Goehring awards $2.98 million in specialty crop grants

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has awarded 36 grants totaling almost $3 million to promote the development, cultivation, production and sales of specialty crops in North Dakota.

“Thanks to the 2014 Farm Bill, which placed a greater emphasis on specialty crops, North Dakota received more than seven times as much money for these grants than last year,” Goehring said. “North Dakota is already a leading producer of several specialty crops, such as dry edible beans, dry peas, potatoes and lentils, as our farmers seek to diversify their production.”

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved $2,893,455.29 for the 2014 grants. Last year, North Dakota received $435,384.

Specialty crops are defined in law as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

Organizations and agencies receiving grants include:

· National Sunflower Association – $96,380 to develop a super confection sunflower variety effectively resistant to downy mildew and rust.

· North Dakota State University (NDSU) – Carrington Research Extension Center – $22,452 to improve management of Fusarium root rot of field peas by quantifying impacts of common herbicides.

· Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society – $99,814 for northern plains vegetable variety testing.

· NDSU – $50,074 for optimizing fungicide application strategies for improved management of Sclerotinia in dry edible beans.

· North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) – $211,382.20 for the development and expansion of the Local Foods Initiative.

· North Dakota Trade Office – $99,998 for the North Dakota Specialty Crop Export Expansion Project.

· NDSU – $51,128 for discovery of specific starch properties of NDSU potato germplasm for nutritional and industrial applications.

· NDSU – $37,208 for screening and developing lentil cultivars tolerant to sulfentrazone.

· NDSU – $16,805 for validation of biochemical markers to predict sugar end development under field conditions.

· NDSU – $75,205 to study the contribution of nematode populations and soil properties in root rot of peas.

· NDSU – $77,500 for research on vegetable production in controlled environment systems.

· NDSU – $53,028 to assess the potential for remote sensing of potato virus Y in potato seed fields.

· NDDA – $104,585 for specialty crop international expansion.

· NDSU – $96,923 for studies on cold acclimation of winter legumes.

· Williston Ag Diversification Group – $91,850 to enhance potato production and marketing in western North Dakota.

· NDSU – $46,266 to study management of blemish problems to improve marketing of fresh potatoes.

· NDSU – $100,000 to study growth and fresh yield responses of sweet corn to mulch, planting date and hybrid.

· NDSU – $46,496 for determining the casual pathogen of a new disease affecting dry field peas.

· NDSU – $47,615 to study management of potato mop top tuber necrosis using cultivars that do not express the disease.

· Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture at Dakota College at Bottineau – $52,137 for farm food safety training for local vegetable and fruit growers to increase sales.

· NDSU – $138,833 for evaluation of dry bean germplams for tolerance to waterlogging.

· Dakota Prairies Resource Conservation & Development Council – $229,825 for Fort Yates Helping Hands Community Garden and Cannon Ball Garden to Table greenhouses.

· NDSU – $90,042 to define glyphosate and dicamba drift injury thresholds in field peas, dry beans, and potatoes.

· NDSU – $98,125 to study hop selections for North Dakota.

· NDSU – $34,061 for ornamental woody plant breeding.

· Northern Pulse Growers Association – $128,000 for development of low glycemic products using pulse ingredients.

· NDSU – $81,233 for developing cold-hardy wine grapes with early acclimation stability.

· NDSU – $41,815 for development of superior juneberry cultivars.

· NDSU – $68,620 for increasing consumption of edible beans by creating bean flours.

· NDSU – $68,803 to study potato yield response and nitrogen losses as influenced by nitrogen management and cultivar.

· NDSU – $100,000 for soybean cyst nematode outreach and characterization of the genetic basis for resistance in dry beans.

· NDSU – $98,075 for evaluating apples (edible and ornamental) for North Dakota commercial nursery and orchard industries.

· Glendon Philbrick – $2,995.50 to study hops viability in central North Dakota.

· Aneta Specialty Crop Group – $42,820.59 for the Aneta Community Orchard and Gardens.

· NDSU- Grapes- $105,665 for improving arthropod pest management on grapes in North Dakota.

· NDDA – $87,696 for a Japanese beetle project.

NDDA received 45 applications, which were reviewed and scored by a select committee and approved by Goehring and then forwarded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for final approval.

NDDA received $242,065.88 to administer the specialty crop block grant.

New rules ensure fertilizer content

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) has adopted new rules regarding the content of agricultural fertilizers.

“Working with the fertilizer industry and farm groups, the department developed these rules to help ensure the accuracy of fertilizer labeling,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.

Goehring said the first of the new rules defines how much a fertilizer’s chemical composition can vary from label claims. The second establishes minimal concentrations for micronutrient claims on fertilizer product labeling.

