Family & Farm Magazine 2020

2020

Family

&

Farm Magazine Special supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper and Pioneer East Shopper

2

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

2020 Family Article Guide: Farm Clean, sanitize and disinfect...................................................... 3 Cover crops and nitrogen cycling: What is my final goal?..................................................................................................... 4 People with diabetes need flu shots.........................................5 Farm stress after a bad year.............................................................. 6 How to identify and manage liverwort in nurseries and greenhouses.......................................................7 Muddy fields and rush to finish field work may move soybean cyst nematodes.................................................................... 8 New products in the news: Are you reading a sales pitch?.................................................................................................... 9 Factors to consider when purchasing used produce processing equipment......................................................................11 How to deal with a wet planting season.................................12 Ag talk: I gave my presentation, but did my farmers listen to me? ......................................................................................14 Risks posed by cats on produce farms....................................15

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 3

Clean, sanitize and disinfect What the difference is, and the best situation to use each method. tion can be tested to ensure the concentration’s strength by purchasing sanitizer test strips at a food service store.

Cleaning, sanitizing and If sanitizer is stored in a spray disinfecting. Mixing up these bottle, it should be tested terms can result in poor clean- daily to ensure the strength is ing practices and the spread of still within the range of 50 – illness. Having a better under- 90 ppm. standing of these three words Disinfecting kills the germs may help prevent someone on surfaces. This is done by from becoming ill. using a stronger solution. If

BY LISA TREIBER Michigan State University Extension

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cleaning removes germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces and objects.

Cleaning is done by using soap, detergent or another cleaning product and water, then physically scrubbing to remove germs from the surface. It is important to remember that cleaning does not kill germs, mold or fungi; it just removes visible, dirt.

Before you can sanitize or disinfect, the dirt and debris must be removed.

Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on a surface to safe levels, according to health officials. This is done by using a commercial sanitizing product, such as chlorine bleach mixed with water. It is important to mix the sanitizing solution at the proper ratio of bleach to water, if it is too strong, it can cause a chemical contamination, if it is too weak, it won’t kill the germs. It is also important to let the solution stand on the surface for a recommended period of time.

The standard solution for a bleach and water sanitizing mix is one tablespoon bleach to one gallon of water or one teaspoon bleach to one quart of water (in a spray bottle).

The concentration is 50 – 90 ppm and requires a contact time of 30 seconds. This solu-

bleach is used, the solution recommended is one-quarter to three quarters cup of bleach to one-gallon water, with a contact time of two minutes.

This process can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

Should you disinfect all the time to ensure more germs are killed? That probably would not be the best idea..

Chemicals are very strong and can have adverse results on health. Using the strongest concentration all the time can lead to skin irritation, lung problems and other issues.

Remember, cleaning should always take priority over sanitizing or disinfecting. As you clean, remember to change your water frequently to avoid further spread of dirt or germs. In most situations sanitizing would follow cleaning.

Always read the directions on the product you are using. You should only disinfect when there are many germs present.

For example, if someone has been sick in your home (vomit or diarrhea) or restaurant, or you’ve spilled a large amount of raw juices from a meat, poultry or seafood product on the floor, this would warrant cleaning and disinfecting.

Michigan State University Extension promotes healthy lifestyles and empowers Michigan residents to be healthy.

Visit our website at extension. msu.edu to learn more.

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

4

Cover crops and nitrogen cycling: What is my final goal?

There are cover crops capable of scavenging nitrogen and others that can fix it.

Depending on your objective, one group might work better than the other.

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BY RICARDO COSTA Michigan State University Extension When it comes to the relationship between cover crops and nitrogen, there are two types of cover crops. Those that can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, and those that can scavenge nitrogen from the soil. Your decision on which group to plant should be based on what you are trying to accomplish.

Nitrogen-fixing cover crops, such as vetch and clovers, form a mutualism with rhizobia bacteria, which capture nitrogen from the air and transform it into available soil nitrogen. This group of cover crops can add nitrogen to the system that would otherwise not be there. If you are trying to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied every year without jeopardizing your yields, planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops, or legumes, can help you to achieve this goal. Some legumes, such as white clover, if very well managed, can fix between 80-200 pounds of nitrogen per acre, but only about 50% of this amount becomes available to the next crop.

