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A continued strong demand for phosphate is expected to tighten the supply situation. Stocks of phosphate are at a recent low level. China has been increasing exports in recent years, but what their export level will be is uncertain. Prices will likely increase some as dealers put in new supplies. Demand for potash is expected to be strong this fall and during the coming year. In the United States, supplies are essentially sold through November. Supplies will continue to be tight. Dealers may receive potash on an allocation basis. Prices are expected to increase, especially around the first of the year.  For additional information on fertilizer supply and demand, see the news articles from "The Fertilizer Institute" at the following link: http://ipm.msu.edu/cat07veg/PDF/9-19fertilizer.pdf

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MSU Soil & Plant Nutrient Lab for soil testing Darryl Warncke & Jon Dahl Crop & Soil Sciences & SPN Lab The MSU Soil & Plant Nutrient Lab (SPN) provides soil testing and plant tissue analysis services for farmers, homeowners, greenhouse operations, consultants, agribusinesses, governmental service agencies and research programs at MSU and other universities. Water samples are tested to determine suitability for use in growing plants. Samples of soil and plant tissue can be sent directly to the Soil & Plant Nutrient Lab at A82 Plant and Soil Sciences Bldg., Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1325 or can be taken to any county Extension office to be delivered to the SPN Lab.   A listing of the services provided can be found at www.css.msu.edu/soiltesting under “Testing Price List.” Test reports include the test results plus recommendations. The MSU SPN Lab works closely with the MSU county extension offices and educators in providing information about testing and managing nutrient inputs for growing plants whether in home landscapes, greenhouses or on farms. Questions regarding testing services, results or recommendations can be directed to county extension educators, the SPN Lab or Jon Dahl at 517-355-0218 or Darryl Warncke at 517-355-0271 x 1270.

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Sensitive spinach may have mucky Michigan future Natalie Ebig Scott ANR Communications Editor’s note: This article is reprinted from Issue>Action>Impact Vol. 1, No.3, Summer 2007. Spinach may be good for you, but Michigan State University (MSU) researchers have determined that it may not be the healthiest crop for some Michigan farmers. Daryl Warncke, MSU professor of crop and soil sciences, and MSU Extension regional vegetable educator Jim Breinling initiated a Project GREEEN study in 2005 aimed at increasing spinach production in Michigan to meet market demand. Breinling was approached by a local food processor that had the demand for frozen spinach but not the supply—not enough growers were producing the green leafy veggie. Fewer than 100 acres of spinach were grown in Michigan in 2003. Chase Farms, an Oceana County frozen food processor, estimated a market potential of up to 10 million pounds per year. This would have skyrocketed Michigan spinach production up to 1,000 acres and put more than $500,000 into growers’ pockets annually. “It started in the field,” Breinling said. “The processor asked about the possibility of growing more spinach in Michigan, and we collaborated to find growers and answer some important questions about the crop’s fertility and viability.” On the surface, spinach appeared to be ideal for Michigan. It is a short-season crop that’s in the field only 45 to 50 days. In most cases, Breinling said, growers can plant a second crop, such as snap beans, in the same field so it is a good economic choice for farmers who make the commitment. Warncke and Breinling capitalized on their individual expertise—Warncke conducted soil management studies, and Breinling assisted Oceana County growers who were willing to plant a spinach crop but needed technical expertise to become familiar with the new crop. “My focus was on soil fertility and nutrient management because of my expertise in balancing the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium needs of vegetables,” Warncke said. “We determined the nutrient management needs for spinach.” Breinling said six growers agreed to try spinach in their fields. The first growing season went well, but the second year the crop did not thrive. The issue? Water. Mason and Oceana counties’ sandy-loamy soils are not the right environment for water-needy spinach. “You have to learn about where a new crop is best suited,” Breinling said. “Economically, growers were not getting the yields and quality they needed.” However, the project was not over, Breinling said. Now more familiar with spinach’s need for a continuous water supply, the research team decided to plant a crop in the muck soils of Newaygo and Washtenaw counties. Muck soils naturally have a higher water table and the research showed a weekly need for an inch to an inch and a half of moisture in spinach. “We introduced Chase Farms to two muck farmers in the Grant area and one in southeast Michigan; they have had much more success,” Breinling said. “Combined, the three farmers grew more than 250 acres of spinach this year. It’s not thousands of acres, but there is a market and demand for the product, and it works for these individuals and the processor.” Breinling said this is a common result of Extension field work. “We knew that we could do it, it was just a matter of matching the right resources with the crop,” he said. “That’s what Extension is about—bringing resources together to make a project work.” While the spinach fares much better in muck, growers continue to experience another challenge—weeds. No foreign material can be harvested with spinach leaves, making weeds of any kind unwelcome invaders in the field. “Weed control in spinach is a challenge. Most growers don’t have the labor for hand weeding and spinach is very sensitive to chemical herbicides,” Warncke said. “One of the lessons learned is that we don’t have a suitable herbicide for spinach.” So while 1,000 acres of spinach may not be in Michigan’s immediate future, Warncke and Breinling agreed that the industry is better off because of the research. “One crop doesn’t make Michigan’s agriculture industry,” Breinling said. “That is what makes us the No. 2 state in crop diversity—the little pieces that make up the whole picture.”

