Onion World January 2022

Advertiser Index Bejo ........................................ 23 Chinook Equipment ................ 19 Clearwater Supply .................. 19 CMI ......................................... 21 Disinfecting Services ............... 20 DP Seeds ................................... 3 Gearmore ............................... 23 Gowan Seed ........................... 13 L&M ........................................ 11 NOA .......................................... 3 Noffsinger ............................... 15 Nunhems ................................ 22 Nutri-Cal ................................. 17 Redwood Empire .................... 19 Seed Dynamics ....................... 24 Seedway ................................... 7 Top Air ...................................... 3 Verbruggen ............................. 21

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ONION WORLD Volume 38, Number 1

JANUARY 2022

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461 Circulation: (503) 724-3581

OnionWorld.net ONION WORLD CONTACTS

4 A Research-Minded Approach G&R Farms

Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

10 Managing Maggots Without Chlorpyrifos

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

14 Irrigation Essentials

Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference Buyers' Guide

EDITORIAL INFORMATION

16 Setting a Trap

Can Early-Terminated Allium Trap Crops Reduce White Rot Infestations?

20 Crop Insurance: Exploring the Options

Onion World is interested in newsworthy material related to onion production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.

ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@onionworld.net

SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. $24 per year Canada $40 per year Foreign $80 per year

Subscribe online at: www.OnionWorld.net/subscribe

Bob Mittlestadt and Jacob Harder with Clearwater Supply talk with attendees of the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Annual Conference and Trade Show. Read the story on page 10.

2

ON THE COVER

DEPARTMENTS

Cliff Riner works as the director of crop production at G&R Farms in Glennville, Ga. The farm grows 850 acres of Vidalia onions. See the story on page 4.

Photo courtesy G&R Farms

9 ... Onion Disease Quiz

Onion World • January 2022

18... Calendar 19... In the News 22... From the NOA 22... Advertiser Index

or call (503) 724-3581.

Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444 Onion World magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), is published eight times a year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices.

Produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444.

Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group.

For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.

NOA Summer Convention Boise, Idaho July 6-9, 2022 Growing, learning, advocating

TOGETHER Watch for more info at: onions-usa.org

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+1.208.722.6936 OnionWorld.net

3

G&R FARMS

A Research-Minded Approach Story by Denise Keller, Editor Photos courtesy G&R Farms

A

willingness to try something new on the farm comes easier to some than others.

With a background in university extension and research, a little experimentation in production practices is well within Cliff Riner’s comfort zone.

Soon after swapping his career at the University of Georgia for one at G&R Farms, Riner began coupling his research skills with the farm’s longstanding history in Vidalia onion production and is now seeing positive changes in the farm’s soil health and crop production.

G&R Farms, owned by Robert, Pam and Walt Dasher, grows onions, corn, peanuts, cotton and soybeans in Glennville, Georgia. In addition, G&R raises cattle, manages several thousand acres of timberland and conducts forest management for other landowners.

The farm’s claim to fame, however, is growing Vidalia onions since 1945, according to Riner. The farm’s Vidalia crop is planted on 850 acres, including 50 to 60 acres of organic ground. Vidalias are marketed from mid-April through August.

In 2009, G&R Farms began importing Peruvian onions and now imports 800 container ships of onions from Peru to market in late summer through the winter. Between the Peruvian imports and the Vidalia crop, G&R Farms is a year-round supplier of sweet onions.

Making Adjustments

Riner joined G&R Farms as the director of crop production in the summer of 2018. But his onion career began while attending the University of Georgia. As a student, he worked at the Vidalia Onion

and Vegetable Research Center during the summer and did vegetable research during the school year. After graduation, he worked as a Tattnall County extension agent in the main hub of Vidalia onion production for seven years. He then spent five years at the research center as an area extension specialist for onions, overseeing the state’s onion production and coordinating research.

