays. NCDA&CS Soil labs can have the results ready in less than 10 days.  Samples submitted later in the year usually have extended lag times.  Sampling in early fall allows time for areas indicating that lime is needed to have it applied in time to fully benefit the next crop.  Soil sample materials are available at some of the local Johnston County Fertilizer Dealer Outlets and the Cooperative Extension Service Office.

The first step is to a successful harvest is taking soil samples to determine fertility needs and nematode assays to detect levels of damaging nematodes.  Profitable yields or desirable plant growth cannot be expected when pH levels are to high or to low.

Call the Extension Center at 989-5380 or come by our office at 2736 NC hwy 210 in Smithfield to pick up sampling supplies.

Liming Pastures
Lime is the backbone of every soil fertility program. Lime decreases toxicity from aluminum and manganese, which can limit yields. At the same time, lime improves fertilizer efficiency. This is becoming more important to farmers today in light of the high fertilizer prices and increasing awareness of the effects of poor uptake efficiency on the environment.

Lime promotes root development.  The better the root system, the greater the potential to withstand short periods of dry weather.  Nitrogen fixation by legumes is also enhanced. This is very critical in alfalfa, clovers and soybeans. Lime also supplies much needed calcium and magnesium to crops as it dissolves and reacts with the soil.

Many other advantages exist but these factors alone justify a good liming program.
The best time to apply lime is during the fall, when land is firm and trucks can easily maneuver. The distribution of lime will be better, and effects on compaction and soil structure will be less.          Research has shown that the finest particles of lime can react quickly with the soil, but two to four months are required for lime to effectively neutralize soil acidity.  Soil samples should be collected now so the soils pH can be accurately measured and a cost effective amount of lime applied.

Cotton Defoliation
Since defoliation is considered an "art and a science," selecting harvest aids can be among the toughest, but most critical decisions a cotton producer will make all year. There is no one encompassing prescription.   Two methods used to determine timing of defoliation are the open boll method and nodes above crack boll method
Percent open boll is one of the methods, and the traditional recommendation for harvest aid application has been 60 percent open boll in most areas.  This method, focusing on the opened portion of the crop, has a couple of disadvantages.  One is that this method does not account for fruiting gaps, and the second is the time it takes to perform this measurement.  Percent open bolls can be measured by marking a section of row (e.g., 10 feet) and counting the number of total bolls within that row distance.  Then, the open bolls are counted. The number of open bolls divided by the total bolls times 100 is the percent open boll for that area.

Nodes above cracked boll is a method of timing defoliation whereby only plants containing a first position cracked boll are utilized.  Beginning with the node (branch) above the fruiting) branch containing the highest first position cracked bolls, nodes are counted upward to the node containing the highest harvestable.  One advantage of this method is that it takes less time than percent open boll.

In well cutout cotton, Extension recommended treatments are expected to work well.  See the North Carolina Ag chemical manual and the 2009 cotton production guide for recommendations.

At this point I think a lot of folks are dealing with fields that have already been defoliated and may need further treatment.  The average field I see and have described to me has stuck juvenile leaves (fried) at the top of the plant and some green leaves at the base. Grades are coming back with leaf that comes from the stuck leaves.  Since we already have stuck leaves there is nothing we can do about that.  The stuck leaves are coming off slower than usual and may not come of in time to benefit anyone.  Also there is enough stuck leaves in many fields that the stuck leaves that do fall and attach to open lint will be enough to give us high leaf trash.

In some fields, growers may need to go ahead and try to remove some more of the lower leaves that were not covered well in the first application.  The cheapest way to do this would be with one of the PPO’s (Aim, Blizzard, ET and Resource). 

This type of situation generally occurs when we have lots of late rain and too much nitrogen.  This along with the lateness of the crop have combined to make this probably the worst defoliation season seen by cotton growers on a non-drought stressed crop.



Wheat Planting 
Most of you have started planting wheat already.  It looks like acres will be down form the 11,574 acres harvested in Johnston County last year, mostly due to price. 

Before you decide whether to plant, take time to review your crop budget and know your expenses. The North Carolina State University budget for 2009 projects total expenses at $312 per acre.  The new production budgets should be updated soon and available on the following Web site: www.ag-econ.ncsu.edu/extension/wheatsoybean.html. If costs are that level and your average yield is 60 bushels per acre, it will take $5.20 per bushel to break even.  Wheat prices a slight higher than $5.20 per bushel, but change daily.   I recommend that you take a look at the Small Grains Production Guide for 2009-2010 and follow Randy Weisz’s, small grain extension specialist, guidelines. 

1. Pick high yielding varieties- Check the list of "Above Average Yielding" varieties in the table appropriate for our area. These would be good first choices for what to plant in 2009.

2. Minimize risk, maximize yield- Producers should plant at least three varieties. To avoid freeze damage, at least one of those should be late heading.  Late heading varieties do well if they are the first ones you plant. Early heading varieties should be planted last.