Alternatively, the scavenger cover crops, such as cereal rye and radish, can trap nitrogen that is free in the soil and release it later for the next crop. Nitrogen moves in the soil and can be

easily lost through leaching and runoff. As a result, nitrogen that otherwise could be used by next year’s cash crop (lowering your nitrogen input costs) could now potentially contaminate water with nitrate and cause algae bloom. Scavenger cover crops can help to keep nitrogen in the field by gathering and releasing it to the next cover cash crop. Scavenger cover crops planted in fields where manure is applied could scavenge up to 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

Seeding rates will vary depending on which cover crop you choose. Field peas, a nitrogen-fixing cover crop, might require planting rates up to 90 pounds per acre PLS (pure live seed), while you need to plant only 3-5 pounds per acre PLS of rapeseed (scavenger cover crop).

One last thing to remember is knowing when to terminate your cover crop is very important. The older your cover crops get, the more difficulty it will be to break down, and more nitrogen will be tied up. More plant-available nitrogen will be delivered within four to six weeks if you terminate your cover crop during the vegetative stage. When and where practical, consider cover crop mixes (multiple species of nitrogen-fixing and scavenger cover crops) since mixtures can help to maintain and increase soil health.

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 5

People with diabetes need flu shots Flu shots are one step you can take to stay healthy Take your temperature.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Wash your hands. If soap and It is important to follow your water aren’t available, use a hand doctor’s advice to prevent the flu, sanitizer. especially if you have diabetes. AcResist touching your eyes, cording to the Centers for Disease nose and mouth. These areas are Control and Prevention (CDC), ways for germs to enter your body. about 30 percent of adults who are Clean surfaces at home and hospitalized with the flu have dia- work when someone is ill. betes. Being sick can also prevent Keep a week’s worth of medyou from eating properly, which icine on-hand in case you are not may cause changes in your blood able to leave your home. sugar. The CDC recommends Even if you get the flu shot, the following to protect yourself you can still get sick. Call your during the flu season. doctor if any of these things hapGet a flu shot and encourage pen to you: others around you to get theirs.

Trouble breathing People are infectious before flu Blood sugar less than 60 symptoms appear and can infect milligrams/dL or is over 250 milliothers. Find a flu shot near you by grams/dL on two checks typing in your zip code.

Ketone level of urine higher Take the flu medicine prethan normal scribed by your doctor.

Fever over 101 degrees FahrStay home from work or enheit for 24 hours school if you are sick and follow Drowsiness or trouble thinkthese rules: ing clearly Continue to take your diabetes Trouble keeping liquids down medicine, even if you can’t eat. for more than 4 hours Talk to your doctor about any Trouble keeping down food for concerns, or before stopping your more than 24 hours medicine.

Severe diarrhea or vomiting Test your blood sugar every for more than 6 hours four hours and write down the Loss of five pounds or more results.

If you take steps to prevent Drink lots of zero calorie liquid the flu, you have a better chance (water is best). of not getting sick. Don’t forget to Try to keep eating. If you can’t, get enough sleep, drink plenty of try eating soft foods and liquids water, eat lots of fruits and vegetathat contain the same amounts bles and exercise. Michigan State of carbohydrates you usually eat University Extension says that when you are healthy. these healthy behaviors can give Weigh yourself each day. your body the extra boost it needs Weight loss without dieting is a to make it through the flu season sign of high blood sugar. without getting sick.

BY CHRISTI DEMITZ Michigan State University Extension

Did you know?

The next time symptoms of a cold appear could be well worth it to reach for elderberry syrup, lozenges or supplements. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, elderberry, or elder, has been used for centuries to treat various ailments. Elderberry can be applied to the skin to relieve wounds, and it also is effective when taken orally to treat respiratory illnesses like cold and flu.