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Vegetable growers find over-irrigating leaves profit, environment “all wet” Sara Long ANR Communications Editor’s note: This article is reprinted from Issue>Action>Impact Vol. 1, No.3, Summer 2007. When MSU researchers decided to evaluate grower irrigation practices in southwestern Michigan, they discovered that some growers were running their drip irrigation systems upwards of eight hours per day. Producers were employing this practice as insurance that crops were receiving enough moisture, however costly nutrients were being washed away – not an efficient use of water or nutrients. Realizing the importance of helping growers identify the economic and environmental consequences of their irrigation practices, researchers secured funding from Project GREEEN to develop a system for measuring soil moisture. After installing a series of monitoring tubes in test fields, soil moisture levels were measured by putting a probe attached to a monitor and data logger into the tube. Information from the data logger is downloaded into a computer, which generates a printout graphing how the past week’s irrigation application has affected the soil moisture level – too much, not enough or just right. Upwards of 50 sites on 15 vegetable operations were studied in the first year of the two-year project. Data indicated that some growers irrigated too much too early in the season – there were times when moisture levels were off the chart topping more than 100 percent field capacity. Researchers also found that regardless of the grower or soil type examined moisture levels dropped off significantly at harvest time when irrigation took a back seat. “Harvest time is probably the most important time for maintaining adequate moisture levels because this is when it contributes most to fruit size,” says Ron Goldy, MSU Extension vegetable educator. “By and large we found that the soil was drying out when water was the most critical.” Over the course of the two-year project, study results were presented to growers at winter meetings. When funding for a third year of research was not guaranteed, growers stepped up and volunteered to pay for the program. Four growers signed up to continue; last year there were five growers and this year there are seven. The program has expanded beyond vegetable crops and now includes apples and blueberries. Goldy believes the reason growers embraced the system was because it directly involved the producers on their own land. “The project wasn’t done on campus, in the laboratory or at a research station,” he says. “It appealed to them because it was conducted right on the farm in their own fields.” “Before this, growers have never been able to readily see or measure the moisture level in the field,” Goldy says. “We’ve been able to show the water level where the plant roots are working in and whether it’s too wet or too dry.” Goldy says the reports help producers know how long to operate their irrigation systems each day based on weather and plant stage. As an example, he cites that one grower has been able to reduce his water use by 50 percent since starting to use the system. “It helps when growers have an opportunity to apply the technology on their own farm,” Goldy says. “They tell us that this helps them understand the usefulness of the system and that it’s not that expensive, especially when they pencil out how much money they save by cutting irrigation use. This is one additional piece of information to help growers make their final decision.” Future plans include continuing to expand the irrigation program to include more commodities. “Growers don’t realize what they have until they have it,” Goldy adds. “Growers have recommended the system to others so they must find it valuable. Word of mouth is the most effective sales tool.”

