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IR-4 is asking nursery and floriculture growers to participate in a brief survey to help identify the highest pest, disease and weed priorities for the next two years. IR-4 is a federally funded project with efforts dedicated to supporting the specialty crops industry through pursuing research to facilitate the approval of new chemical treatments for our crops. Their work is vital to our industry’s access to chemistries that would not otherwise be available for nursery and floriculture production.

Filed under: IR-4  • IR-4  • research

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USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) advises growers of the May 1 sales closing date for 2014 Nursery Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) coverage. According to RMA, MPCI Nursery insurance provides protection for wholesale nurseries producing and marketing nursery plants grown in standard nursery containers or in the field.  New policy applications may be filled at any time; however, all applications, including those for new or amended coverage, are subject to a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. Current nursery policyholders may request changes in coverage before the May 1 sales closing deadline. Local crop insurance agents are available to provide program details that reflect the grower’s nursery inventory. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers throughout the U.S. or click here.

Filed under: USDA

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Craig Regelbrugge, Joe Bischoff

The challenge of maintaining effective plant pest prevention programs in the face of government transitions and budget cuts was a central theme at the annual meeting of the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO), hosted by the U.S. last week in Louisville, KY. Plant health agencies in Canada and the U.S., in particular, spoke of diminishing resources, while Mexico is in a state of transition as a new president takes office at the end of the year.

The final day of the annual meeting featured a symposium on the international trade in nursery and greenhouse plants. Live plants are regulated as a potential pathway for new and harmful plant pests, diseases, and weeds to be introduced to North America. ANLA’s Craig Regelbrugge provided an opening presentation on the state of the U.S industry and import and export trends. Later in the program Joe Bischoff, who joined ANLA’s government relations team in February, described the industry’s response to the discovery of boxwood blight one year ago. With ANLA’s leadership, an industry working group developed best management practices for prevention and management of...

Filed under: Boxwood Blight • disease • pest

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The IR -4 Ornamental Program is beginning to plan for the 2013 IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Workshop. Ornamental crop producer input is critical in helping the IR – 4 program identify pest control priorities for plant diseases, insects and weeds. This data is considered a valuable and much needed part of the 2013 Ornamental Horticulture Workshop. At the Workshop research priorities are determined for 2014/2015. These priorities allow the IR – 4 program to direct appropriate research and funding to address the data needs required in applications to US EPA for ornamental pesticide label approvals. The IR – 4 program has designed a survey through Survey Monkey to get ornamental crop producer input. Ornamental growers are encouraged to take a few minutes and participate in the brief survey found here to help establish priorities for next year's IR – 4 Ornamental Workshop. For more information contact Dr. Cristi Palmer, IR – 4 Ornamentals Program Manager at palmer@aesop.rutgers.edu.

Filed under: IR-4  • research

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ANLA, the National Christmas Tree Association, and dozens of other organizations concerned about preserving tools to manage pests have mobilized to oppose a budget consolidation that threatens the IR-4 Project. IR-4 is a special cooperative project that develops data critical for registering crop protection tools for so-called “minor uses” like nursery and greenhouse crops. Over time, IR-4 has facilitated the registration of at least half the tools available to our industry to manage pests. Yet, the program is in jeopardy due to a proposed bureaucratic program consolidation. Thanks to all who have contacted Congress to oppose this consolidation. For more, visit www.capwiz.com/anla/, or www.SaveIR-4.org.

Filed under: legislation • IR-4