Having always enjoyed the farming aspect of his career, he saw the job opening at G&R Farms as a good opportunity. Now in his fourth onion season, he finds himself approaching problems in the field similar to a research project, developing a hypothesis, parameters and a game plan.

“My job for a lot of years was to try new things, and for a lot of farmers, that’s not what they’re used to. They’re

Cliff Riner shows off some Vidalia onions at harvest. The director of crop production at G&R Farms is using his background in research to micromanage practices that influence onion quality.

4

Onion World • January 2022

doing what they know or what they’ve seen a neighboring farmer do or their father do. It’s not that I’m doing anything really risky; it’s just something that’s just slightly different,” Riner says.

His primary objective at G&R Farms is to grow the best onions. To that end, he tries to micromanage practices that influence quality – from variety selection to planting date and soil type to fertility.

“We’re striving hard to really manage the soil as a resource through cover crops and crop rotation,” Riner says. “If we grow a crop of corn or a cover crop, it’s by prescription to make that field better to grow onions.”

Since land is not a limiting factor for G&R Farms, Riner is working toward the goal of growing onions on a three-year rotation. Onion production is pretty intensive in the area, he says, and backto-back onion crops are typical.

He is also incorporating grass and summer cover crops based on each field’s needs. Goals include increasing organic matter and reducing runoff and erosion.

Sunn hemp, sorghum-sudangrass, pearl millet, brown top millet and other species are being utilized in an effort to eliminate nematodes and certain weeds.

A crew of 120 H-2A workers harvests the onion crop at G&R Farms.

The sandy and sandy loam soil in Glennville, Ga., is well suited for sweet onion production.

OnionWorld.net

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G&R FARMS Weed control has improved, and the increased organic matter has improved soil tilth. The yield and quality of onions and other row crops is also improving, mostly due to the increased nematode control. Next, Riner plans to add winter cover crops on land not planted in onions.

“Most of the things we do that we’ve found to work, I’ve learned from being a county agent,” Riner says, noting that he’s able to apply his past experience in onions, as well as other commodities.

“What worked for a certain thing on another crop, if it’s not currently being done on onions, we’ll try things cross discipline.”

He adds that it has been helpful that G&R is an established farm with a documented history to serve as a resource when considering making a change.

“That’s a big plus for somebody who analyzes data is to have some history.

They’ve done a good job prior to me coming on board of keeping records of

Cliff Riner checks the quality of onion bulbs mid-season.

Cliff Riner (center) and G&R Farms co-owner Walt Dasher (fourth from left) visit with Peruvian onion growers in Ica, Peru, in the summer of 2019.

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Onion World • January 2022

what has worked well and not worked well on the farm. I have a lot of tools in my tool chest already here,” Riner says.

“They’ve got good equipment, a good team already here in place. My job is to come in with a fresh set of eyes and do some tweaks that will hopefully enhance everything.”

Challenges and Opportunities

Vidalia onions are a labor-intensive crop for G&R Farms. The season starts with 40 to 45 acres of seedbed production the first of September.

Following the incorporation of the summer cover crops, crews begin transplanting the seedlings the first week of November and finish mid-December.

The short-day overwintering onions are harvested from April through mid-May. The labor to make this all happen is becoming increasingly difficult to find and keep. Agricultural employers struggle to offer the type of positions people want to work in long term, Riner says.

For the last several years, the H-2A program has been critical to operations at G&R Farms. The farm employs 90 H-2A workers at planting and 120 at harvest. A local crew of 20 also helps on the farm, and 45 fulltime employees work in the packing shed.

“The unknowns of labor are a big worry,” Riner says. “We feel proud that we’ve developed longstanding relationships that improve retention, but there are continued hurdles. We will continue to look for ways to expand

workforce development opportunities for all of our employees to see that we can continue to operate fully staffed because our workers are the backbone of our success.”

