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Crop Conditions
It’s finally wet out there! Everyone got some rain and some areas have gotten over 1.5 inches in the past few days, with several hours still to go before this storm winds down. The rain may be a bit late for many crops but it is still a welcome relief, keeping down the dust and refilling streams, rivers, and ponds that were getting low. As of September 9, almost all of MA was declared to be in a mild or moderate drought.
Most pests take a back seat at this time, as the focus shifts to getting as much out of the field as possible. One notable exception is allium leafminer—we are at about mid-flight and leeks should be protected now to prevent damage.
Summer and bulk fall harvests continue, as we still have not seen any hard frosts. The first frost dates in MA range from October 1 in the cooler locations to November 20 in the warmest spots but we all know too well that they can vary widely year to year, so we always get a lot of questions this time of year about what to pull or cover when. I always turn to this factsheet from Michigan State University Extension for my annual reminder, I suggest you bookmark it too!
We are pleased to announce a farmer listening session with the regional director of the USDA-Risk Management Agency and a representative from the Farm Services Agency on November 6 in Hadley, MA. Please come and share your experiences, good or bad, with federal crop insurance programs so that we can help improve programming to better fit our region. Growers of all scales are encouraged to come, regardless of whether you use crop insurance, since any feedback about your risk management needs in the face of unpredictable weather can be used to inform both state and federal efforts. In-person attendance is encouraged but an online option will also be provided for those who can’t make it out. Registration is not required but will help us with planning.
Contact Us
Contact the UMass Extension Vegetable Program with your farm-related questions, any time of the year. We always do our best to respond to all inquiries.
Vegetable Program: 413-577-3976, umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu (umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu)
Staff Directory: https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/faculty-staff
Home Gardeners: Please contact the UMass GreenInfo Help Line with home gardening and homesteading questions, at greeninfo[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu (greeninfo[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu).
Cut Flower Pest Alerts
Rose
Spot anthracnose (Elsinoe rosarum) was detected on roses in Hampshire Co. last week. Symptoms include numerous small spots and blotches on the leaves, canes and pedicels. The spots are reddish-purple, turning to gray over time. Sometimes, the center of the spots becomes very thin and falls away, creating holes. The disease likely overwinters on infected canes or fallen leaves by the base of the plant. Spot anthracnose outbreaks typically correlate with wet weather. To manage, remove fallen leaves in the fall and improve air flow by pruning. For more severe cases, fungicide applications in the spring (before pollinators are active) can help protect developing leaves. Products with copper hydroxide, mancozeb and propiconazole should provide effective control, in addition to cultural practices.
Snapdragons
Anthracnose (Colletotrichum sp./spp.) was detected on snapdragons last week in Hampshire Co. Anthracnose is a common disease in ornamental plants and is characterized by tan or white spots with dark borders on leaves and stems. Spores are spread by splashing water, wind, and the hands of farm workers. To manage, start with healthy transplants grown using sanitized pots, flats and benches. Reduce leaf wetness by increasing plant spacing, pruning, watering only in the mornings, and using drip irrigation. Remove and discard infected plant debris immediately. OMRI-labeled products that may protect uninfected plants include Milstop, copper, and horticultural oils.
Multiple Crops
Alternaria (Alternaria zinnia) was detected on zinnias, cosmos and marigolds in Hampshire Co. last week. Symptoms include small, round leaf spots, which may be tan in the center and have a dark border. Alternaria is a very common fungal genus, and spores are spread easily by wind and splashing water. The disease is also spread through infected plant debris and seed. To manage, make sure to start with clean seed (do not save seed from infected plants). Space plants properly to facilitate good air flow and use drip irrigation instead of overhead. Remove infected plant debris at the end of the season and burn or compost it. Rotate away from susceptible crops for at least 3 years. Some zinnia varieties (e.g. Z. angustifolia) are resistant. OMRI-listed products that may provide some protection include copper, oils, potassium bicarbonate, and hydrogen peroxide/peroxyacetic acid.
Pollinator Plantings on Vegetable Farms
As interest in pollinators has risen over the past decades, so too has the desire to provide habitat in a variety of locations, including farms. Two of the most common types of intentional pollinator plantings are hedgerows and floral or insectary strips.
