Agroinsurance

USA - Livestock owners see hay supplies cut due to drought

Poor crop yields and less hay being grown in California have diminished availability of the fodder, with dairy farmers and livestock ranchers facing sticker shock as they scramble to secure enough supply to feed their animals. Farmers and brokers say organic hay has been particularly hard to find, due to higher demand from organic dairy farmers in the North Bay, whose grazing season has been cut short by drought and dry pastures. Neal Carstensen, who grows organic hay in Marin County, said he has warned customers who may still be shopping around that the price of hay will surely continue to climb, "because there is no stock." "My hay-hauling friends over here are very, very busy right now, because the dairies are trying to buy up anything they can out there early, before it's gone," he said. "I think most dairies understand the need to get it now, because it's not going to be there later." As with most hay farmers in his region, Carstensen relies on rainfall to make his crop—primarily oat and rye hay—and said he will probably have about 60% of normal yields. Having anticipated the dry year would reduce his tonnage—and that there would be greater demand from his customers—he said he planted hay on ground he initially intended to fallow as part of his regular rotation. Total California hay acreage has been declining for years—falling to 825,000 acres last year, the lowest on record and a drop of more than 18% from 2019. California farmers are expected to devote 840,000 acres to hay this year, based on a U.S. Department of Agriculture estimate in March. As a hay broker, Danny Winters, who owns North Bay Hay and Grain in Petaluma, said he's having to look to states much farther away—such as Utah and Idaho—to obtain organic hay, most of which usually comes from Oregon and Nevada and goes to dairy farmers in Sonoma County. Whether it's milking-quality hay or lower-quality hay for dry cows, he said the average price across the board is up $40 to $50 a ton compared to last year. With regional hay supplies "very tight," and with Klamath Basin growers also facing water restrictions, Winters said he thinks it's possible some of his dairy customers could run out of organic feed. Because of the shortage, he said federal organic regulators should consider allowing organic dairies to use non-GMO feed to get them through this year, until new crops can be produced. "We're definitely in uncharted territory," Winters said. A larger problem, he said, has been trying to deliver feed supplies to customers due to a shortage of truck drivers. The problem is so serious, he said, that he's now advising customers not to wait: "When we get it in the bale and we need to get it there, it needs to happen now, or you will not get the product." With trucking rates surging due to longer hauls and higher fuel costs, he said he expects such compounding factors will "majorly impact the solvency" of dairy operations. Noting that his own silage crop was off by about 20% this year, Sonoma County dairy farmer Doug Beretta said his biggest concern is whether he'll be able to find enough hay if it's not available from his normal suppliers. "I know some guys who have gone all the way to the Imperial Valley (for organic hay)," he said. Beretta's organic dairy is one of a few in the region that has access to pasture irrigation through reclaimed wastewater from the city of Santa Rosa—but that water has been cut 60% this year. Beretta said he expects he will need to feed more hay and silage—which represent a significant part of his winter ration—much earlier this year. When those supplies run short, he would then need to feed more byproducts such as almond hulls, which he said he's not sure will be available. Anticipating a difficult feed year, Beretta said he sold 20 cows in February and will sell another 20 heifers, adding he may need to cull even harder as feed dwindles. After several years of lower milk prices, he said it will be tough "to come up with the money to pay the premium for this hay." Organic hay has become much scarcer because fewer farmers are willing to grow it as the price gap between conventional and organic hay narrows, people in the business say. Hay broker Winters noted he lost supplies from two big ranches in Nevada due to aphid infestations, with the farmers deciding to use a pesticide that will take the ground out of organic production for at least several years. But, he said, once farms transition out of organic, "they generally don't come back." Needing to clean up an infestation of noxious weeds with an herbicide, Sonoma County hay farmer Norm Yenni said this will be his last year producing organic hay, which already represented only about 2.5% of his total acreage. With a 50% loss in yield this year, Yenni said he definitely has more demand than supply, even after baling about 500 acres he originally intended to harvest for grain. Though he's raised prices about 20%, he said it won't offset the lower production and "make me whole to where I was last year." After years of lower hay prices, Kings County farmer Stan Azevedo said he converted some of his hay ground to walnuts and pistachios, figuring they would be more profitable. With the price of hay skyrocketing this year, he said he made a profit on his oat hay and "didn't even break even on the trees," as the price of nuts also fell. Even though the market for nuts has been softening, Brian Gilardi, who grows organic and conventional hay in Sonoma County, said he does not foresee farmers pulling out orchards to plant more hay, though higher hay prices might slow the transition of hay ground to trees. At Alturas Ranches in Modoc County, which produces conventional alfalfa hay and other feed, CEO Leslie Boyle said she's been hearing from ranchers who are concerned about short forage supplies, with many wanting to place a hold on her hay—something they normally wouldn't do until August. A lot of her hay typically goes outside the region, including to export markets, but this year, she said it may be that more will stay closer to home. "We're not coming out of this last year with any hay stocks remaining," she said. "Anything we grow this year, it's going to be used. There's no extra." Source - https://agalert.com