Seed availability is another concern for Riner. Seed companies are consolidating, and sweet onions are a smaller category and difficult to breed. With this in mind, Riner worries corporate seed companies could put their sweet onion programs on the chopping block. He says growers need as many options as possible, and he

SEEDWAY_Onion World_Oct2021_Layout 1 10/4/2021 2:52 PM Page 1

Your Acres. Your Livelihood. Our Priority.

The use of cover crops and crop rotation at G&R Farms is improving soil health and onion quality and yield.

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MEXICO Torreón, Coahuila (461) 117­3878 Colima, Col. (461) 104­0134 San Luis Potosi (461) 140­9452 Chihuahua (461) 171­9401 Tamaulipas (461) 134­2421 Irapuato, Gto. (461) 546­5792

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7

G&R FARMS wants to encourage breeders to continue developing short-day onion options.

Looking ahead, Riner says G&R Farms plans to “maintain smart growth” and grow as its clients and partners need the farm to grow. Riner, who serves as the vice-chair of the Vidalia Onion Committee and a board member of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, expects the onion industry to experience continued growth, as well.

Vidalia onions and other sweet onions have been gaining popularity, he says, as more people find uses for them in their cooking. Increased interest in healthy eating and more demand for Americangrown produce will also help boost onion sales.

“The younger generations want to be educated. They’re inquisitive of how food is being produced, and they’re completely naïve, as well,” Riner says. “So it’s up to the farm to educate the future consumers on how we produce that food and where it comes from so we can build a relationship with our consumers. We want them to know us as real people that produce real food.”

Cliff Riner oversees 40 to 45 acres of Vidalia onion seedbed production.

Cliff Riner displays Vidalia onions, which are grown under center pivot irrigation at G&R Farms.

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Onion World • January 2022

Onion Disease Quiz

This material is provided courtesy of Claudia Nischwitz, Associate Professor and Plant Pathology Specialist, Utah State University

Infections of onion bulbs can occur in the field without any symptom development prior to storage. Awareness of onion bulb rot diseases in storage and available management options can help minimize storage losses.

Question: What is wrong with the stored bulbs in these photos?

Answers on page 21

1

3

2

Sclerotia

4

OnionWorld.net

9

Managing Maggots Without Chlorpyrifos Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

G

rowers, researchers, vendors and others in the industry reunited at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference in Kennewick, Washington, Nov. 17-18. Following the 2020 online event, attendees were glad to be back in person to check out the newest products displayed in the trade show and the latest news presented in the education sessions.

The onion session kicked off with a discussion of the industry’s loss of chlorpyrifos and the status of the search for suitable alternatives.

EPA Ruling

Alan Schreiber with the Agriculture Development Group began with a recap of the recent revocation of chlorpyrifos tolerances. Although the insecticide, commonly sold as Lorsban, has waned in popularity in some onion production regions due to resistance issues, growers in areas such as the Columbia Basin and Treasure Valley have continued to rely on the chemical, primarily for maggot control.

That is until the EPA, in effect, “pulled the plug on chlorpyrifos,” Schreiber said. In August 2021, the EPA revoked all tolerances for residues of chlorpyrifos on food or feed crops; tolerances expire Feb. 28, 2022. The ruling does allow for onions in storage that were treated with chlorpyrifos during the 2021 growing season to be sold. However, applications of chlorpyrifos will not be allowed after the tolerances expire.

Various groups including the National Coalition Against the Revocation of Chlorpyrifos Tolerances are trying to fight or delay the EPA ruling, but Schreiber does not expect any success.

“Chlorpyrifos is going away. We are not going to get it back. Our best option is to find alternatives,” he said.

“EPA’s approach is strikingly sudden, thoughtless and unforgiving. This is very uncommon, almost unheard of. They always have a phase-out period for this.

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Onion World • January 2022

Oregon State University’s Stuart Reitz reported on the search for alternatives to chlorpyrifos and shared recommendations for maggot management.

Stacy Davis with Germains Seed Technology discusses the company’s offerings with trade show visitors.

Brian Tweed and Mitchell Blum man the booth for Irritec.