Hedgerows are typically defined as a dense mixture of native plants, including shrubbery that can act as a windbreak or a physical barrier for livestock, and provide floral resources for beneficial insects, amongst other benefits. They may be quite tall.
Floral or insectary strips are typically defined as native flowering plant species, primarily included as habitat for pollinators and natural pest enemies. These strips may be lower-growing than hedgerows.
Research indicates that not only do native perennial plantings lining agricultural areas increase nesting sites and forage opportunities for insects, but they boost pollinator visitation to adjacent agricultural fields. This may increase pollination services on farm sites, while potentially also reducing the need for, and expense of, supplemental pollination by managed honeybees. Beyond habitat provisioning and boosted pollination services, these intentionally planted strips can also boost pest control services by supporting natural enemies.
While hedgerows and insectary strips can serve meaningful economic returns after several years of establishment, they also represent a conservation opportunity on lands that are often dominated by monocultural plantings or mixed-crop, cultivar plantings. Many native bee species in Massachusetts rely on native plants, with a preference for wild-type species rather than heavily altered cultivars. Some at-risk bee species native to the state, including the yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), are associated with certain plants. Hedgerows or floral strips that include these flowering plant species can provide critical habitat for B. fervidus and other vulnerable insects.
To learn more about hedgerows, insectary strips, and plants for particular native bee species in Massachusetts, see the resources below:
List of Specialist Bees in Massachusetts and their Floral Hosts
More Information about Wild-Type Native Plants and Their Associated Cultivars
--Written by Nicole Bell, UMass Extension Pollinator Specialist
Identifying Diseases of Carrots
Storage carrots are sizing up now as we enter fall, putting energy into root growth and beginning to convert starches into sugars as the temperatures drop. Carrots can be affected by many bacterial and fungal diseases, as well as nematode pests in the field or while in storage. Foliar diseases may cause lower yields due to loss of photosynthetic ability, difficulty harvesting if the tops are weakened, and lower marketability if the carrots cannot be sold in bunches. Root diseases can lower yields of fresh eating carrots and can spread in storage, drastically reducing sales through later markets. Root diseases are caused by soil-dwelling organisms and therefore their incidence may vary considerably from farm to farm or even from one side of a field to the other. Proper disease identification will help you to prevent future outbreaks by adjusting crop rotations accordingly, and will prevent moving infested soil from field to field. Some of the major carrot disease symptoms are described below. If you are noticing foliar or root symptoms like those described, send a sample to your state diagnostic lab to confirm, and take steps to protect current and future crops. See the UMass Diagnostic Lab website for their sample submission instructions.
Foliar Diseases
Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria dauci and A. radicina) symptoms first appear along leaflet margins as greenish-brown, water-soaked lesions, which enlarge, turn brown to black, and often develop a yellow halo. Older leaves are more susceptible to infection. Leaves often appear singed or burned from afar. When about 40% of the leaf is infected, the leaf yellows, collapses, and dies. Lesions on petioles are also common and can quickly kill entire leaves. A. radicina can also produce a dry, mealy, black decay known as black rot on carrot roots held in storage.
Bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas campestris pv. carotae) symptoms initially look similar to those of Alternaria leaf blight; symptoms appear primarily on leaf margins as small, yellow, angular leaf spots, which expand, turn brown to black with a yellow halo, and become dry and brittle. Leaflets may become distorted and curled. Symptoms can extend into petioles where they produce a yellow-brown, gummy exudate, and may also occur on flower stalks. Infected umbels can be completely blighted and seed infection can occur—use treated seed to prevent introducing this disease.
Root Diseases
Root knot nematode (Meloidagyne hapla) forms galls or root thickenings of various sizes and shapes. Where soil populations of M. hapla are high, symptoms include stunted plants, uneven stands, premature leaf death, and forking and swelling of both lateral and tap roots, which can significantly reduce marketable yield. M. hapla persists in the soil and has a very wide host range so rotation can be difficult, but grasses are non-hosts so small grains, corn, and grassy cover crops such as Sudangrass can be grown in rotations to reduce the size of the population.