Some evidence suggests that elderberry may help

reduce swelling in the mucus membranes and sinuses to help relieve nasal congestion. WebMD says elderberry may help boost the immune system and reduce inflammation to relieve pain throughout the body. Some people also rely on elderberry for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and as a laxative. Even though elderberry is an all-natural alternative to medicine, its use should be discussed with a doctor to ensure no contraindications.

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

6

Farm stress after a bad year

BY MIKE MUMAH By most accounts, 2019 was a particularly bad year for Michigan farmers.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA),

2019 was the wettest year on record. Flooding and oversaturated fields in the spring rendered 19.4 million acres of cropland seedless, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of this farmland was in the Midwest.

Coupled with a trade war with China, which has caused even more belt-tightening, 2020 has not started out well for Michigan farmers under stress.

“This has been a particularly difficult growing season

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for Michigan farmers,” said Eric Karbowski, an educator on farm stress for Michigan State University (MSU) Extension in Mount Pleasant.

“Initially, a lot of farmers weren’t able to get their crops into the field.”

Managing a farm, like any other business, has a lot that goes into it. Market prices rise and fall. Disease and weather all factor in. When both factors play a part, farmers in particular can feel it the most.

“I think the occupation of farming in general has a lot of stress attached to it,” Karbowski said. “Commodity prices are one, dairy prices have been hit particularly hard. There are all these uncontrollable factors that create farm stress.”

MSU Extension wants to let Michigan farmers know that there are resources available to them.

“One of the main things in discussions and presentations that I’ve been doing is creating awareness about the topic,” Karbowski said.

“Having a better understanding and some self-awareness about what farm stress looks like in you and your neighbors.”

Farm stress can show itself in many different ways.

Farmers could have a difficult time I’m making decisions. Farmers could seem constantly frustrated or angry. They might become less involved, even to the point where they completely isolate themselves and not do the activities they might normally involve themselves with.

“You can see that secondary stress in the families,” Karbowski said. “You might see children that participated in extracurricular activities in the past are no longer participating. They also might

start acting out in school.

“Farmers are always the first to offer a helping hand,” Karbowski said. “But they don’t necessarily take care of themselves or reach out for help.”

MSU Extension offers a great many resources to aid farmers with their stress. On its website, canr.msu.edu/ managing_farm_stress/index, MSU Extension offers a great number of links that might offer insight to a great number of people. From financial and management guides to just news in their field, it can help just to know that you’re not alone.

“I think the self-awareness is a big first step,” Karbowski said. “Understanding their situation, being comfortable and willing to reach out if they are experiencing some of the more significant stresses and are struggling to the point that they do need some extra support. MSU Extension could be one of those resources.”

Farmers are encouraged to go their website to help find the help they need. You can also contact Karbowski directly through his email, karbows8@msu.edu. For anyone feeling suicidal or having serious mental health concerns, they can call 211 for immediate help. You can also go to mi211.org which is a website that deals with all kinds of mental crises, not just farm stress. You can also call them by simply dialing 211 on your phone.

“For the farmers that are struggling, know that you are not alone,” Karbowski said.

“Know that there are people out there behind the scenes that are creating the tools and resources for farmers and their families so they can be successful with care and support.”

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 7

How to identify and manage liverwort in nurseries and greenhouses New fact sheet now available on identifying and controlling liverwort in nurseries and greenhouse container production HEIDI LINDBERG,Michigan State University Extension; AND MANJOT KAUR SIDHU, Michigan State University Department of Horticulture Liverwort is one of the major weeds in Michigan’s greenhouses and production nurseries. It is primarily a problem in herbaceous perennials, woody ornamentals or crops with long production cycles with a dormant or vernalization period where crops remain damp for long periods of time. There are thousands of liverwort species with Marchantia polymorpha being the most common one prevailing in greenhouses and nurseries, according to Marble et al., 2017.

Liverwort, including Marchantia polymorpha, prefer cool temperatures, low ultraviolet (UV) light radiation, high fertility and moist or damp substrate. It reproduces rapidly in the presence of overhead irrigation, poorly drained or moist areas. The optimum temperature for vegetative growth is 64

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to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. These environmental conditions are common inside greenhouses and nurseries, and the organism thrives and spreads rapidly once established in containers.