I’ve never seen something like this. This is an unusual situation, and there’s no reprieve from this.”

Other chemical products are undergoing regulatory scrutiny, as well, and may have trouble surviving re-registration or gaining customer acceptance. Schreiber mentioned that

Walmart has said the company is no longer going to accept produce treated with neonicotinoids, although that has yet to be enforced.

“We’re concerned about the direction that this is going. It is appropriate for you to be concerned about continued access to organophosphates and carbamate

products. A lot of these products aren’t used very often, but often when you need them, you really, really need them,” Schreiber said.

The loss of chemicals will likely continue, the speaker concluded, so it’s important for the industry to defend the products that are available and support

OnionWorld.net

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PNVA 2021 agriculture research efforts to generate data and develop new alternatives.

Alternatives and Management

Brad Bonny shows off an onion planter in the Gearmore booth.

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Onion World • January 2022

Stuart Reitz with Oregon State University (OSU) followed with a report on the search for suitable alternatives to chlorpyrifos and management recommendations for the upcoming season.

Prior to EPA’s chlorpyrifos tolerance revocation, Oregon had placed additional regulations on the insecticide. As a result, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has been prioritizing research into alternatives.

A trial at the OSU Malheur Experiment Station compared the efficacy of newer insecticide seed treatments to the standard Lorsban application. The trial evaluated five seed treatments (F1500, Regard, Cruiser, Trigard OMC, untreated control), each with and without the addition of Lorsban. Researchers monitored maggot flies, plant stand, maggot damage and crop yield. They found that all the seed treatments reduced losses to maggots and that chlorpyrifos did not enhance the control of the seed treatments.

“Lorsban had no beneficial effects any way you slice it,” Reitz said. “All of these seed treatments significantly reduced losses due to maggots, so that’s good news. And it surprised me that chlorpyrifos performed so poorly, but that’s what we found.”

Reitz pointed out that the data is from just one year of the trial, and more research is needed.

“Where do we go from here? Keep in mind that while seed treatments worked pretty well, they did not completely avoid losses due to maggots. The maggots are still feeding on the plants, so you still have the opportunity for damage and plant death to occur. So you can’t rely just on those seed treatments or any insecticide treatment as a standalone management,” Reitz said.

Since there are no rescue treatments for maggot infestations, management is preventative, Reitz said. Growers should reduce the opportunity for maggots to survive and reproduce by disposing of cull onions and volunteer onions. Avoid planting back-to-back onion crops in the same field or planting

A trade show vendor displays a mix of onion varieties.

near cull piles, Reitz advised, noting that maggot flies typically don’t travel more than a mile. Also avoid planting in fields with high amounts of organic matter or plant residues. Delay planting as long as possible to promote warmer soil temperatures and faster plant development. And finally, cover seed rows and reduce the exposure of seed to flies.

Reitz closed with a reminder that insecticide resistance is always a concern, especially in maggot control, so growers should consider rotating seed treatments.

Pacific North West

Brian Haddon, Area Manager (971) 282-2884

San Joaquin Valley

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Greg Patti, Sales Rep. (575) 202-2250

Texas

Russ Brown, Area Manager (559) 799-0799

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Scott Richards, Area Manager (928) 580-2484

Derek Levy, Sales Rep (912) 433-4752

831-679-1900

www.gowanseed.com P.O. Box 190 • Chualar, CA 93925 25445 Chualar River Road • Chualar, CA 93925 OnionWorld.net

13

IRRIGATION ESSENTIALS Buyers’ Guide

Disinfecting Services • www.disinfectingservices.net Flo Pro, Power Flush

Flo Pro keeps low-flow irrigation lines clean and maximizes crop production.

Flo Pro combines plugging-prevention chemistry with a patent-pending soil conditioner that improves absorption and targets root zones for water and nutrient retention and uptake. Flo Pro uses fifth-generation amines and phosphonate chemistries to provide a cost-effective product to remove and prevent plugging in low-volume irrigation systems. Used at low usage rates, it makes water unsuitable for biological hosts. According to the manufacturer, the product changes the nature of the soil in the root zone from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, allowing the soil to retain water and nutrients in the critical root zone for optimum plant uptake.