Black root rot (Thielaviopsis basicola) occurs primarily in storage when temperature and humidity are too high. The fungus causes superficial, irregular, black lesions on roots. The discoloration, caused by masses of dark brown to black chlamydospores, is limited to the skin. The pathogen rapidly invades wounded tissue and is favored by long post-harvest periods without cooling, so careful harvest and immediate cooling (<41°F) can minimize the impact of this disease.
White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) affects many vegetable crops but carrots are particularly susceptible, especially late in the season and during storage. The fungus may be present in soil, storage areas, or containers. Symptoms include characteristic white mycelial growth and hard, black sclerotia (masses of fungal tissue surrounded by a hard, black rind that serve as long-term survival structures), which may be seen on the crown of infected carrots. In storage, carrots develop a soft, watery rot, and fluffy, white mycelia and sclerotia can also develop. Sclerotia can persist in the soil for many years and the fungus has a very wide host range, making this disease difficult to manage. Grasses and onions are non-hosts that can be used in rotations, and a commercially available biocontrol product, Contans, has been shown to be effective in parasitizing overwintering sclerotia. Contans should be incorporated into infested soils in the fall to give the biocontrol fungus time to infect the sclerotia.
Cavity spot and root dieback (Pythium spp.): Infections from several Pythium species can occur during early root development and are favored by moist soil conditions. Root dieback symptoms appear as rusty-brown lateral root formation or forking and stunting; symptoms that can be easily confused with damage from nematodes, soil compaction, or soil drainage problems. Cavity spot often shows up later in the season, closer to harvest. Horizontal, sunken lesions varying in size from 1-10 mm appear on the surface of the root and can provide an ingress for secondary fungal or bacterial infections.
Crown rot (Rhizoctonia carotae): Early symptoms are horizontal dark brown lesions around the root crown. As the crop matures, the tops may die in patches in the field and as the disease progresses, lesions coalesce to form large, deep, rotten areas on the crown of the root. R. carotae can also cause crater rot and violet root rot, but these diseases are less common in MA. Crown rot is favored by moist conditions, so if you have a known infested field, planting on raised beds and/or avoiding low or compacted areas in the field can minimize disease incidence.
Scab (Streptomyces spp.) can cause both raised and sunken, dry, corky lesions on the carrot root. This disease is less common than others described in this article and when it does occur symptoms are rarely severe enough to cause major losses in yield or marketability. Avoid planting carrots in alkaline soils, which are known to favor the incidence of scab, or in fields that were previously planted in potatoes that had high incidence of scab, as the species that infects potatoes can also infect carrots.
Bacterial soft rot (Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum) is a common disease in storage where it infects roots that were previously wounded or diseased. It occurs in the field only rarely, under extremely wet soil conditions. Symptoms start as small, water-soaked lesions that quickly spread and cause affected areas to become mushy, though the skin may remain intact over the liquefied flesh underneath. To avoid problems in storage, avoid wounding carrots during harvest and washing and maintain proper storage conditions.
To avoid losses in storage, try to achieve optimum storage conditions of 32-34°F (essential to minimize decay and sprouting during storage) and high relative humidity (required to prevent desiccation and loss of crispness). Mature topped carrots can be stored for 7-9 months at 32°F with 98-100% RH. Those ideal conditions are difficult to achieve, but topped carrots are often successfully stored for 5-6 months at 32-41°F with 90-95% RH. Prompt cooling of harvested carrots to below 41°F also helps prevent some diseases and maintain crispiness. Carrots produce very little ethylene (a byproduct of respiration) themselves but are sensitive to ethylene produced by other crops in storage, and exposure causes production of the bitter compound isocoumarin, which is concentrated in the peel—peeling carrots will remove the isocoumarin. Unless outside temperatures are very low or very high, ventilation is an inexpensive method of reducing ethylene levels. Ethylene can also be absorbed on commercially available potassium permanganate pellets.
--Written by Susan B. Scheufele, UMass Extension
Fall Soil Testing
Although soil samples can be taken any time of year, many growers prefer to take samples in the fall. This allows time to apply lime if soil pH needs to be adjusted, plant a cover crop to recover any leftover nutrients, make a nutrient management plan, and order materials well in advance of spring planting. Furthermore, the UMass Soil Testing Lab and most similar labs tend to have higher demand in the spring and turn-around times are faster in the fall and winter.