Liverworts form dense, prostrate mats covering the soil or container media surface. In container production, liverwort becomes highly competitive with the ornamental crop for water, nutrients and space. The liverwort mat can prevent the irrigation water and fertiligation from reaching the root zone of the ornamental crop and can repel water when dry.

As a result, the overall quality and market value of the ornamental crop decreases.

Marchantia polymorpha is a non-vascular plant and has a thallus structure. It can reproduce through both asexual as well as sexual reproductive cycles. In gametophytic life cycle, the liverwort propagates asexually by producing gemmae within the gemma cups.

Each gemma cup can produce numerous gemmae (asexual plant buds). Gemmae are released to the immediate area when splashed by water from rain or irrigation. After leaving the mother plant, each gemma can form one to two clonal

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plants after contact with moist soil or substrate.

At temperatures 50 to 59 F, Marchantia polymorpha develops sexual structures. Stalked, umbrella-like male and female reproductive structures are borne on separate thalli. Sperm cells produced by the antheridia travel via water (rainwater or irrigation splashing on the upper surface of the antheridiophore) to fertilize the eggs on the undersides of the archegoniophore, according to Marble et al., 2017. After fertilization, spore development takes place.

Once they mature, they get

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dispersed by wind or water and germinate on moist substrate under suitable growing conditions.

Managing liverwort in container production can be challenging. For a successful liverwort control, it may require a combination of herbicide applications along with proper cultural and sanitation practices. There are very few herbicides labeled for greenhouses, as there can be phytotoxic effects on the ornamentals. A Michigan State University Extension fact sheet, “Identifying and managing

liverwort in Michigan nurseries and greenhouses,” has been developed where identification and management strategies of liverwort for container production is discussed. In this fact sheet, readers can find lists of pre and postemergence herbicides that have shown some degree of liverwort control and are safe to apply to ornamental plants in nurseries or greenhouses. This fact sheet can be a useful resource for nursery and greenhouse growers to choose the right strategy for controlling liverwort according their production system.

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

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Muddy fields and rush to finish field work may move soybean cyst nematodes A half-cup of mud may contain thousands of soybean cyst nematodes, each ready to start eating at your soybean profits their fields during smaller windows of opportunity.

This often precludes sanitizing equipment to prevent soil transfer between fields With wet field conditions as well. The result can be a higher incidence of moving during spring planting or soybean cyst nematode-infall harvest season, like we saw in 2019, the equipment fested soil between fields as well as across individual and trucks that enter each field are more likely to carry fields when compared to soil from field to field. Mud drier field conditions. on the wheels or tracks of Soybean cyst nematode equipment, soil collected on levels can vary greatly from flat surfaces of equipment, site to site and season to and even mud on the boots season. The best way to of someone walking in a manage them is to never field are all ways soybean let them into your fields. If cyst nematode (SCN) can you believe you don’t have be moved from an infested soybean cyst nematodes field to an otherwise clean in your fields, soil testing field. is still a good way to confirm your suspicions. The Flooding and moveMichigan Soybean Promoment of soil or water will tion Committee will cover move nematodes, and the cost of analysis, so don’t soybean cyst nematodes just guess. are the most devastating

BY BRIAN LEVENE AND MARISOL QUINTANILLA Michigan State University, Department of Entomology

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If you do have soybean cyst nematodes in your fields, limiting their spread and minimizing their movement is still important.

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Oxygen is essential for the roots of grass to breathe and grow strong enough to support healthy lawns. But according to the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, compacted soil can produce a decrease in oxygen content that can make it hard for roots to thrive. Soil compaction can result from a number of activities, including walking on grass or driving or parking vehicles on grass.

When soil is compacted, it breaks into small particles that

reduce the amount of pore space in the soil. That makes it hard for water, oxygen and nutrients to get through, threatening the strength of the roots and putting the grass in jeopardy. Aerating a lawn can help homeowners foster strong root growth and healthy grass. When to aerate may be contingent upon local climate, so homeowners who suspect the soil in their yards is compact should consult with a local landscaping professional to determine the best time to aerate their lawns.