Power Flush unplugs drip tape emitters and micro-jets quickly and safely, restoring drip system efficiency. With its high-oxidative power, Power Flush reacts quickly and powerfully, clearing out plugging materials. An exclusive blend of oxygen and peroxyacetic acid, Power Flush is more effective than hydrogen peroxide at significantly lower feed rates, and the liquid is safer and more convenient than fuming acids and toxic gases. There are no halogenated hydrocarbon byproducts with Power Flush as can be seen with chlorine and chlorine gas treatments, and any residuals are readily biodegradable and friendly to the environment.

Jain Irrigation • www.jainsusa.com/monitoring-control Jain Logic

Jain Logic is a cost-effective and efficient way to measure actual, fieldspecific water consumption for onion and potato crops throughout the year on a regular basis. Using satellite and weather data, Jain Irrigation can compute the crop water consumption (ETc) for any field.

This information is available on a dashboard or sent directly to a user’s inbox every seven days. Each weekly report will include table values and charts of the previous week’s crop water consumption and a thematically colored map showing the ETc uniformity for each field. Each field report will include an Excel spreadsheet that will show uniformity trends, water budgets and total water field usage.

Jain Logic can help growers optimize water consumption and monitor the irrigation efficiencies on their farm.

Pivotal Advantage • (509) 785-2101 or pivot@smwireless.net Chemigation System

Uniform chemigation is here. With chemical and liquid fertilizer prices rising at ridiculous rates, it has never been more important to maximize yields and guard the bottom line.

The Pivotal Advantage system provides uniform and accurate distribution of chemigation and fertilization for circles with corner systems. It eliminates the practice of calculating the amount of chemical needed by the total acres and setting the injector pump at a stagnant amount. Whether fully extended, half or fully retracted, the Pivotal Advantage system controls and distributes these two critical components when and where they are needed, eliminating overand under-application. Simply plug the system into an existing injector pump station, apply two settings and go.

Uniform coverage will increase yields and save money.

14

Onion World • January 2022

Rivilus • www.rivulis.com T-Tape HE

When you peel back this onion, there is only one drip tape exclusively designed with the onion grower in mind: Rivulis T-Tape HE. T-Tape HE cuts labor costs by reducing drip tape retrieval time even in the harshest conditions, while guaranteeing precise irrigation of the crop. T-Tape HE utilizes a proprietary and unique design that allows more stretching, enabling the tape to be pulled through dry soil and heavy onion leaves without breaking.

Skone Irrigation • (509) 545-8420 in Pasco, WA, or (509) 349-7364 in Warden, WA Reinke GPS Guidance

Reinke has released a new application for its GPS guidance system. Skone Irrigation, a Reinke dealer in Pasco and Warden, Washington, is now able to install Reinke’s GPS guidance on any Valley corner machine. This is a very reliable system and is a great option for systems that are encountering issues with buried wire guidance.

This system can replace a current pathway or allow a user to realign the pathway to accommodate a newer structure or circle design. A simple download from a zip drive program and even in-field realignment is possible with this system. With a new install of the guidance system, irrigators can fix longstanding areas of concern, and the system can be moved onto machines purchased in the future.

Irrigation Inc. PASCO & WARDEN, WA

www.skoneirrigation.com

Coming in the next issue of

ONION WORLD

Crop Protection Essentials Buyers’ Guide Don’t miss this issue!

Subscibe today at:

onionworld.net/ subscribe 8 issues per year including: • Onion Buyers’ Guide • Harvest Essentials • Storage Essentials • Long-Day Variety Buyers’ Guide

OnionWorld.net

15

REDUCING WHITE ROT

Setting a Trap

Can Early-Terminated Allium Trap Crops Reduce White Rot Infestations?