Soil Sampling Tips
It is best to take soil samples at the same time of year for the most consistent and reliable results. Avoid sampling when the soil is very wet or soon after a lime or fertilizer application. If a field is uniform, a single composite sample is sufficient. A composite sample consists of 10 to 20 sub-samples taken from around the field that are then mixed together. To obtain sub-samples, you can use a spade to take thin slices of soil representing the top 6" to 8” of soil. A soil probe is faster and more convenient to use than a spade and is worth the small investment if you have many fields to sample. Remove any thatch or other organic material such as manure from the surface before taking your sample, as this will result in inaccurate soil organic matter levels. Put the slices or cores into a clean container and thoroughly mix. Take about one cup of the mixture, spread it out on paper to dry overnight at room temperature, and put it in a zip lock bag. Samples do not need to be fully dry to submit, but drying them overnight will speed up the process at the lab. Label each sample on the outside of the bag, and fill out the sample submission form thoroughly—see links below. The instructions below are correct for the UMass Lab; make sure you follow specific sampling, packaging, and labeling instructions for the lab you use.
Many fields are not uniform for many reasons, including uneven topography, wet and dry areas, different soil types, and areas with varying previous crop and fertilizing practices. For example, there might be a place in a field where a tractor accidentally dumped an excess amount of lime. In such cases, the field should be subdivided and composite samples collected and tested for each section. Alternatively, known problem areas can be avoided entirely.
Soils should be tested for nutrient levels and organic matter content every two or three years, unless a specific soil management process needs to be evaluated sooner. Organic matter testing is not included in routine UMass Soil Lab tests, so be sure to check the box on the sample submission form if you want organic matter results. A routine soil test at the UMass Soil Lab costs $20; organic matter is an additional $6.
Submitting Soil Samples
It’s important to request the appropriate test for the type of material you are submitting: field soil vs. soilless greenhouse media vs. high tunnel soil. Different materials are tested with different procedures that mimic how nutrients will become available to plants in the relevant field or greenhouse setting. If you have any questions about what type of test to request, you can contact the UMass Soil Lab at soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu (soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu) or the UMass Vegetable Program at umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu (umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu) or (413) 577-3976.
Ordering information and forms for the UMass Soil Lab are available here. For Routine Soil Tests for field soil, commercial growers should use the Commercial Vegetables and Fruits order form. Nutrient recommendations for commercial tests will be given in pounds per acre. Home gardeners should use the Home Grounds and Gardening order form, which will provide recommendations in pounds per 100 square feet. If you want to receive crop-specific nutrient recommendations with your test results, be sure to indicate the crops that will be grown on the submission form.
The UMass Soil Lab is currently offering routine soil tests, pre-sidedress soil nitrate tests (PSNTs), soil texture analysis, soilless greenhouse media tests, total sorbed metals tests, and plant tissue testing for nutrient analysis. Manure or compost analysis is available through the University of Maine Soil Lab or the Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab.
Types of Fall Soil Tests
The most common tests to request in the fall are routine soil tests and nitrate tests.
A routine soil test includes phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, as well as micronutrients. At UMass, the routine test automatically includes pH, but does not include nitrate or organic matter; these additional parameters can be requested as add-ons to the routine test. If the crop is indicated on the submission form, routine soil test results will inform how much of what type of fertilizer or soil amendment you should add to a field for that crop the following season, based on that crop’s nutrient needs and the soil test results. Haven’t prepared your crop rotation plans yet? No worries. You may ask for recommendations for up to 3 different crops without extra charge. The Home Grounds and Gardening form gives you the option to request general vegetable nutrient recommendations instead of crop by crop—this can also be useful for small-scale commercial growers if you don’t have the capacity to tailor your fertilization to each crop.
