~~~Commercial Horticulture Electronic Newsletter~~~
Volume 9, Issue 10
October 21, 2009
Participating Counties: Orange * Dutchess * Putnam *
Editor: Rosemarie S. Baglia
www.cce.cornell.edu
In this Issue:
Seasonal Update –
With the onset of October, some parts of
As many of us already know,
Calls and samples to the diagnostic lab have included questions about fairy
ring on lawns, transplanting perennials, managing spruce spider mite, branch
dieback on woody plants and discoloration of conifer needles.
As we mentioned last month, we also get questions from the industry this time
of the year about becoming a certified pesticide applicator with the NYS Dep.
of Environmental Conservation. In
Written by Rick Harper and Jerry Giordano, Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Still Time to Register!! Bio-Control Workshop for
The workshop will take place on Friday, October 23, 2009 from 9:30 am to 12:00
pm at Silverleaf Greenhouses located at
Two (2) NYS DEC pesticide recertification credits are offered in category 3a, 10,
and 24, and one (1) credit in category 3c. This workshop is partially
funded by a grant received from the New York Farm Viability Institute.
Written by Teresa Rusinek,
2009 Cornell Strategic Marketing Conference November 2 & 3
Story Telling: Marketing the Unique Story of Your Business for Success!
The marketing decisions of today’s small- to medium-sized agribusiness firms
selling agricultural, food, and specialty products are becoming more and more
complex. Today’s buyers are demanding a closer connection to their food
and knowing, not only more about the product itself, but more about the farm or
firm that produces it. Whether its improved product quality through alternative
technologies, collaborative activities that support family farms and
agricultural communities, or utilizing sustainable production practices, they
all uniquely define a business story. In this way, marketing the unique story
of your business provides the opportunity to showcase the unique qualities your
firm and products possess, separates you from your competitors, and allows you
to capitalize on your competitive advantages. Effectively communicating that
story to market your products is what this conference is all about.
The 2009 Cornell Strategic Marketing Conference will feature successful
producers, processors, and other agribusinesses that will showcase their
business stories and specific ways they built success through improved
marketing strategies. In addition, key professionals and industry experts will
provide methods to help you evaluate the success of your marketing activities
and analyze the financial implications of the marketing strategies you employ.
The conference is open to all members of the agricultural and food industry and
will be held at the Henry A Wallace Visitor and
For more information contact Todd Schmit at 607- 255-3015 or tms1@cornell.edu
or Les Hulcoop at 845-677-8223 or lch7@cornell.edu. Current agenda and
registration materials will be posted soon to the PWT website at http://marketingpwt.aem.cornell.edu.
Submitted by Elizabeth M. Lamb, Ornamentals Coordinator,
Ornamentals to Brighten the Fall Garden Palette
With trick-or-treaters coming soon, imagine two spirited new pepper varieties
making an appearance in your neighborhood as well. The new pepper cultivars
have been released by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and are
trademarked Lil Pumpkin and Pepper Jack. These plants are scheduled to
become available in time to add seasonal interest to next year’s fall gardens
during the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays.
The peppers were bred by ARS plant geneticists John Stommel and Robert
Griesbach, both at the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
(BARC) in Beltsville, Md. Stommel works in the ARS Genetic Improvement of
Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory, and Griesbach is a former researcher with the
ARS Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit ARS Floral and Nursery Plants
Research Unit.
Lil Pumpkin has unique black foliage and orange pumpkin-like fruit. Pepper Jack
bears greenish-black foliage and a mix of orange and black, small, cone-shaped
fruit, similar to the ever-popular Halloween candy corn. The breeders
developed Lil Pumpkin and Pepper Jack with both ornamental and culinary markets
in mind. The peppers vibrant colors and unique shapes provide enticing
ornamental interest, and their spicy flavor may be of culinary interest to
hot-pepper lovers.