Kenya - How elephants raid crops in Masai Mara has changed[:ru]Keny

The Masai Mara ecosystem, in south-western Kenya, is home to an important elephant population of about 2,500 individuals. Elephants need large amounts of space to roam in search of food and water. Because of this, they often move outside the boundaries of protected areas – such as the Masai Mara National Reserve and wildlife conservancies – into areas where people live. These people are impacted by elephants that eat and destroy farm crops. Sometimes their lives are threatened. This often creates fear and anger towards this species and sometimes leads to elephants being killed in retaliation. These negative interactions – termed human-elephant conflict – pose a huge threat to populations of this endangered species. We carried out research on trends of elephant crop-raiding on the western border of the Masai Mara National Reserve. The human population in this region has grown quickly, partly through new people arriving to farm, leading to rapidly changing land-use and high human-wildlife conflict. We wanted to understand whether, over 15 years, patterns of elephant crop raiding had changed. We found that there were big changes. Crop raiding was happening more often, in different places and at different times of the year. In addition, the number of elephants killed in retaliation had also increased. We believe that these patterns signal that elephants in the area are being affected by the expansion of farmland. This creates a cycle in which elephants then negatively affect people. Our findings are a classic example of what is occurring across much of Africa: rapid habitat loss and increasing conflict. Thus, there is a pressing need to monitor and understand changes. This would help to inform mitigation strategies and move from conflict to coexistence. More human-elephant conflict We collected data on incidents of human-elephant conflict between 2014 and 2015. When an elephant ate someone’s crops, broke a fence, damaged property or caused human injury or death, we recorded it. We also checked the number of elephants involved in each incident by measuring footprints and dung. We then compared this data with a similar study from 1999 to 2000. This provided us with insights into long term trends. There were important changes in elephant crop raiding patterns since 2000. The number of crop-raiding incidents increased by 49%, but crop damage per incident dropped by 83%. In addition, the elephants were raiding closer to the protected area and raids were unpredictable. They happened all year round rather than seasonally, when crops are ripe. Tracking incidents We have several theories for this behaviour. Elephants could be carrying out more raids because there is less for them to eat in the protected area. This is due to people increasingly breaking the rules by taking their livestock to graze inside the national park. There could be less crop damage because farmers are better at scaring elephants away. They do this using well-established techniques, such as making noise, using flash lights, fire crackers and fire. Elephants could be raiding closer to protected areas because of changes in land cover. There’s less forest (due to illegal charcoal clearing) and more farmland. This makes it harder for elephants to hide. Widespread conflict While the total amount of crop damage has fallen, there are more farms and more people being impacted. Between 1999 and 2000 there were 263 crop-raiding incidents per year. This increased to 392 incidents between 2014 and 2015. Crop-raiding also happens for longer periods during the year. This could explain why the illegal killing of elephants due to conflict in our study area increased during the study period, nearly doubling from five elephants in 1999/2000 to nine in 2014/2015. There are a few things that are needed to address the changes in crop-raiding patterns and, in turn, reduce human-elephant conflict. Conservation management must be improved to protect the elephants’ food base and reduce disturbances within protected areas. For instance, authorities must do more to address the many cattle that illegally graze in the reserve. The number of livestock within the Masai Mara has increased more than tenfold in the last few decades, from around 2,000 in the 1970s to 24,000 in the 2000s. Communities around the Masai Mara National Reserve must see the benefits of protecting and conserving wildlife. There’s a legal requirement that residents of the area should receive a percentage of the park revenue each year from the county government. At the moment, almost none of this money goes into the pockets of local communities. This helps explain why the rules about cattle grazing are so widely broken. In addition, policymakers and conservation practitioners must work with local communities on the frontline to help inform mitigation strategies and build tolerance towards wildlife. Source - https://theconversation.com