“These rules protect fertilizer customers by assuring them that they will receive the nutrients they have purchased,” Goehring said.

Both new rules are based on national standards developed by Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO).

NDDA conducted a public hearing on the new rules in February. The State Legislature’s Administrative Rules Committee approved the rules following a Sept. 15 hearing.

The new rules are found in the North Dakota Administrative Code, Chapters 7-15-01 and 7-15-2. They took effect Oct. 1.

Precautions Can Prevent Frozen Septic Systems

Every winter, many people have to deal with the frustration of a frozen septic system when the temperature drops well below zero for several days. Last winter, many septic systems in western North Dakota, especially new installations, had problems due to freezing conditions.

Dry soil conditions, very cold air temperatures and a lack of snow cover during an extended period all contribute to the problem, according to Tom Scherer, North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural engineer for water quality and irrigation.

“A frozen septic system can be a real headache in the middle of the winter,” he says. “With a little effort now, many potential freezing problems can be eliminated. Take the time to examine your system.”

Fresh snow is an excellent insulator. Ten inches of fresh, fluffy snow containing about 7 percent water is approximately equal to a 6-inch layer of fiberglass insulation with an R-value of R-18.

“Of course, the insulating capacity of snow will decrease as it becomes compacted, but any accumulation over 12 inches will provide significant frost protection,” Scherer says. “So when there is very little snow to cover bare soil or mowed areas, frost will penetrate deep into the ground.”

A typical septic system has four main parts where freezing problems can occur:

* The pipe from the house to the septic tank

* The septic tank and, for some systems, a pump lift station

* The pipe from the septic tank to the soil treatment system

* The soil treatment system

A common problem area is the point where the pipe from the house to the septic system exits the basement wall. During a cold winter such as the one in 2013-14, if the house sewer pipe is less than 4 feet below the ground’s surface where it leaves the house and it does not have added insulation, problems with freezing likely will occur. Often, the wind keeps snow from accumulating next to the north and west sides of the house, allowing frost to penetrate deeper in those areas.

If the main sewer line from the house is on the north or west side, then water fixtures that produce continuous but low flow rates, such as dripping faucets, high-efficiency furnaces and leaking toilets, will freeze where the pipe leaves the basement wall. An ice dam will form until it blocks the pipe. This problem also occurs when people do some landscaping and remove soil above the home’s sewer line.

“If you have experienced this problem, first fix any leaky fixtures in the house,” Scherer advises. “Next, place some type of insulating material (hay, straw, bags of leaves, etc.) at least a foot thick and at least 5 feet wide over the sewer line exit point and shovel snow over the area or place a snow fence in the area to trap snow.”

Water holds a great deal of heat, and with daily use, septic tanks rarely freeze, even in the coldest weather. However, when the house is vacant for a week or more, water does not enter the tank to keep it warm and it may freeze.

If you have a septic system that is used infrequently during the winter, place a layer of insulating material at least a foot deep over the tank and extend the layer at least 5 feet past the edges of the tank. Using a snow fence to trap snow over the tank also will help.

The pipe from the septic tank to the soil treatment area is subject to the same problems as the pipe from the house to the septic tank. A lack of slope, which results in slow water movement, is another problem that may cause freezing in this pipe. Often, water will freeze in the distribution boxes for the drainfield laterals. An insulating layer above these critical places likely will prevent freezing problems.

The pipe may slump due to soil settling or vehicle traffic, which can form another place for water to collect and freeze. Often, the pipe slumps right next to the septic tank due to soil settling around the tank after construction.

The soil treatment system (often called the drainfield) is subject to freezing if the area above it is always wet and soggy. This condition indicates that the effluent is not infiltrating properly and you may have other problems with the drainfield.

If your drainfield is soggy or wet, now is the time to bring in a septic system installer for a professional examination. The solution may be simple and inexpensive or it could be complicated and require extensive renovation of the drainfield.

A new septic system (tank and drainfield) where the soil is bare commonly has freezing problems the first year. A thick insulating layer over all bare soil generally will prevent a frozen system. Insulating distribution boxes and around exposed inspection pipes, risers and the manhole is especially important.

Don’t drive any vehicles, such as ATVs, snowmobiles or automobiles, over any part of the septic system during the winter because compacted snow will not insulate nearly as well as undisturbed snow. For the winter months, place a snow fence or other suitable barrier around the drainfield to discourage any traffic in the area and help maintain a thicker layer of snow insulation.

“If we do happen to get a good layer of snow, don’t get carried away while plowing and remove the snow cover from any part of the septic system,” Scherer cautions.