Nitrate levels are evaluated separately from the routine soil test. These tests are called pre-sidedress soil nitrate tests or PSNTs, although they can be used for reasons other than informing the need for sidedressing. A mid-season nitrate test will tell you if sidedressing with nitrogen (N) is necessary. A fall nitrate test will tell you if you have excess N in the soil at the end of the season. This will inform whether to increase or decrease N fertilizer applications next season and whether you should plant a fall cover crop to scavenge and store the excess N for next spring. Soil nitrate content above 20 ppm in the fall indicates that too much N fertilizer was applied that season and an N-scavenging fall cover crop should be planted. Nitrate is very ephemeral in soils and is easily lost to leaching and to the air, so nitrate left in the soil at the end of the season will not be there next spring. If you have high soil nitrate content in the fall, planting a fall cover crop will scavenge this N. When the cover crop is tilled in the following spring, the N will then be available for your next cash crop. At the UMass Soil Lab, use the Pre-Sidedress Soil Nitrate Test form to submit a nitrate test soil sample. Each PSNT test is $15, or check the box for nitrate on the routine soil test submission form for only an additional $8.
Interpreting Results and Choosing Amendments
Fall soil test results are primarily used to calculate fertilizer and other amendment needs for the following spring. We can provide fertilizer calculation support for commercial growers—contact us at umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu (umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu) or (413) 577-3976—or, see our Calculating Fertilizer Applications fact sheet for step-by-step instructions. The UMass Soil Lab also provides a fact sheet on Interpreting Your Soil Test Results, with an explanation of all the information that appears on your results. In addition to fertilizers, there are several other common soil amendments that can be considered, based on fall soil test results. Below are explanations of some amendments:
Lime
Most New England soils are naturally acidic (pH of 4.5 to 5.5) and need to be limed periodically to keep the pH in the range of 6.0 to 7.0, which is ideal for most vegetable crops and beneficial microbes. Heavier soils or soils with high organic matter will buffer pH change better than sandy soils, and soil lab lime recommendations will take this into account. Lime can be applied any time, but it will change pH slowly, so fall applications are sometimes preferred to allow several months to raise the pH. Split applications (half in the fall and half in the spring) may also be effective. Powdered lime and pelleted lime (which is lime that is powdered then re-formed into pellets for ease of application) will react and raise the pH faster than regular lime, but are also much more expensive. Use dolomitic lime if your soil has low magnesium and calcitic lime if not. See Soil Acidity, pH, and Liming in the New England Vegetable Management Guide for more information on liming.
Compost
Compost is often applied in order to increase soil organic matter but also contain soluble nutrients that are available for crop use. Composts usually primarily add phosphorous to soils. Composts do also usually contain N, but only about 10% of the total N content in compost is available to the crop each year. If not applied to actively growing crops, phosphorous from composts can be lost to the environment.
Nutrient levels in composts can vary widely—e.g. phosphorous levels can vary from 0.1-3%—so analysis is important for determining rates of application. A compost analysis should be completed to measure nutrient availability and to determine if the product is finished before applying to the field. Unfinished compost applied to the field may pose microbial food safety risks or cause crop ammonium toxicity as it continues to decompose. Ammonium content below 100mg/kg and a carbon:nitrogen ratio of 20:1 indicates a finished compost. Higher amounts of ammonium indicate active decomposition, or unfinished compost. The C:N ratio is reduced as microbes break down carbon content in the pile and convert it to CO2. Compost analysis is available through the UMaine Soil Lab or the Penn State soil lab.
Matured compost applications are usually made in the spring; however, testing may happen in the fall in order to estimate plant available nutrients for next year’s crop and help determine future compost application rates.
Manure
Manure is an excellent source of nutrients, however, as manure ages and decays, considerable nutrient loss occurs from leaching, surface runoff, or volatilization of ammonia into the atmosphere. Manure may also contain pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella. If raw manure is applied to vegetable fields, especially for crops that are likely to be consumed raw (e.g. carrots, but not potatoes), this food safety risk should be minimized by maximizing the interval between manure application and crop harvest. Certified organic producers must follow the National Organic Program Standards (NOP) 90/120 day rule that says that you need to wait 120 days after raw manure application to harvest vegetables where the harvestable portion of the crop is likely to touch the soil (e.g. carrots, melons, lettuce), or 90 days for vegetables where the harvestable portion of the crop is not likely to touch the soil (e.g. tomatoes, peppers). For farms covered by the Food Safety Modernization Act, there is no specified application interval required but this NOP rule is a good rule-of-thumb to follow per the FDA. Ideally, manure should be applied in the fall or to a non-food rotation crop. Fall-applied manure should be incorporated immediately and a winter cover crop should be planted to protect N from leaching. Make manure applications in cold weather to reduce volatilization, but not to frozen ground, as this increases surface runoff potential. In no-till systems, research has shown that surface-applying manure to a growing cover crop will reduce nutrient losses compared to surface applications to bare ground. In order to make accurate nutrient applications to best fit your crop needs, a manure analysis should be conducted. Manure analysis is available through the UMaine Soil Lab or the Penn State soil lab. Be sure to submit your samples in a tightly sealed container or the postal service will be very unhappy with you!