3. Fine tune your selection- Once you have reviewed the variety performance data, you might also want to fine-tune your selection for specific pests for disease resistance. A resistant variety can reduce the likelihood for a fungicide application thereby reducing costs per acre.

4. Plant on time- Once you have picked your varieties, the optimum planting dates for wheat for most of Johnston County is Oct. 16 to Nov. 3. Seeding rates should be increased by 15 percent each week thereafter. When soil moisture levels are adequate, plant 1 to 1.5 inches deep.

5. Weed control- Italian Ryegrass is a main weed concern in wheat production. Control is much better when herbicides are applied to small ryegrass. Osprey and Axial are two good herbicides for Italian Ryegrass control, but remember to make applications timely.

6. Proper fertilization- Fertilize and lime according to soil test reports. If wheat is not following tobacco, consider applying 15 to 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting to help increase fall tillering.



Pesticide Recycling Program
In 2008, the county recycled over 12000 lbs of pesticide containers with no rejected containers noted.  We hope to continue the success of that program by recycling more containers in 2009.  According to USAg recycling, they will take containers up to 55 gallons without modifications and will except larger containers if they have been cut into 2-foot wide sections. 

The containers should be triple or pressure rinsed and the sleeve labels, Labeling, and lids removed. A stick on label is acceptable.  Containers must be empty, clean, and dry to be accepted.  Buckets that have metal handles will be accepted if the handles are cut off.  All containers must have holes in the sides or bottom that render them useless as chemical containers. 

Currently, we have three permanent convenience center sites in the county for pesticide container drop-off. The sites where the containers are located are 820 Stewart Road, in Four Oaks, 1096 Scout Road in the Bentonville area, and the Johnston County Landfill.  Please feel free to call with any question concerning container recycling.


 

Forest Lands Cost-Share-Funds
Under both the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), non-industrial private forestland is eligible for cost-sharing payments.  Priorities for funding are prescribed burning, thinning, and restoration of declining forest communities.  WHIP applications must also benefit wildlife.

Forestland will be considered separately in a statewide forestry pool in North Carolina.  Applications will be ranked and those that provide the greatest environmental benefits will receive priority funding.

EQIP and WHIP are administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  For more information call Robert Horton at (704) 694-3516 X113. 

Waste Oil Disposal

If you have waste oil generated on your farm or through your agribusiness, good options exist to dispose of the oil in a manner that is environmentally sound and inexpensive.  There are at least two companies that can assist with waste oil disposal in our area.

P & W Waste Oil Services of Leland, NC will come to your site to pick up at least 100 gallons of waste oil.  If you produce over 600 gallons per year, they will pay you for the oil based on crude oil prices.  Currently, they pay a maximum of $0.25 per gallon.  You can reach them at 1-800-231-4825.  Noble Oil Services of Sanford, NC will pick up 100 gallons or more of used oil at no charge in NC.  For smaller amounts there is a cost of $49 per pick-up. You can contact Noble Oil at 1-800-662-5364.

In addition, you can deliver waste oil for recycling to Johnston County Convenience Centers at no charge.  At these sites, individuals are limited to disposal of 5 gallons of waste oil per week.

Disclaimer: The mention of these companies in this publication does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University nor does it discriminate against similar companies not mentioned.

Beaver Management Assistance Program
Johnston County participates in the beaver management and assistance program conducted by the USDA.  County, state, and federal monies provide the program designed to give individual technical assistance and advice to landowners with beaver problems.  Property inspection and consultation is free.  Consultation may include showing the landowner how to trap beavers and destroy dams.

For work that the USDA actually conducts, landowners will be charged a fee for each visit to the site and a set amount for each dam destroyed.  USDA will do all or part of the work. 

Interested landowners should call or contact Tim Britton with the Johnston County Cooperative extension service at (919) 989-5380 or by email at Tim_Britton@ncsu.edu.

Beekeeping Short Course
 
November 3rd, 2009 @ 6:00 PM - November 19th, 2009 @ 9:00 PM
The Johnston County Cooperative Extension Service along with the Johnston County Beekeeper's Association is offering a Beekeeping Short Course starting in November. This course will cover beginning topics such as: History of Beekeeping, Honey Bee Biology, Hive Equipment/Tools, Pest Management, and Seasonal Management. Anyone interested in gaining more knowledge about honey bees or becoming a beekeeper is encouraged to take this class.  The class is limited to 24 participants due to room constraints. There will be a charge of $40.00 to cover educational materials used in the course.  The nights of the class will be November 3, 4, 5, 17, 18 and 19 from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm. The classes will be located at the Johnston County Agricultural Center (2736 NC Highway 210, Smithfield, NC 27577).  For more information contact Amie Newsome at 919-989-5380 or amie_newsome@ncsu.edu.