USA - Black vultures wreak havoc on Kentucky livestock

Black vultures are a severe problem for livestock owners in Kentucky. The predatory birds will devour living newborn calves, full-grown ewes and lambs by pecking them to death—first the eyes, then the tongue, then every last shred of flesh. Aside from the danger they pose, livestock producers can not eliminate the birds – even though they are not near extinction and are growing in population – because they are fully protected under the International Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Kentucky started a pilot program in 2015 that allowed livestock owners to dispose of a set, small number of black vultures to protect their animals by obtaining a federal permit. Still, producers, such as Cyndi Steele, who raises and sells show goats on her Bourbon County farm, says more legislation is necessary to combat the problem. “They've got to change all that. This is ridiculous,” Steele said about the federal permit. “I figure the value of the goats I’ve lost was close to $28,000, and that's not counting future productivity. I work for public health, and this has been my second job for 28 years. Those birds put a hurting on me by taking a little more than a third of my herd.” Steele sells her goats as 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) projects. She said nothing leaves her farm for under $1,000, and when nine are killed and several others maimed by black vultures, the amount of lost dollars adds up quickly. “It took me a while to figure out what it was doing this,” she said. “Black vultures are very aggressive and very intelligent. I was at work, and something kept telling me I needed to go home. I had been at work an hour and a half and they were already dead on the ground when I got home.” Steele said her Blue Heelers were not enough to stave off black vulture attacks, and the dogs were also being targeted. “I didn’t even realize the vultures had nicked my alpha male’s face until his head blew up like a basketball,” she said. “I had six Heelers, and they couldn’t keep the birds away. Still, every time I come home, I’m looking for goats with their feet up.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program offers permits for killing black vultures, with Kentucky being allocated 350 takes for a total of five per permit issued. The number of permitted kills was later amended to three to accommodate the high number of permit requests. Since then, the number of takes allowed in Kentucky has increased to 1,500 total. Steele said she applied for the federal permit but was met with some resistance and was told by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife representative in Atlanta to stay home to protect her livestock. “I can’t stay out in my field around the clock,” she said. “I told them I’d do what everyone else does, which is shoot, shovel and shut up. They told me I’d be breaking the law if I did that, and I told them they were forcing me to be a law-breaking citizen. I’m a law-abiding citizen, but with those restrictions, how am I supposed to protect my herd? The laws are creating the issue, and how am I supposed just to sit back and let this happen?” Steele said she did put her goats in her barn, but that was a temporary solution, as they began giving birth and created the need for more room. Lexington-area Realtor Kassie Bennett and her husband own a farm in Harrison County outside Cynthiana. She said black vultures have also preyed on her livestock. “We have a little over 100 head of cattle, and thankfully we haven’t lost any to the black vultures,” she said. “But, they got one of our lambs and did horrible, horrible damage.” Kentucky Farm Bureau Commodity Division Director Joe Cain said some things could happen that would be beneficial to producers battling black vulture invasions, with one being legislation that creates a safe harbor allowing them to protect their livestock without a permit. “Since a treaty protects them, it's not just something Congress can go in and set aside,” he said. “The treaty was originally between Canada, Mexico and the United States. Then Russia got involved, and I think China and Japan have signed on now. Black vultures were put on it because they were being hunted for their feathers and were almost hunted to extinction. To change a treaty, you have to open it up, and every signatory country has to agree – just like opening up a law. Anytime you open it up, there are all kinds of little things that can be tinkered with that aren't good. The first challenge is getting every country to agree to it, and the second one is making sure nothing bad is going to come out of opening it. I don't think you'll ever get the treaty opened to where you'd have them taken off the treaty. That's one of the options that could happen, but it's very unlikely.” Another, and the more likely option, would be Congress authorizing Fish and Wildlife to offer a safe harbor provision for migratory birds to allow eradication without a permit, which Cain said the Kentucky Farm Bureau has been recommending for the past couple of years. A third option is Fish and Wildlife granting a state-by-state depredation order that would provide a safe harbor for producers seeing damage to their livestock, allowing them to kill a bird that's making the attacks. Still, they would have to report the kill or be in danger of prosecution. “Reporting them would give them a safe harbor,” Cain said. “We've tried to get Congress to do something, but the biggest problem with that is there are probably only a dozen states that have black vultures, and they're mostly in the southeast. They are starting to get into Indiana, and I've heard there are some even as far north as Iowa.” Black vultures have multiplied in numbers nationally over the past two decades, and each year, Kentucky farmers lose more than $500,000 worth of livestock to these native vultures, Cain said. Steele and Lexington farmer Marc Guilfoil, the Evans Mill Cattle Company owner, are using the same method to fend off black vultures and protect their livestock: dogs. “People can’t be with their livestock; in my case, it’s cattle, 24/7,” Guilfoil said. “An unlimited permit is still no good because, again, you can't be with your cows 24/7, but there are ways to live with black vultures, and we do it on our farm.” Guilfoil uses several Sivas Kangal shepherd dogs, a breed from Turkey, which he also sells, to naturally take care of the black vultures. “Farmers around us have lost calves, but we haven't lost a calf in five years,” Guilfoil said. “It doesn’t take long to lose them. Black vultures are a problem. They are a huge problem, but we found a way to take care of it, at least in our little world. Getting dogs or losing livestock are both going to cost you money. Getting the dogs is worth it to go to sleep at night knowing that you're safe from coyotes, black vultures and anything else that might come along.” Steele bought two Anatolian Kangals to protect her goats. She said the stress of the black vultures has not diminished, but so far, the dogs have worked. “They're big dogs, and they wintered in the barn with the goats,” she said. “They're doing their job, and they’re pretty interesting to watch. I didn't want big guardian dogs, but these dogs are bred to work hundreds of acres. I graze a 10-acre field, so it's like their backyard.” Cain said aside from dogs, alpacas, donkeys and other companion animals are also efficient at protecting livestock from black vultures, as are artificial effigies. “It works better when you use an actual dead bird, but you can use artificial effigies that are shaped like a dead vulture and hang them in an area where the vultures are, and it tends to work,” he said. “But if you have a dead vulture, if you get the permit, you kill a bird, and you hang it up in a tree about 10 feet off the ground in the area where your livestock is, the vultures tend to avoid that area, so the effigies do work. Probably 90% of the people who report that they put up a real bird or an effigy say the birds stay away as long as either is hanging in the tree.” The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has teamed with Purdue University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and the Denis H. Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in southern Indiana to study the problem of black vultures. UK assistant professor of wildlife management Matthew Springer said researchers are requesting producers donate calves or other livestock to the research effort if they believe the animal was lost to black vultures. “The goal of this project is to determine the characteristics of an animal killed by a black vulture versus one that is just scavenged upon,” Springer said. “This research should help inform any indemnity loss applications through the USDA Farm Service Agency.” Springer said the group is prioritizing animals that producers saw being attacked. Someone from UK will pick up the animals and take them to the Heeke lab for examination of injuries and necropsy. Researchers will catalog the results to determine the features of a vulture attack. “Given the extensive nature of the necropsy, the carcasses need to be in good shape and preferably found within 24 hours of the attack,” Springer said. Researchers are also seeking black vulture nest sites throughout Kentucky as part of a more significant black vulture research effort in the southeast United States. The larger project is a collaboration with the Murray State University Biology Department and USDA Wildlife Services. “Our goal with the larger study is to better understand the nesting behavior and survival of black vulture nests as well as fledgling movement and survival rates,” Springer said. “The research fits into a larger overall push by USDA Wildlife Services to better understand black vulture populations and behaviors.” Springer said the overall goals of these efforts are to improve understanding of the black vulture and identify future management strategies to help overcome vulture-related damages. “This project should help us understand the reasons for the increase in black vulture populations and help minimize human-vulture conflicts in the future,” he said. “If you know of a nest site and would be willing to allow us access to monitor it, please contact us.” The team will monitor nests using trail cameras to observe nesting behavior and any predation events until chicks leave the nest. The team will briefly visit nest sites every 10-14 days to collect the memory card and check the nesting status. They will attach GPS transmitters to a subset of fledglings when they reach the necessary size and age later in the summer. “We would be especially grateful if you could report nests as soon as you become aware of them, as we are currently within the vulture breeding season,” Springer said. Source - https://spectrumnews1.com