By Gia Khuong Hoang Hua and Jeremiah Dung, Central Oregon Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Oregon State University Robert Wilson, Agricultural & Natural Resources Intermountain Research & Extension Center, University of California

W

ith limited options to control white rot, researchers continue to investigate alternative management strategies. Recent trials looking at the use of trap crops showed some potential, and with more research, the practice could merit a place in an integrated management program.

Disease Management

White rot is a disease of major importance for onion and garlic producers in the western U.S. The fungus that causes white rot, Sclerotium cepivorum, is a plant pathogen that is

restricted to Allium hosts and causes root and bulb decay, ultimately resulting in death of the plant.

Crop rotation is not effective at managing white rot because the pathogen can survive in fields for over 20 years as sclerotia, which serve as the dormant stage of the fungus in the absence of Allium hosts. Additionally, it takes very few sclerotia (as little as one sclerotium per quart of soil) to initiate a white rot epidemic, making it difficult to eradicate the fungus to manageable levels.

Sclerotia of the white rot pathogen

germinate in response to volatile sulfur compounds that are released by Allium root exudates, and this aspect of the pathogen’s biology can be exploited for white rot management. Previous studies have demonstrated that certain sulfur compounds can elicit the germination of sclerotia when applied in the absence of an Allium crop and reduce sclerotia levels in soil.

Both synthetic (diallyl disulfide, or DADS) and natural (garlic juice, oil and powder) compounds have been shown to be able to reduce sclerotia levels by over 90 percent in field studies, but there

White rot causes root and bulb decay, as well as yellowing and wilting of the leaves. Photo courtesy Ed Kurtz, Bugwood.org

16

Onion World • January 2022

can be challenges to wide-scale adoption of sclerotial germination stimulants in white rot-infested production systems.

First, the application of sclerotial germination stimulants must coincide with environmental conditions that are suitable for the pathogen (i.e.

temperatures ranging from 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, along with adequate soil moisture), and the time required for adequate reductions in sclerotia can be six months or more. Additionally, the application of some of the more effective stimulants (e.g. DADS or garlic

2nd leaf

3rd leaf

oil) requires specialized fumigation equipment. Unfortunately, commercial sources of DADS, which is the most effective germination stimulant, are no longer available for agricultural use.

6th leaf

Sclerotia/quart soil

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Fallow, untreated

Onion (mechanical)

Onion (herbicide) Onion (mechanical) Onion (herbicide) + + fungicide fungicide

DADS

Figure 1. Effect of onion trap crops, either mechanically or chemically terminated, on white rot sclerotia populations in the soil. Trap crops were grown with or without an in-furrow fungicide application and terminated at the second, third or sixth leaf stage. Diallyl disulfide (DADS) served as a positive control.

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OnionWorld.net

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REDUCING WHITE ROT

Allium Trap Crops

Another way to introduce sclerotial germination stimulants into infested fields could be through the use of an Allium trap or lure crop. In this case, our goal would be to grow an Allium crop to the point of eliciting sclerotial germination, but also to terminate the crop before the pathogen can infect and reproduce on the host.

A series of growth chamber, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 to identify Allium species that could be used as trap/ lure crops, evaluate different termination timings, and determine if fungicides could augment trap crops by limiting host infection and pathogen reproduction.

Our initial results suggested that white, red, sweet or bunching onion could all be used as potential trap/lure crops, as sclerotia counts were significantly reduced in all trap crop treatments when terminated at three and seven

weeks post-emergence, and also in the red onion trap crop treatment at 11 weeks post-emergence. However, white rot infections were noted in all four Alliums at seven and 11 weeks post-emergence, and sclerotia counts increased significantly when plants were terminated at 11 weeks post-emergence.