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 9

New products in the news:

Are you reading a sales pitch?

Knowing when an article is really an advertisement can help you make smart decisions

BY BENJAMIN PHILLIPS AND MARISSA SCHUH, Michigan State University Extension; AND ZACHARY HAYDEN, MSU Department of Horticulture Advertising can help us find good products to consider. However, most of us also understand that advertisements exist to sell a product, and accordingly, we consider claims with a grain of salt.

Do you always know when you’re reading an advertisement? From social media posts to trade journal articles, new marketing strategies can create ambiguity between product effectiveness and simply a sales slogan. While these postings should contain words like ad, sponsored or partner, this isn’t always the case.

Sometimes articles in trade journals and other outlets discuss the novelty and benefits of a product

without making it clear what role the company played in producing the article. The content often sounds authoritative, impartial and backed by science, but this impression can be misleading.

Why is this a problem?

Confusing a sales pitch with unbiased information can affect decisions you make, impacting invested time as well as productivity and profitability of your operation. Of course, this is not limited to agricultural products. You would interpret the claim that “coffee is good for your health” differently if it came from an impartial health researcher versus a coffee advertising executive.

Sponsored advertisements disguised as guest columns occur in many magazines and newspapers, including industry and trade publications. Rooting them out and identifying them for what they are is a broadly applicable skill that can

help you make the smartest purchasing decisions for you and your business.

What to look for Conflicts of interest Who authored the article? Who is quoted?

Are they employed by the company selling the

product? Do they have an incentive or a vested interest in portraying the product positively?

Are the results being misrepresented for financial gain?

Scope of the claims Generally, if it sounds

too good to be true, it usually is. Nothing works all the time or everywhere.

Can you find the original research or just a company summary? Are the authors extrapolating results from the greenhouse to the field Continued on Pg. 10

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

10 Continued From Pg. 9 with no additional field tests, or from one crop to another, or one region to another?

Causation is hard to prove, especially in field settings where the environment outside of a product application plays such a huge factor on crop performance. Multiple replicated trials across regions and crops can show where and when a product is more correlated with crop performance. To treat a product’s advertisement fairly would discuss the positive and negative patterns instead of cherrypicking only the good stuff, and there should always be check or control data to compare to.

Data presentation can mislead as well. Are the scales on the x and y axis appropriate? A 0.5-bushel difference in soybean looks very dramatic when the y axis only encompasses a 5 or 10 bushel total spread.

Your local Michigan State University Extension educator is always available to talk through the science (or lack of science) behind the claim you’re deciphering.

Sources of the claims What evidence is the piece presenting and who are the sources? Often these subtle sales pitches rely on testimonials with product users saying how good the crop looked. There is rarely anything quantifiable. If all you’re reading is glowing testimonials, there is very likely bias. Impartial articles should present appropriate comparisons, contrasts with alternatives

and the cons along with the pros should be plainly apparent and treated fairly.

Another source of claims is scientific journal articles.

Sometimes, a sales pitch will take a general, peerreviewed study and use what it says to support their product. For example, a fertility product might take a scientific paper about the role of field-

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applied nitrogen and how it impacts the environment.

They will link the paper to their product, even if the paper had nothing to say about the fertility product. This gives the product the sheen of the prestigious publication, but the publication is general and did not test the product in question. If the paper is publicly available, using

crtl+F to search the article for the product could help you figure out if the product is discussed in the paper.

If the paper is behind a paywall, your local MSU Extension educator can help you track down and evaluate the paper.

Manufacturers of novel products can have published but questionable scientific papers. It can

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be hard for the public to access journal articles, but you can tell a couple things about the publication from its name. Sometimes you will see papers that appear in publications called proceedings. Proceedings are published material that cover what was presented at a conference, including corporate conferences, and aren’t reviewed by other scientists for validity.

These aren’t always very reliable sources of unbiased information.

Another thing you can look at is the journal itself; a quick search can give you an idea of how reputable a scientific journal is. How many issues are there?

Who publishes it? Are they begging for submissions and will print anything?