Italy - Trissolcus basalis - useful insect against the southern green stink bug

Bioplanet has introduced to the market a new parasitoid insect that is the natural enemy of bugs - Trissolcus basalis. Over the past few years, talks have focused almost exclusively on the brown marmorated stink but and, in 2021 as well, Bioplanet has produced and released Anastatus bifasciatus on a large scale. We must not forget, however, that both on a domestic and foreign level, the "bug" problem also concerns other species traditionally harmful for agriculture, such as for example the well-known southern green stink bug Nezara viridula. "Nezara viridula is one of the best known bugs in the world, and it can attack many crops and productive systems. It can also take advantage of a large range of uncultivated vegetable species in the absence of its favorite host plants and, in winter, this can contribute to its widespread distribution. Crucifers, solanaceae and pulses are only some of the most attacked species. Without control, it can also attack a wide range of cereals, fruits and vegetables," explains representative Stefano Foschi. In a context where useful insects and mites are increasingly employed to control other insects, Bioplanet has invested to research the best antagonists to control the southern green stink bug. Bioplanet researcher Alessia Iacovone reports that "the choice was Trissolcus basalis, a hymenoptera scelionidae that is one millimeter large and black in color. Although it can develop limiting various Pentatomidae, this species is known all over the world for its usefulness against southern green stink bug Nezara viridula". "The species originated in Africa but is now found all over the world, just like its main host. T. basalis is able to parasite bug eggs, which turn greyish in color. Trissolcus larvae develop inside the eggs until they become adults. At around 27°C, the cycle takes approximately ten days' time. Females live approximately two weeks, during which they lay up to 250 eggs." Trissolcus basalis is mainly used for crops such as tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, vegetable crops and herbs in general starting from June or anyway when the green bugs first appear on plants. "The Base 500 product is made up of 500 adults that can quickly spread in the environment where they are released simply by opening the bottles near the plants. Small weekly introductions repeated throughout summer during the egg laying period are the best strategy to ensure the ongoing presence of females that can parasitize their hosts reducing their proliferation," concluded Foschi. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