Lil Pumpkin and Pepper Jack join a long list of popular ornamental vegetables
that includes kales, lettuces, sweet potatoes and eggplants, as well as
culinary counterparts such as multicolored Swiss chard, orange watermelons,
purple snap beans and purple asparagus. The new ornamental garden vegetables
can be grown as bedding plants and in containers, and they will be marketed in
pots as annuals. Similar to culinary peppers, ornamental peppers perform best
in high light and warm temperatures, according to the breeders. To learn
more, visit www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091001.htm
Submitted by Rick Harper, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of
Westchester County
Plant Essential Oil Eyed as Mosquito, Ant Repellent
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have teamed up with researchers
from a company in American Samoa to investigate the chemical makeup of a
mosquito- and ant-repellent essential oil from a native Samoan plant.
The ARS scientists and researchers at Agro Research, Inc., in
ARS chemists Robert Vander Meer and Ulrich Bernier at the agency’s Center for
Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in
Two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles albimanus, were
used to evaluate the essential oils repellency. A. aegypti transmits
viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya. A. albimanus
transmits malaria parasites and is not as susceptible to repellents as many
other mosquito species. The essential oil was also tested on the red imported
fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Significant repellency was observed with
concentrations diluted more than 100-fold, and the active components are likely
a small fraction of the total oil.
While
Submitted by Rick Harper,
Christmas Trees and Collection Sites Needed for Trees for Troops
Welcome to the fall season and we all know the Christmas season is right around
the corner. Mary Ellen and Dick Darling of Darling's Tree Farm in
We are in need of collection points for trees. Participating farms will
get a placard to hang at the farm advertising the program. This is a
wonderful program for our military families to bring them some Christmas
cheer! If you are willing to participate in this very worthwhile program
please contact Mary Ellen Darling at: richmary@fltg.net. Best wishes for a
great autumn and Christmas season!
Submitted by Stephanie Mallozzi, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of
Dutchess County
DEC Open Burning Regulations
The Department of Environmental Conservation recently finalized regulations
that would restrict “open burning” in
Funding from
Submitted by Rose Baglia,
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is establishing a new transparent
process that will allow the public to review and comment on risk assessments
and proposed registration decisions for pesticides. This expanded process will
apply to all new pesticide active ingredients and first food uses, first
outdoor uses, and first residential uses.
"This new process will give the public greater opportunity to participate
and understand decisions about new pesticides," said Steve Owens, EPA
assistant administrator for the office of prevention, pesticides and toxic
substances. "The Obama Administration's emphasis on providing unparalleled
transparency at EPA will increase credibility and strengthen the reputation of
our pesticide registration program while improving the public dialogue
surrounding controversial pesticide registration decisions."
Starting October 1, 2009, for certain registration actions, EPA's risk
assessment and proposed decision will be added to the public docket and made
available for a 30-day public comment period. Following the comment period, EPA
will publish its decision and a response-to-comment document. By focusing
public access on new pesticide ingredients and first food, outdoor, and
residential uses, the public will have the opportunity to comment on all major
new exposure patterns for pesticide registration.
Stakeholders now will get information sooner on reduced-risk pesticides being
registered that can replace some of the older and often more toxic pesticides.
The user community and the public will benefit from a broader understanding of
the risk assessment and risk management processes associated with pesticide
registration. For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/registration-public-involvement.html
or contact Dale Kemery at kemery.dale@epa.gov or 202-564-7839.
Submitted by Dianne Olsen,
Pesticide
Certification Exam Schedule
FALL 2009 - REGION 3
COUNTY
Orange
(845-344-1234)
Sullivan
(845-292-6180)
Ulster
(845-340-3990)
Westchester/Putnam
(845-278-6738)
Rockland
(845-429-7085)
Dutchess
(845-677-8223)
SEATING MAY BE LIMITED. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED BY ALL
COUNTIES. CONTACT THE
The DEC charges $100 for the exam fee (If you are attending the pre-exam
training session, please bring a check or money order for the $100 exam with
you that day). Everyone will be required to pre-register with
the NYS DEC for an exam session whether taking an initial core and category
exam or adding a category. All registration materials will be due to the
regional office no later than one week prior to the exam session the applicant
would like to attend. A registration packet will be given to all
attending a training session. If adding a category,
contact the New Paltz DEC office at 845-256-3097 for a registration packet.