Field trials conducted in Madras, Oregon, and Tulelake, California, demonstrated that the greatest sclerotia reductions were observed when plants were terminated at the two-leaf stage. In Madras, significant reductions in sclerotia (between 38 and 67 percent) were observed, and greater reductions were observed when plants were terminated chemically as opposed to mechanically (Fig. 1). Sclerotial populations were less impacted in the Tulelake trial (24 percent reduction compared to the control), and the pathogen increased in number at the third through sixth leaf termination timings. No effect of fungicide application

was observed in either field trial.

In conclusion, early termination of white, red, sweet or bunching onion as trap crops reduced populations of white rot sclerotia in infested soil, and under our experimental conditions, we observed the most consistent reductions when plants were terminated at the twoleaf stage. These findings demonstrated the potential use of Alliums as trap crops for white rot management, though the reduction in sclerotial populations in field trials was not high enough to be commercially acceptable. More research is needed to study the effects of planting density, planting date, soil type and environmental conditions before implementing trap crops in an integrated management program.

Authors’ note: This work is supported by Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant no. 2018-51181-28435 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

CALENDAR July 6-9 National Onion Association Summer Convention Boise, Idaho www.onions-usa.org

•

Feb. 1 Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers’ Association Conference Nampa Civic Center Nampa, Idaho Cindy Pusey, (208) 888-0988 or cindy@amgidaho.com

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Onion World • January 2022

Feb. 8 Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting

•

Bridgerland Technical College Brigham City, Utah Dan Drost, (435) 770-4484, dan. drost@usu.edu

• Jan. 11–13 Empire State Producers Expo The Oncenter Syracuse, N.Y. www.nysvga.org

IN THE NEWS

Seedway Hires New Sales Rep

Donavin Buck has joined Seedway LLC as the sales representative for Washington and Oregon.

Previously, Buck worked as the product development specialist with Nipono Native Seed in Yuma, Arizona.

Buck grew up in Imperial, California, and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he played baseball. He also played baseball professionally in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Sakata Selects COO

Sakata Seed America has appointed Eduardo Flores as the company’s new chief operations officer (COO). Flores will handle Sakata’s logistics, operations and seed production activity in North America and Central America.

Flores brings experience leading supply chain operations for vegetables seeds, having served as regional operations director for Monsanto’s North American vegetables business. Most recently, he led global strategy for Dummen Orange, a Netherlands-based ornamentals company.

Flores has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is fluent in Spanish and English.

!

NEW

Edp Electro-bagger model EB 2218 DF

This model now has the ability to do bags as well as cartons with the new touch screen controls.

It also comes with pneumatic bag clamps as standard equipment.

For more information visit

chinookequipment.com or call 800-219-2245 or 208-331-1126

OnionWorld.net

19

Crop Insurance: Exploring the Options

By Ben Thiel, Director, Risk Management Agency, USDA

S

ummer 2021 was unprecedented in how hot and dry it was.

How did your crops fair? The yields and quality for crops produced on dryland this year might not have been very good.

Perhaps some crops under irrigation looked good, but others didn’t. The lack of moisture and record high temperatures made for tough growing conditions for many crops in the Pacific Northwest. Depending on your location and crops grown, you might have experienced similar challenges.

The question that I would pose is what if this year isn’t the worst we will see for extreme weather risk? Would you be able to financially withstand consecutive loss years like 2021 with your current level of crop insurance? If your farming operation relies on irrigation water, how comfortable do you feel about having an adequate water supply next year or in future years if current conditions persist?

For various reasons, some producers don’t use crop insurance or buy only bare minimum coverage. The majority of producers who do utilize crop insurance probably have settled into a

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familiar pattern of the same form of insurance from year to year.

However, I believe your crop insurance agent would be willing to discuss other options that could be available to improve your risk management in future years. A crop insurance agent is also available to those who are new to crop insurance. It doesn’t hurt to review costs with an agent and explore the type of risk you would like to cover with crop insurance. Crop insurance agents and insurance companies don’t compete for your business by price but rather by service. Exploring options for additional coverage can be as simple as increasing your coverage level or inquiring about adding additional insurance policies such as Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP), Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO). The sales closing date, which is the last day to purchase insurance, can vary by crop and county.