USA - Northwest Wisconsin is on the cusp of drought conditions

Crops are digging deeper to find moisture in soil profiles as northwest Wisconsin is inching closer to drought conditions. "Shallow rooted systems, some like soybeans, will start to show some stress relatively soon if it doesn't rain simply because the root system is a little bit more shallow," said Jerry Clark, agriculture agent with the UW-Madison Extension of Chippewa County. According to local farmers, a reduction shallow crop production could cause financial distress. "Hay or corn or soybeans, they all cost about the same input whether or not mother nature cooperates. I still pay the same for fertilizer to drive across those fields to cut the hay, so when you get a lot less of the product, it essentially raises the cost production and makes it harder for me financially," said Jeff Peck, owner of Peck's Farm. And for a farm like Peck's Dairy Farm, failure to yield a shallow crop like alfalfa creates a negative reaction on the dairy side. "It stinks being a dairy and crop guy right now, because I'm losing potential income on the crop side, and I'm having to pay for it on the dairy side," Peck said. Peck took planting precautions in case of a drought this season. "I did buy some drought variety corn on my lighter crop. I tried to do no-till farming, which basically leaves corn residue on top for the next crop because that holds moisture and suppresses weeds." But if the crop doesn't yield, neither does the money. "The prices of crops are above average, and it sure would be nice for me as a farmer to be able to have a good crop and a good price at the same time. If you don't have a good crop, you don't have anything to sell. The price can be as high as it wants, but if you can't grow it, it doesn't mean a whole lot to me," said Peck. Source - https://wqow.com

Australia - Mouse plague could take drastic toll in NSW[:ru]Australia - mouse plague could take drastic toll in NSW

Australia's grain growers have planted the largest area of winter crop on record, but the threat of the mouse plague hangs heavily over New South Wales. The latest outlook from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Research and Resource Economics Sciences (ABARES) shows more than 23 million hectares has been sown — two per cent more than last year. Production is forecast to hit almost 47m tonnes, which is 15 per cent lower than the record winter harvest of 2020-2021. "We're not going to be as big as last year but we are going to be very much above average when you look at the averages over the last 10 years," ABARES senior economist Peter Collins said. "Even though the yields won't be quite as good as last year, when they were exceptional, with the big planted area and the good season opening and also the outlook for winter rainfall, all of those things are driving an overall pretty good year for winter crops." The outlook shows that Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland all enjoyed strong starts to the season. "People in WA have been telling us that it's been as good as season opening as what they've ever had," Mr Collins said. Drier weather in South Australia and Victoria affected their starts to winter but production in both states is not expected to be far off their long-term averages. $1b toll predicted The NSW Farmers' Association estimates the mouse plague will knock $1 billion off the value of that state's winter crop. But Mr Collins said ABARES does not believe the mice would significantly impact the harvest. He said baiting had increased production costs and would reduce farmers' margins. "There is a risk though, if conditions are ideal for them at the end of winter and coming into spring, their numbers could explode again and that would pose a risk to the crops as they're going into the grain formation stage," Mr Collins said. Ant Martin at Cassilis in the NSW Central West is among the farmers who has lost summer crops to mice. When he went to harvest his 100 hectares of sorghum, there was barely a shovel full of grain to strip. "I couldn't believe it," Mr Martin said. "I've seen them eat some but to eat the whole lot was just a shock." He had been expecting a bumper harvest, but agronomists gradually revised his yield down from nine tonnes per ha to about five tonnes. Mr Martin said he had not sustained damage a pest in this way before. "This is certainly the worst for us," he said. Mr Martin's experience is being repeated across western NSW, with farmers reporting a total loss of summer crops despite repeated rounds of baiting. The ABC has been told of instances where landholders have lost canola plantings in a matter of hours. Some farmers have also had to re-sow winter crops because freshly emerging shoots have been eaten. Fears for spring Landholders in the state's south and north have fared better, with some crediting the heavy rain and flooding for their fortunes. "I think they would have needed a snorkel and flippers and good set of scuba gear to have survived the rainfall that we had at the beginning of the year," Barmedman farmer John Minogue said. "But we're still monitoring." Mr Minogue said his crops had escaped significant damage so far, but the mice had been "atrocious" around his sheds and house. "At the house we've been going through 10 kilograms of bait a week," he said. Sam Heagney at Moree, in the state's north west, said major flooding earlier this year had helped boost soil moisture and gone some way to reducing mouse numbers. "It certainly didn't wipe them out like we were hoping — it wasn't that successful," he said. He is planting wheat, barley and chickpeas. "Our big worry is that if the mouse plague isn't sorted out over winter we'll be in a lot of trouble in spring," he said. The CSIRO says burning stubble and clearing paddocks of debris removes the rodents' habitat and food source. But farmers say this comes at the expense of soil moisture and could just move the mice to another paddock or farm. Source - https://www.abc.net.au