Your local MSU Extension educator can assist in tracking down individual scientific papers and reviewing what they say.

Final thought We are not saying new products aren’t effective or that they can’t have a place in your production system. Your local sales representative can be a great source of information.

But knowing when you’re being sold to and when you’re receiving impartial information will help you make better decisions for profitable crop production.

If you have a question about the science or evidence behind a product, MSU Extension is an impartial source for science-based information.

Contact your local MSU Extension educator.

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 11

Factors to consider when purchasing used produce processing equipment On-farm produce safety can be undermined with the wrong postharvest equipment. Consider these food safety concerns when buying equipment and come to an upcoming workshop on hygienic equipment design

BY PHILLIP TOCCO Michigan State University Extension Purchasing equipment for a fruit or vegetable packhouse can be a daunting task. Usually, the last thing on most farmers’ minds when buying equipment is food safety. It’s a good idea to keep a few questions in mind when shopping to help avoid a food safety disaster.

What was its prior use?

Prior uses of equipment can introduce risk because residue may be left in the equipment.

In general, avoid equipment that was previously used for non-food purposes, especially if parts will be direct food contact surfaces. Equipment that was previously used for produce that was destined for further processing will need special attention before it is used for raw produce destined for fresh consumption. A complete cleaning and sanitizing as well

as a thorough inspection is warranted before using it for the first time. Also, consider whether the prior use required a design that enabled the cleaning and sanitization that you need to do.

What is it made of?

Food contact surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitized. In general, smooth, non-permeable surfaces like plastics and stainless steels are more suitable than wood. In some cases, postharvest equipment like barrel washers can be retrofitted with smooth and cleanable parts to make them more sanitary than they were when those same parts are wood.

Can you take it apart relatively easily?

In an ideal world, all equipment should be easy to disassemble for cleaning, inspection and maintenance. In most cases, the ideal equipment does not exist or is too expensive to be practical for many farms. If it isn’t easy to take apart, take

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pains that cleaning is adequately accomplished despite this.

This may require a toolbox close at hand to be able to take the equipment apart, as well as providing 360-degree access to the equipment. One way access is ensured in many produce grading facilities is by elevating

the equipment and providing access above and below the equipment. Training and standard operating procedures (SOP) for deep cleaning should be considered to help improve the efficiency of this important practice. These can be written or pictorial.

Equipment used in fruit and vegetable grading and sorting doesn’t need to be brand new or perfect. By having an eye to food safety as described above when shopping for or replacing equipment, the new-to-you equipment can be better than what you had.

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

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Spring 2019 was not good for farmers. It rained, and rained, and just when you thought it was enough, it rained some more.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA), 2019 was the wettest year on record. Over 19.4 million acres of farmland were left unplanted, according to the US Department of Agriculture, and most of that unplanted cropland was in the Midwest, including Michigan.

“On of the challenges we face when the soil is saturated is that we can’t do the tillage practices that we want to do,” said Christina Curell, the statewide soil health and cover crop educator for Michigan State University (MSU) Extension. “When we till soil, we are causing compaction.”

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Compaction is a serious problem for healthy crops.

Ideally, soil is loose, allowing air and water to form around a seed, giving it the nutrients it needs to become a harvestable, viable plant. Not only does it create a water-tight barrier, roots can’t penetrate it, either.

Seeds need more than dirt, sunlight and water to grow. Like any organisms, seeds require air, water, and nutrients in the soil.

Too much water can cause the seed to become oversaturated and die.

“One of our biggest challenges in planting into wet soil is that the water doesn’t move away and our seeds won’t germinate,” Curell said.

“Another challenge we have is that when we do till, if we tilled last fall, we’re going to do it in the spring,” Curell said. “Our soil is wet and it’s going to be rutted.

We have to somehow level that field without increasing compaction. It really doesn’t happen. Every time we drive across a field or pull equipment, we’re increasing compaction.”

“The challenge is planting the seeds while causing minimal compaction,” Curell said. “If we caused compaction doing tillage in the fall, we have to fix those field before we can plant them.”