To see what crops are insurable in your county and the respective dates, visit webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/ actuarialinformationbrowser. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA service centers and online at www.rma. usda.gov/en/information-tools/agent-locator-page. To learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net, visit www.rma.usda.gov.

Onion Quiz Answers From page 9

The bulbs pictured show symptoms of Botrytis neck rot caused by Botrytis aclada and B. allii. When bulbs are cut, the symptoms resemble Fusarium bulb rot. The symptoms usually first appear in the neck area, and the disease advances through the bulb (photos 1 and 2). However, with Botrytis neck rot, gray mold as well as sclerotia can frequently be seen on the outer scales (photo 3), and sclerotia can develop in the bulb, as well (photo 4).

Sclerotia are hardened masses of mycelia that can survive in plant debris and soil for several years. Infections with B. aclada or B. allii occur in the field during curing or at harvest, but symptoms don’t manifest themselves until the bulbs are in storage.

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Both cultural and chemical management options are available to minimize neck rot incidence. Cultural management options include ensuring onions are mature at harvest, undercutting onions, and making sure necks are dry and well cured before topping.

Late-season applications or excessive amounts of nitrogen should be avoided, and onions should be stored below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Fungicide applications during the last four weeks prior to harvest have been most effective.

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FROM THE NOA

It’s Time – Get Involved in the NOA To Do the Onion Industry Proud

By René Hardwick, National Onion Association Director of Public and Industry Relations

T

his new year is sooo welcome.

We thought the pandemic was rough!

Then 2021 happened.

In addition to continuing issues with COVID-19, we had a shipping crisis and issues with a lack of available trucking, a ban on chlorpyrifos, labor issues, price hikes on inputs and implements, a potential dissolution of the South Texas Onion Committee and another round of salmonella plaguing consumer confidence in onions.

Issues like these are not only annoying, and prompt several fist shakings up to the sky, but they’re also times to look within.

If you look within the National Onion Association (NOA), you’ll see a group

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Onion World • January 2022

of dedicated onion folk – farmers, seed dealers, equipment dealers, packaging dealers and more – standing firm, standing up for all onion growers.

What you may not see is the dedication all in the NOA, and its leadership, have toward keeping the onion industry moving in the right direction. There’s a lot of politics out there, and onion industry folk are no stranger to it.

In the last two years, the NOA has had the strongest contingent yet of members traveling to Washington D.C. to make a dent in industry issues with their legislators and agriculture policymakers.

These are people whose eyes opened to the difference they could make by taking an interest and reaching out to effect change in policy and the regulatory landscape.

The NOA leadership particularly look out for issues that will affect the onion industry and work to advocate for sound change and fight against bad policy.

The NOA was on the front lines last year to work on shipping issues with the Agriculture Transportation Coalition.

The NOA continues to fight for the continued operations of the South Texas Onion Committee marketing order, which if dismantled, could affect the entire American onion industry with lowered prices and quality from imported onions a good three months of the year.

NOA leaders are working hard to manage and issue best practices guidelines to ensure that onions remain free of foodborne illness created by poor, unmonitored conditions. They’ll continue to work on upgrading the document in the coming months and ensure that all imports are subject to the same inspection criteria demanded of the domestic market.

As the NOA moves through 2022, you can bet its leaders will be hard at work on several ongoing issues. That’s where you can come in.

If you haven’t been a member of the NOA in a while, dip your toe back in. Get

involved, help onion industry leadership remain strong, and commit to a turn in leadership, or go to Washington D.C. with us and be a part of solutions.

If you have no idea what the NOA is, try us out. We bring people together twice a year for conventions and networking and discussions on important industry topics.

Representing American onion growers for more than 100 years is no joke, and our leadership takes it seriously.

We’ll be in Boise, Idaho, July 6-9 for our summer convention. Join us and see what we’re all about. If you’re not a member, find a member to sponsor you.

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