USA - Recent heat wave impacts cherry crop

Grandview, Washington, has had several days of heat advisories, but these kind of temperatures are welcome to many cherry growers in the Valley, at least to an extent. For some in the lower valley, the harvest is set to start and the hot weather is helping the fruit develop to just the right size before they have to get picked. Temps in the 100's with lots of sun like those in the middle of last week could put the fruit at risk of burning, but growers had irrigation water ready to help mitigate that. In this kind of heat, growers need to make sure their workers are staying hydrated, and picking the fruit off the trees before it gets too hot otherwise the fruit could easily separate from the stem. "When we see the temperatures in the high 80's, 85, we check in and make sure they got enough water and tell them go slow, and finish what you've got left in your bucket, we go home and start fresh in the next morning," Martin Pedrosa, a cherry grower in Grandview. Right now, he's putting reflective film out in the orchards to give the fruit enough color before they need to get picked in a matter of days. He says the cherry crop is looking much better than it did last year. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

Spain - Costa Blanca lemon growers frustrated

Fruit growers association La Union de Llauradors is warning of problems ahead for lemon farms in Alicante Province, as the sector is facing cheap imports. Local incomes could drop as much as €52 million compared to a normal year. Two main lemon varieties are grown in the area, namely the Verna and Fino lemons. La Union claims that money from Verna growing will fall by 72% this year, with a drop of 60% for Fino farmers. It appears that increasing supplies of cheap imports from Egypt, South Africa, and Turkey are deflating local demand and prices. Verna lemons are now only being sold on for 20 cents per kilo, with 40% of the crop remaining to be harvested. La Union statement said: "For the last two weeks, traders are hardly buying any Verna lemons and a large quantity are just being left on trees and will end up having to be destroyed." "Unfair competition is threatening the livelihoods of many families in the south of Alicante Province," stated La Union. The association laid the blame at the door of the European Union for striking deals with non-EU countries. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

India - Weather change, unseasonal rainfall ruin mango season

Compared to last year, the mango crop may have seen a nearly 80% drop in production this season. Principal scientist at the ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, AR Desai said that change in weather patterns, the extended rain last year and the lack of availability of good quality grafts for the propagation of the crop has led to poor production of the king of fruits. "At our farm there was an almost 80% decrease in crop. There is only 20% crop production reported this time. It was a totally abnormal season and there was very scattered and late flowering-fruiting process in only a few trees," Desai said. People's favourite - the Mancurad and Hilario varieties-arrived very late and were not of a very good quality according to the expert. Other mango varieties like Salcette Mussahrat and Bardez Mussahrat were not seen much in the markets this season. Even the late variety, Amarapali had staggered flowering and immature fruit-drops due to heavy rain. For the flowers to bloom the mango trees require sufficient heat and a dry period post-monsoon is a must. Only when there is enough heat in October and November, flwering of the fruit takes place in December. This time due to extended rains the flowering was badly affected, with some crops even experiencing late blooming. However this time around the delayed mnango crop was also hit due to cyclone Tauktae. "The delayed mango crop which was supposed to be harvested in May faced premature falling due to cyclonic winds. Mango trees were even uprooted in some places. The decrease in production this time was not only due to erratic weather but also due to crop loss because of cyclone Tauktae," director of agriculture, Nevil Alphonso told TOI. The mango production data compiled by the directorate of agriculture is expected to arrive by June-end. According to the experts if the erratic weather continues this year as well, the upcoming mango crop could be affected as well leading to yet another poor productive season. "Late monsoon would translate into a delayed mango season. If the erratic weather continues then it will definitely it will have repercussions," Desai said. Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India - Centre considering self-assessment of crop loss scheme as model[:ru]In

Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil said in Belagavi on Monday that the Union government has appreciated the State government’s scheme of self-assessment of crop loss by farmers and to link it to the Bhoomi software tool. “Farmers are happy that they can assess loss and due to linkage, loss-related data gets uploaded to their Records Of Rights,Tenancy And Crops (RTCs). The Union government is considering recommending this model to other States,’’ Mr. Patil said. The State government is willing to consider forming a Chikkodi farm district on the lines of Chikkodi educational district, he said. He was responding to a request from BJP MLA from Kudchi P. Rajeev. Mr. Rajeev said that having a Joint Director of Agriculture for Chikkodi region will lead to more efficient administration of the department. Decentralised decision-making and implementation of programmes and schemes will help farmers. Now-a-days, farmers from far-off places such as Athani, Nippani and Chikkodi have to travel to Belagavi for getting benefits and details from the Agriculture Department office. “We could do well to take the department to the doorsteps of the people. The Education Department’s decision to divide the district to create Chikkodi educational district has yielded positive results,” Mr. Rajeev said. Mr. Patil said that he did not know if such farm districts could be created. “However, it is a good idea. I will discuss it with officers and take a decision,’’ he said. He said that the government is awaiting the Finance Department’s approval for creation of posts of assistant directors in the newly formed taluks. “Once that happens, the government will set up new Raitha Samparka Kendras in the new taluks,” he said. Minister for Women and Child Empowerment Shashikala Jolle complained that the government had not cleared the subsidy arrears of farmers who had bought subsidised equipment from the department. MLA Mahantesh Dodagoudar said that farmers of Kittur and Bailhongal taluks are being discriminated against by officers as far as payment of crop insurance relief is concerned. The officers told the Minister that there was no scarcity of seed or fertilizer in the district and the Minister warned them of action if their negligence caused scarcity of farm inputs. Source - https://www.thehindu.com

India - Locust movement likely during monsoon[:ru]Ind

FAO said in the latest desert locust situation update that control operations continue in southwest Iran against hopper groups. It added that small scale breeding is likely to commence with the onset of the monsoon in July. In view of the movement of locusts in southwest Iran, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has said that a few small groups of immature adult locusts could form and move east to the Indo-Pakistan border. FAO said in the latest desert locust situation update that control operations continue in southwest Iran against hopper groups. It added that small scale breeding is likely to commence with the onset of the monsoon in July, but locust numbers should remain low. “We are monitoring the situation as per FAO’s desert locust update, but the chances of a locust attack are very low, said KL Gurjar, deputy director of the Locust Warning Organization (LWO). An LWO official said that the organisation is fully prepared.To further strengthen ground control capabilities,70 new pieces of equipment were procured from the United Kingdom to increase the number of ground control teams to 104. Additionally, 55 vehicles were procured to strengthen the control potential. He said that last year, to strengthen aerial control capabilities, drones, a Bell helicopter and customised Mi17 Helicopter of Indian Air Force were deployed. Drones were used for locust control for the first time after finalising protocols in coordination with the ministry of civil aviation. According to a ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare report, a locust attack is not a regular phenomenon and large scale incursions occur characteristically in cycles of heightened activity for a couple of years, followed by long periods of inactivity. Locust attacks were reported in India during 2019-20 and 2020-21, examples of large scale locust upsurges, when locusts migrated to India after a gap of 26 years. During 2019-20, a locust incursion was reported in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab, while in 2020-21, there was locust incursion in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. “During 2019-20, Rajasthan and Gujarat had reported crop loss over 1,79,584 hectares and 19,313.14 hectares of land, respectively. During 2020-21, Haryana reported minimal crop loss, much below the norms of compensation. Uttar Pradesh has reported a very nominal crop loss over 202.9 hectares of land. Maharashtra and Uttarakhand have reported crop loss of below 33% on 805.80 hectares and 292.4 hectares of land respectively. Madhya Pradesh has reported a partial crop loss of 10-15% over 4,400 hectares. Rajasthan has reported a crop loss of above 33% on 489.72 hectares and Gujarat has reported crop loss of below 33% on 6,832.20 hectares of land,” as reported by the ministry of agriculture. Source - https://www.hindustantimes.com