Cover Crops
Cover crops planted in the fall, (historically before September 15, although that date is moving later and later every year), are an excellent way to capture and store nutrients for your crops in the following spring. All cover crops will scavenge leftover N, but different cover crop types add or immobilize different amounts of plant-available nitrogen (PAN) to the soil when incorporated in the spring. See our Late Season Cover Crops article for details in addition to what is below.
- Legume cover crops provide up to 100 lb PAN/A when incorporated, because they fix N from the air. To maximize PAN contribution from legumes, kill the cover crop at bud stage in the spring.
- Cereal cover crops immobilize up to 50 lb PAN/A because the high carbon content leads to a spike in soil microbe activity, which ties up the N in the soil. To minimize PAN immobilization from cereals, kill the cover crop during the early stem elongation (jointing) growth stage.
- Legume/cereal cover crop mixtures vary widely in how much PAN they add to the soil, depending on legume content. When the dry matter from a cover crop mix is 75% from cereals + 25% from legumes, PAN contributions is usually near zero when incorporated. Higher legume content means higher PAN contribution and higher cereal content means more N immobilization.
Micronutrients
Routine soil tests are calibrated for macronutrient content levels. Because micronutrient levels in soil are comparatively very low, these levels are not accurately measured by routine soil tests. Plants require very low levels of most micronutrients and it is generally uncommon to have micronutrient deficiencies in New England soils. Additionally, the “recommended” ranges listed for micronutrients are not optimal ranges, as they are for macronutrients, but instead are the typical ranges found among samples submitted to the lab. The best way to diagnose and address micronutrient deficiencies in vegetable crops is to scout for nutrient deficiency symptoms and submit tissue samples during the growing season. For recommendations on specific micronutrients needed for crop growth, such as boron, see the Micronutrient section of the New England Vegetable Management Guide.
Most nutrient applications should be made in spring, when a growing crop is best able to use the applied nutrients and avoid leaching, runoff, or volatilization.
Need further assistance interpreting your soil test results? Contact the UMass Soil Lab at soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu (soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu) or our Soil Health Extension Educator, Artie Siller, at asiller[at]umass[dot]edu (asiller[at]umass[dot]edu) or (413) 545-9747.
--UMass Vegetable Program
News
UMASS and NRCS partner to improve pest management on farms
Many of you may know that the NRCS can provide financial assistance for growers to implement new or expanded conservation practices e.g., planting a pollinator hedgerow, seeding cover crops, reducing tillage; they can also help with certain pest management activities.
Managing pests on diverse fruit and vegetable farms is complicated. NRCS Pest Management Conservation System (Conservation Practice 595) is included in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). A pest management system should be able to reduce plant pest pressure, reduce injury to beneficial organisms and/or reduce transport of pesticides to surface and ground water. UMass Extension is working with MA-NRCS to improve pest management in Massachusetts.
If you wish to improve your farm’s pest management, UMass Extension can develop a pest management plan that fits your operation. Certain components of this pest management plan may be funded by NRCS. NRCS funding options may include labor and materials used in the pest management plan such as pest scouting, insect exclusion netting, weather data collection, and more.
Contact UMass Extension vegetable, fruit, and cranberry staff to discuss a pest management system for your farm. Email umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu (umassveg[at]umass[dot]edu) or call 413-577-3976 to get started on your NRCS-funded IPM plan today!