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Grant funding program seeks innovative ideas for the farm and ranch The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is seeking innovative farmers or ranchers who want to implement a new, sustainable, idea to improve their operation. NCR-SARE is currently accepting applications for their 2007 Farmer Rancher grant program. NCR-SARE awards grants to farmers and ranchers for on-farm research, demonstrations and education projects. By providing funds ranging from $6,000 per individual grant to up to $18,000 for grants awarded to groups of three or more, NCR-SARE helps facilitate essential agricultural research and development. Beverly Pender is an urban farmer in Kansas City. Utilizing the lots she owns, and the lots donated to her from neighbors, she has been able to carry on Soul and Soil Rainbow Gardens. Thanks to NCR-SARE grant funding, she will be able to add on to her gardens, and local youth, seniors and the homeless will also reap rewards. “Our objective is to promote urban farming and to teach the community about healthy food production,” Pender explained. Pender’s grant is just one example of the wide range of projects that NCR-SARE has funded over the years. Other funded topics include pest and disease management, soil conservation, local marketing, public education, waste management, agri-tourism, crop diversity, aqua-culture and many others. NCR-SARE grants are awarded based on the applicants ability to describe how their project will be sustainable in terms of having long-term profitability, being good for the environment, producing healthy foods, being socially responsible and supporting their community. Last year NCR-SARE funded 52 Farmer Rancher grants totaling $400,037. This year farmers and ranchers throughout the North Central Region will once again have the opportunity to apply for roughly $400,000 in grant assistance. The 12 states that comprise the North Central Region are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The NCR-SARE program receives its funding through the United States Department of Agriculture. Grant proposals are due in the NCR-SARE office by December 3, 2007. Interested applicants may contact Joan Benjamin with NCR-SARE at 402-472-0809 or ncrsare@umn.edu. The current Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals application can be found on the NCR-SARE web site at http://ncr.sare.org/prod.htm. Previous project reports are made available through the national SARE web site at www.sare.org. Contact: North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Farmer Rancher Grant Program 402.472.0809 or 1.800.529.1342 (toll free) ncrsare@umn.edu www.sare.org/ncrsare

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Weather news Jeff Andresen Agricultural Meteorology Geography An upper air troughing feature across the western United States will lead to southwesterly flow across the Great Lakes region during the next several days, leading to above normal temperatures and to the passage of at least two frontal boundaries through Michigan. A cool front will move from northwest to southeast across the state Wednesday, September 19, before stalling out across the Ohio Valley region late Wednesday. That front will quickly return northward through Michigan as a warm front on Thursday only to be followed by another cool frontal passage and the chance for more showers and thunderstorms all day Friday and into the evening. Because moisture is generally lacking with these frontal boundaries, only scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected, with best chances for rainfall across extreme northern sections of the state. Most areas of the state will remain dry. Precipitation that does fall will generally remain in the 0.10-0.25 inch category where rain occurs. High temperatures will range from the mid- 70's north to the mid- 80's south Wednesday, drop back a few degrees statewide on Thursday, and then increase to the upper 70's north to upper 80's south on Friday along with strong southwest winds (ahead of the cool front). Low temperatures will generally range from the upper 40's north to upper 50's south on Thursday, warming slightly to the 50's to low 60's Friday and Saturday. Fair and warmer-than-normal weather is likely for the upcoming weekend into early next week as well. Another frontal system will approach the region from the west by next Tuesday or Wednesday, which is the next best chance for significant rainfall. Further ahead, latest medium range forecast guidance suggests a general continuation of upper air troughing across the western United States with southwesterly flow across the Midwest. As a result, both 6-10 day and 8-14 day outlooks, covering September 24-28 and September 26 through October 4, call for above normal temperatures state- and region-wide, and for precipitation totals to range from near normal levels over the southeastern corner of the state to above normal levels elsewhere.

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