USA - USDA assists farmers affected by recent storms and flooding

To help residents, farmers, and ranchers affected by the devastation caused by recent storms and flooding in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid recovery efforts. USDA staff in the regional, state, and county offices are responding and providing a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers, and affected communities. "USDA is there to help producers and rural Americans impacted by the severe rain, storms and flooding in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. We want you and your communities to know that USDA stands with you and the thousands of farming families that feed and fuel America,” said Secretary Vilsack. “To find out what assistance might be available to you, visit farmers.gov or your local USDA Service Center." As residents make it back into their homes, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is helping ensure they are taking the proper steps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Food safety tips after a power outage and flooding are available on the FSIS website. USDA encourages those whose homes flooded during the storm to take the following steps to keep their food safe: Drink only bottled water that has not come in contact with flood water. Discard any bottled water that may have come in contact with flood water. Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance it may have come in contact with flood water. Food containers that are not waterproof include those with screw-caps, snap lids, pull tops and crimped caps. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers that may have come in contact with flood water. Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water. Sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches such as flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches, can be saved by following the steps at the FSIS Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes webpage. Risk management and disaster assistance for agricultural operations: USDA offers several risk management and disaster assistance options to help producers recover after they are impacted by flooding, high winds and hail. Even before disasters strike, USDA provides tools for producers to manage their risk through the Federal Crop Insurance Program, a public-private partnership between USDA’s Risk Management Agency and private companies and agents. For crops that do not have crop insurance available, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) is available through the local Farm Service Agency. This risk protection includes crop production loss and tree loss for certain crop insurance products. It is recommended that producers reach out to their crop insurance agent or local FSA office for more information. Producers that signed up for Federal Crop Insurance or NAP who suffer losses are asked to report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or local FSA office, respectively, within 72 hours of damage discovery and follow up in writing within 15 days. Livestock and perennial crop producers often have more limited risk management options available, so there are several disaster programs for them. Key programs offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency include: The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee and Farm-raised Fish Program reimburses producers for a portion of the value of livestock, poultry and other animals that were killed or severely injured by a natural disaster or loss of feed and grazing acres. The Tree Assistance Program provides cost share assistance to rehabilitate or replant and clean-up damage to orchards and vineyards that kill or damage the tree, vines or shrubs. NAP or Federal Crop Insurance often only covers the crop and not the plant. The Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests. USDA reminds producers that it’s critical to keep accurate records to document damage or loss and to report losses to your local USDA Service Center as soon as possible. Additionally, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can provide financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. USDA can also assist local government sponsors with the cost of recovery efforts like debris removal and streambank stabilization to address natural resource concerns and hazards through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) also has a variety of loans available including emergency loans that are triggered by disaster declarations and operating loans that can assist producers with credit needs. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet (PDF, 4.7 MB), and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center. Source - http://newtoncountytimes.com

India - Losses mount for Himachal apple growers as hailstones continue to destroy orchards

Losses are mounting for Himachal farmers as frequent hailstorms still batter orchards in the main apple-growing regions of the state. Apple growers have suffered losses to the tune of ₹30 mln (€330,000) up until now, not counting the damage done to stone fruit crops. Inclement weather conditions this time have dashed the hopes of farmers, who were expecting good returns after last year’s lean season, that was impacted by Covid-induced lockdowns. Devender Sarswati, a retired government official who owns an apple orchard in Shilaru in Theog subdivision: “Weather this time is quite unpredictable. Jagged hailstones hammered the crops between Shilaru and Matiana on Wednesday evening. Hardly any crop is left now. Orchards bore the brunt of spring snow in April and the damages were way too intense,” The hailstones extensively damaged the anti-hail nets used to cover the apple plants. Untimely snowfall in the last week of April and repeated hailstorms have broken the backbone of apple farmers, said Harish Chauhan, president of Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Growers Association. He said the government estimated the crop losses at only ₹25 mln, whereas the intensity of the damage was much high. “The government only assesses crop losses. The farmers never get compensated,” he said. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com

USA - Billions of 'Mormon Crickets' invade Idaho town posing threat to local crops

A massive invasion of crickets is wreaking havoc on parts of Idaho. They're called Mormon Crickets because they have been decimating the crops of Mormon settlers since 1847. This year, the swarms that hatched in the town of Silver City are worse than ever. "There are just billions of them, I don't mean just a few, I mean billions and billions looks like the whole road surface is moving," Clarence Orton, President of the Silver City Property Owners said. Orton said this is the fourth year in a row that Silver City has been invaded by the creepy critters. The USDA is working to suppress the infestations to protect the crops of local farmers. "They can cause economic losses to various crops and rangeland forage populations on rangeland adjacent to field crops can lead to a total loss of that crop and they can also incur additional costs for ranchers when their rangeland is negatively affected and they are forced to acquire supplemental feed," said Brian Marschman with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The insect, native to Idaho, won't hurt people but when they march onto the highway they can cause slick road conditions. "They cake on the highway they cake on your vehicle then they dry up like concrete on your car and they stink," said Orton. Source - https://6abc.com

India - Heavy rains cause huge crop losses in Anantapur district

Heavy rains hit all parts of Anantapur and caused massive damage to crops and disrupted life all over. The south-west monsoon entry brought along whirlwinds and heavy rains in the state. Heavy rains were recorded in most parts of Anantapur district. More than 12 cm rainfall was recorded in BK Samudram mandal and 10 cm rainfall in NP Kunta and Puttaparthi and Anantapur for the past couple of days. Hundreds of electricity poles and trees were uprooted in Anantapur and other parts of the district since Friday. Several roads were inundated and damaged. A big check dam breached at Jellipalli in Kambadur mandal, causing a traffic jam on the Bellary-Tumkur road. Scientists from Rekulakunta staion, Shadeva Reddy and Ashok Kumar, predicted rains for four more days in the district even as temperatures are expected to remain at 35-36 degree Celsius in the district. The horticulture department said huge losses were caused to the growers. Source - https://www.deccanchronicle.com