Not addressing these issues will also raise plants with shallow root depth, making them highly susceptible to wind. The plants aren’t able to reach the “When we cause compac- nutrients that subsoil may tion, water will be standing have. As a result, a farmer will have a much smaller right at that plow layer,” crop yield.

Curell said. “Then we are “If we then have a really planting into soil which wadry summer, those roots ter cannot be moved from. aren’t deep enough to grab Essentially, we could be water,” Curell said. “We are drowning our seed.”

FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 13 actually causing our water loss to our crops. All of these things can happen if we have a wet, cool spring.”

Ideally, farmers would do everything they can to combat soil compaction in the fall. But if spring comes around and there is still a need, there are still a few things farmers could do.

“In the spring and we have heavy soil, we need to move the water away,” Curell said. “We may have to do tillage. A lot of times, farmers would go to minimal till or no-till if we want to get a crop in.”

Modern farmers don’t till their crops the way their grandparents might have.

Ideally, farmers would use methods that would not disturb the soil.

“Methods that use ‘minimal-disturbance planting’ are optimal ones for soil health,” Curell said. “We don’t want to break up that soil. Contrary to popular belief from the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and even up to the ‘70s, we thought we had to break up soil. We now know that’s not the case.”

But, in cases of a wet spring, tillage might be an answer.

“We still want (farmers) to do the minimal amount of tillage to get the water out of their fields,” says Curell. “There are implements called deep tillers that go down and break up that compaction layer so they don’t disturb the surface. There are all sorts of tillage implements that

farmers can use.”

Another tried-and-true method is to plant cover crops like rye, oats or clover in the fall. These are crops that grow throughout the winter and take away that harmful moisture, even breaking up compaction layers.

“Farmers just need to observe what’s going on around them,” Curell said.

“We had a rough year last year. Farmers are ready to go, they don’t like to sit back. They need to watch the long-range forecasts.

When the fields start to dry out, be ready to plant.”

For more information, visit MSU Extension’s website at canr.msu.edu/ agriculture/index.

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While few would likely be shocked to learn that so many people enjoy dining, the types of restaurants consumers prefer reflects a trend that might not have been so important as recently as a decade ago. The National Restaurant Association notes that 68 percent of

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

14

Ag talk: I gave my presentation, but did my farmers listen to me?

A good speech will increase your audience’s willingness to practice the ideas delivered during your presentation.

BY RICARDO COSTA AND JANELLE STEWART Michigan State University Extension Before the era of the internet and smartphones, there were only a few ways for producers to find reliable information about crop management, and going to field days and conferences was by far the best option to keep up to date with the new findings and technologies. Today, farmers have almost all of the information they need at their fingertips, so driving for a few hours to listen to a speaker is something that needs to be worth their time. Taking that into consideration, what can you do to engage with farmers?

How do you give a presentation knowing your audience

understood and appreciated your talk?

Take a short survey prior to the meeting.

First of all, know your audience. Knowing your audience’s background will help you to tailor your talk to that specific group. You don’t need their names, but knowing who your audience is will help you figure out what topics will be more appealing to that group. It is not uncommon to hear farmers complaining about speakers that were speaking about topics that had little or no relevance to them, or using too many complex terms and forgetting to address the points farmers really care about.

Build in the presentation information by gathering questions.

Michigan State University Extension suggests these tips to know your audience: Review registrations.

Putting aside some time to prepare your presentation is essential. Farmers notice if a presenter is not prepared, and that can affect how much they will trust you and how many of them will ever return to listen to you again.

Indications of a prepared presenter: Practice prior to the presentation.

Know the information without reading it.

Move words from slides to the notes section.

Utilize appropriate images, charts and graphics.

Indications of an unprepared presenter are slides with heavy text and reading directly from the screen.

Another thing to think about is how long your presentation

should be. Some speakers believe they need to talk about everything they learned in a full year of research during a 50-minute talk. That is definitely not the case. It is better to focus on two to three subtopics and make sure the public will remember them after your speech.

In a nutshell, presentations should have: An attention-getter.

A main topic.

Two to three subtopics.

A conclusion.

A call to action.

