IS YOUR FARMING OPERATION COMPLIANT?

For Worker Safety and Food Safety questions, contact your GAR Bennett Compliance Team today at [email protected]

CROP PROTECTION

Almonds: Growers are preparing for hull spilt. Weeds are being cleaned up and most growers are wrapping up fertilizer applications. As we reach triple-digit temperatures, be on the lookout for mites. GAR Bennett PCAs are spotting some mite hot spots throughout the Valley. Monitor your fire ant pressures as well and consult your PCA if treatments are needed.

Citrus: Some growers are monitoring and re-treating for thrips, but most fruit is past the danger stage for this pest. Treatment times for red scale have begun; consult your GAR Bennett PCA on applications and timings appropriate for your location. PCAs are seeing high populations of citricola scale. Continue to monitor for this pest and time treatments in June through July, into August. This is peak hatch time for this pest. Keep an eye out for cottony cushion scale as well and try not to treat too early for this pest. Vedalia beetles serve as a biological control for cottony cushion scale, however they tend to move out as temperatures increase. Some Satsuma and Cara Cara growers are treating for sunburn protection. Growers are monitoring for mites, continuing fertility treatments and cleaning up weeds.

Grapes: June calls for staying on top of powdery mildew and pests to ensure a great harvest. Be sure to keep your vineyards clean this month as powdery mildew may cause bunch rot issues later on. Powdery mildew has been spiking in the last few weeks; consult with your GAR Bennett PCA on treatment options and application timing. Worm and mite populations have been low. Leafhoppers and mealybugs have been spotted in the field as well as spiders.

Stone Fruit: Worm pressure has been normal so far this season. Oriental fruit moth (OFM) timing may start in a few days. Consult with you GAR Bennett PCA about possible mite treatments that can be added to the worm sprays or about applications in blocks that have already been harvested. Katydids have been found to migrate into certain fields as harvest time approaches, which requires extra sprays. Less common pests like squash bugs and stink bugs have also been reported this year.

Cherries: Growers are continuing to complete summer tasks such as pruning, topping and applying sunburn protection. We are continuing to supply and line up fertilizer applications dependent on field needs as we approach fruit differentiation. Weeds are being cleaned up and we are monitoring for mites. If you have a history of this pest, consult your GAR Bennett PCA for advice.

Pistachios: We are reaching the end of chinch bug issues on young trees. Last month, PCAs were spotting this pest on the west side near I-5. Botryosphaeria (BOT) sprays finished up about two weeks ago for some growers. If you didn’t spray, keep an eye on leaves and nuts for speckling. This is a critical time for proper irrigation. Be sure not to underirrigate as this may cause shells to not split. The more split shells we have at harvest, the better.

Walnuts: Codling moth, BOT and mite treatments are currently happening in the field. Some growers are also applying sunburn protection. Weeds are being cleaned up and growers are staying on top of their nutritional programs. If you are experiencing nutrient deficiencies in the field, contact your GAR Bennett PCA for advice and guidance.

Tomatoes: PCAs are keeping an eye out for beet armyworms, thrips and beet leafhoppers that carry curly top virus. Leaffeeds are being added in with these treatments based on PCA recommendations. Dusting sulfur is being applied for powdery mildew. As the fruit starts to size and ripen, you may want to consult your GAR Bennett PCA about sunburn protection. Growers are finishing up fertilizer applications. Harvest for this crop may begin the week of July 4.

Garlic: Some growers are applying glyphosates to clean up persistent weeds. We are waiting for harvest to begin for this crop.

Dehydrated Onions: Fungicides are being applied to control for downy mildew and purple blotch. Some growers are continuing to apply fertilizers to help size up the bulb.

Cotton: Several growers on the west side are beginning to spray lygus treatments. Consult your GAR Bennett PCA for expert advice.

Alfalfa Seed: Growers are currently treating for lygus. As bees are pollinating the seeds, be sure to consult with your GAR Bennett PCA on treatment products that are safe for the bees.

Contact an experienced GAR Bennett PCA, call 559-638-6311 or contact us by clicking here >

CROP NUTRITION

How to Get the Most Out of Your Foliar Nutrition 
contributed by Darryl King and Steve Easterby of FBSciences
When foliar nutrition was first introduced in the late sixties and early seventies, there was widespread criticism from chemical companies and university extension agents.
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Potassium in Almonds
contributed by Dylan Rogers of AgroLiquid
Potassium (K) is a primary plant nutrient. It is classified as a macronutrient because plants take up large quantities of K during their life cycle. It is essential for many functions within the plant, including the transport of sugars and the formation of starches and oils. Potassium helps regulate the opening and closing of leaf stoma which are important for the efficient use of water by a crop.
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WATER SERVICES

Got Irrigation Parts?

Having an effective and efficient irrigation system is vital for the growing season, especially in California where water allocations don’t always meet water needs. Nonetheless, without a preventative irrigation maintenance program in place, irrigation systems can falter and impact your crop yields. Everyday wear and tear, pests and weather conditions can create issues in your system that go unnoticed until it’s time to irrigate. However, with the GAR Bennett team on your side, irrigation maintenance, repairs and materials become hassle free for your farming operation.

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WORKER SAFETY

Rest assured: your GAR Bennett Worker Safety Team is ahead of the heat wave, getting all growers and their employees up to date on all heat topics. The cooler June days are long gone. GAR Bennett’s Worker Safety Team is encouraging our hardworking farmers to start thinking about summer trainings. Our main focus is to review pesticide labeling laws with employees. Our trainers will walk your employees through label directions, laws and ensure the proper PPE is being followed. Reach out to GAR Bennett’s Worker Safety Team today to get your farm up to compliance quickly!

FOOD SAFETY

In the agricultural industry, farmers are learning to be more current by using terms like FSMA, GAP and GMP at their local watering holes. If you need guidance on these terms, the GAR Bennett Food Safety Team can help you navigate through the never-ending regulations that the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires farmers to follow. Our team of experts is here to answer questions like “Am I exempt?” or “How many water samples do I need to take this year?” or “Is using compost bad for food safety? Should I hide this information in my audit?” Our team will guide you in the right direction by helping you learn what the markets and packing houses require. Let us take care of your food safety program so you can get back to farming. Reach out to the GAR Bennett Food Safety Team today to stay in the know, just like your neighbor.
Click HERE to learn more about avoiding hefty fines by contacting our Food Safety and Worker Safety Teams.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Americans Support COVID-19 Aid to Farmers; Trust Remains High
By American Farm Bureau Federation
Trust in America’s farmers and ranchers remains high amid the devastating blow delivered by the COVID-19 pandemic. A new American Farm Bureau Federation poll shows 84% of Americans trust the nation’s farmers and the same overwhelming majority support financial assistance from the government for farmers struggling to keep from going under because of the pandemic. – Read More
Dicamba news: Court decides to back Existing Stocks Authority
By AGDAILY
Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit announced they are backing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Existing Stocks Order on June 8. A petition from the plaintiffs sought to invalidate that order, which would force farmers to halt all spraying of three dicamba-based products — XtendiMax, FeXapan, and Engenia. – Read More
Signup Period for USDA Coverage Programs Ends June 30
By Brian German, AgNet West
The deadline to sign up for two coverage programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is Tuesday, June 30. Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 will need to do so with their local FSA office before the signup period ends. – Read More