The USDA’s planned reorganization – comment period extended to September 30th
The Secretary of Agriculture released a 5-page memorandum on July 24th describing the Department’s plan to reorganize the USDA, along with a press release about the move on August 1st. The reorganization would close the USDA South Building in Washington D.C., Braddock Place in Alexandria, VA, and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, and relocate most Washington-based positions to 5 regional hubs in Raleigh, NC; Kansas City, MO; Indianapolis, IN; Fort Collins, CO; and Salt Lake City, UT.
Initially, the announcement was accompanied by only a 30-day comment period but the period was extended to 60 days, ending on September 30th. While public comments are often accepted through the Federal Register and available for public view, comments for the reorganization plan are being accepted only by email at reorganization[at]usda[dot]gov (reorganization[at]usda[dot]gov), though some organizations have released their own public statements.
For more information about the plan and its potential impacts, you can read the memorandum and view the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry hearing held on July 30th with Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden. Additionally, here are news articles about the plan and the hearing from The Packer and University of Illinois Farm Policy News.
How to Submit Comments
All stakeholders, including USDA employees, members of Congress, and agricultural and nutrition partners, are encouraged to provide feedback by emailing reorganization[at]usda[dot]gov (reorganization[at]usda[dot]gov). The comment period is open through September 30, 2025.
Events
Soil Health and Management Workshop at GreenRoots
When: Saturday, September 27, 10am-12pm
Where: GreenRoots La Finca, 78 Miller St, Chelsea
In this workshop, attendees will learn how to observe, analyze, and care for soil health, understanding its vital role in food production and ecosystem balance. Includes hands-on demonstrations and insights from UMass Extension's Urban Mentor Farm Program.
**Refreshments and Spanish interpretation provided.
Click the link HERE for more details in English and Spanish or email vladimirp[at]greenrootsej[dot]org (vladimirp[at]greenrootsej[dot]org) and urbanag[at]umass[dot]edu (urbanag[at]umass[dot]edu)!
CISA Climate Week
When: September 21st – 28th, 2025
Where: Various locations
Climate Change and Farming Week is held annually in September, in conjunction with nationwide Climate Week events and the UN General Assembly meetings in New York. This collaborative event series seeks to celebrate climate resiliency and facilitate stronger and broader relationships between our food system’s stakeholders through learning and adapting together.
See CISA's Climate Week page for a full list of events, including the Dining for a Cooler Planet event at UMass Amherst's Berkshire Dining Commons!
New England Cut Flower Collectives
When: November 6, 11-12pm
Where: Virtual (zoom)
Registration: Free. REGISTER HERE
Do you grow cut flowers? Ever wondered what it would be like to sell your flowers as part of a grower collective? Join us for a lunchtime webinar to learn more! Representatives from the two New England cut flower collectives - located in Maine and Connecticut - will describe how their collectives started and how they operate today. We will also discuss efforts to create a cut flower collective here in Massachusetts and connect you with the growers spearheading that effort.
Massachusetts Agricultural Risk Management Forum
When: Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 2pm to 4pm
Where: Venture Way Collaborative, 200 Venture Way, Hadley MA 01035 and online
Registration: REGISTER HERE
Extreme weather has taken a toll on Massachusetts' farmers in recent years. UMass Extension is organizing this forum to bring together representatives from the USDA Risk Management Agency (Kevin Wooten, Regional Director in Raleigh, NC) and the Farm Service Agency (Julie Jacque, VT-FSA) to give updates on available risk management options for MA specialty crop growers. There will be significant time for the growers and others in attendance to ask questions and share feedback about their needs and concerns.
The link to join online will be sent to all registrants and will be posted on the UMass event page:
https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/vegetable/events/massachusetts-agricultural-risk-management-forum
Vegetable Notes. Maria Gannett, Genevieve Higgins, Lisa McKeag, Susan Scheufele, Alireza Shokoohi, and Hannah Whitehead, co-editors. All photos in this publication are credited to the UMass Extension Vegetable Program unless otherwise noted.
Where trade names or commercial products are used, no company or product endorsement is implied or intended. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for product use. Disregard any information in this newsletter if it is in conflict with the label.
The University of Massachusetts Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer, United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Contact your local Extension office for information on disability accommodations. Contact the State Center Directors Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 413-545-4800.