You speak, but so does your body. Body language and voice

intonation need to be taken into consideration. It does not matter how much you know about your topic, no one will listen to you if you sound monotone. Make eye contact and use your body to help the engagement process. Jokes make every situation better, but use this technique only if you feel comfortable doing so.

Your job as a presenter is not only to deliver the information.

You need to ensure your audience leaves knowing more from listening to you. In addition, you represent your employer as well as yourself.

Your goal is to leave a good impression on your audience.

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • MARCH 2020 15

Risks posed by cats on produce farms Many farmers rely on cats to control rodents on farms, limiting crop loss and reducing other produce safety risks from rodents. However, cats bring risks of their own. Here’s how you can reduce those risks. as an infection, cats serve as a they shed its infectious oocysts, reproductive host. or “eggs,” for the first two weeks

BY PHILLIP TOCCO, Research suggests that about or so. After this, they carry the Michigan State University Extension 25% of cats carry T. gondii.

Some parasite with them, but don’t and Chris Callahan, University of cats are more infectious than shed the oocysts. These oocysts Vermont Extension others, though. When cats first can persist in soil and water for over a year. If soil or water Many small produce growers get infected with the parasite, rely on cats to control rodents on farms. These working animals seem like a good way to limit crop loss and reduce other produce safety risks from rodents. Unfortunately, cats bring risks of their own. Cats are the only full cycle host of a protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii or ‘toxo’).

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule generally requires “measures reasonably necessary to prevent the introduction of known or reasonably foreseeable hazards into covered produce” (112.11).

The rule specifically requires an assessment of areas where covered activities take place for evidence of potential contamination and evaluate whether covered produce can be harvested if there is a reasonable probability of contamination (112.83). This includes observing an animal in a production or handling area such as a greenhouse or packing shed.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 40 million people in the U.S. carry T. gondii, many without obvious symptoms. According to the CDC, toxoplasmosis, the disease caused by a T. gondii infection, can injure the fetuses of pregnant women, causing brain damage, hearing loss and blindness in the unborn child. In addition to the special risks to pregnant women, toxoplasmosis can cause flu-like symptoms and sometimes can interact with ocular disease with progressive loss of vision or blindness.

T. gondii generally spreads by infecting warm blooded animals.

The animals acquire the parasite by drinking infected water or eating soil or food with cat feces in it. Humans can get sick from eating raw or undercooked meat Corner of M-37 & Sparta Ave., Sparta, MI from animals with an active Hours: infection. When T. gondii infects most animals, no reproductive Mon-Thur 9-8, Fri 9-6, Sat 9-3 structures or oocysts are created.

In cats, these oocysts are created and shed. So, while most animals can carry the pathogen

contaminated with oocysts is on produce and is not washed off, the cysts can be eaten and a person can contract the disease.

Contaminated produce, water and other food contact surfaces can lead to additional produce

contamination via crosscontamination.

Research has found T. gondii present on produce in retail stores at about the same Continued on Pg. 16

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FAMILY & FARM • Supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper & Pioneer East Shopper • 2020

16 Continued From Pg. 15 frequency as other foodborne illness parasites. Other studies point to occurrences as high as 10% in produce samples taken from retail and home gardens.

Individuals that regularly handle unwashed produce, like harvest workers, have an elevated risk of infection of toxoplasmosis.

T. gondii oocysts have been shown to attach to soft fruits like raspberries and blueberries and maintain infectivity at low doses for long periods of time.

Recent research on toxoplasmosis has shown that the protozoan can readily spread through water. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule also requires the inspection and maintenance of agricultural water sources, distribution systems, facilities and equipment to minimize known or reasonably foreseeable hazards (112.42). In situations where a farm uses poor hygienic practices, the parasite can contaminate shallow wells.

Keeping cats out of areas where they can access agricultural water sources will help reduce the potential spread of toxoplasmosis through water to fresh produce.

Key recommendations Keep cats out of production areas, such as fields and packhouses.

Practice good hygiene before entering production areas, e.g., clean boots, clean clothes, washed hands.

Exclude cats from wellhead areas, especially pit wells and enclosed wellheads.

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