About
Pesticide Certification
If you apply pesticides, including weed-killers, weed and
feed products, insecticides, fungicides, or tick control products to customer's
properties for hire, you or someone in your company must be a New York State
Certified Pesticide Applicator through the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation and have your business registered. There are
now three levels of commercial certification: applicator, technician, and
apprentice.
For
Commercial Applicators
To be eligible to take the
exams to become certified, you must meet one of the following requirements:
· 3 out of the past 5 years of
verifiable experience as an apprentice working in the category applicant is seeking
certification in; or
· 3 out of the past 5 years as
a certified private applicator in a corresponding private category; or
· Certification in another
State with which New York has reciprocity; or
· if seeking certification in
the Sales Category - At least 3 years experience in the sale of pesticides, or
can demonstrate, through applicable training certifications or education
degrees, that one possesses appropriate technical background.
Certified
Pesticide Technician
· be at
least 17 years of age.
· 2 years of verifiable
experience as an apprentice; or
· completion of a 30-hr.
training course, approved by the Department or a baccalaureate or associate
degree from an accredited college or university in the area seeking
certification. These are offered at the following:
Westchester Community College: (914) 785-6830
Dutchess Community College: (845) 431-8904
ATC: (845) 657-7027
For technicians, once certified, desiring full applicator status the following
documentation is required: a letter indicating 2 yrs. of experience or 1 yr. of
experience plus 12 recertification credits. Experience and recertification
credits must be category or sub-category specific.
Pesticide
Apprentice
· Must be at
least 16 years of age.
· Must receive 40 hours of
pesticide use experience under supervision of a certified applicator and a
minimum of 8 hours of instruction on topics outlined in Section 325.18 of Part
325 Rules & Regulations relating to the application of pesticides, before
being able to apply general use pesticides under the off-site direct
supervision of a certified applicator.
· Documentation of the above
must be maintained by the certified applicator, and include: name & address
of apprentice; date(s) of instruction or observation; content of training and
certification category; instructor's name and certification identification
number; and an evaluation of the competency of the apprentice.
For Private
Applicators:
·
Must be at least 17 years old.
· Have at least one year of
full-time experience within the last five years in the use of pesticides in the
category in which certification is requested – OR
· Has completed a 30-hr.
training course, or has received an associate's or higher level college degree
in the area of which certification is requested.
For further information on eligibility rules and regulations, and fees, contact
the NYSDEC Region 3 Pesticide Staff at (845) 256-3097.
Eligible candidates for certification must attend a training session, and pass
two examinations, administered by the NYSDEC and held in conjunction with
Cornell University Cooperative Extension. Once you determine you are eligible
for certification, contact your county's Cornell University Cooperative
Extension office for information on registering for the training class and
exams. Contact your local CCE educator to find out training and exam dates for
your county in the
Professional
Horticulture Programs of Interest
Cornell Turf Short Course
December 7-11, 2009
For more information, contact Frank Rossi fsr3@cornell.edu
Certified Landscape Technician Training
Contact: NYSTLA at 914-993-9455 or visit www.nystla.com.
An optional national testing program to recognize proficiency
of qualified landscape professionals.
Certified Nursery Professional Training Program
Contact: In Dutchess, Putnam & Westchester: Scott Olivieri,
914-682-4224;
In Orange, Rockland & Ulster: Mark Masseo 845-658-9148
By passing this exam you can earn the title Certified Nursery Professional
(CNP). Contact your New York State Nursery and Landscape Association,
listed above, for more details.
Cornell University Cooperative Extension County Commercial Horticulture
Educators
Dutchess: Stephanie Mallozzi, sdm10@cornell.edu, 845-677-8223 x 104
Orange: Rosemarie Baglia, rsb22@cornell.edu, 845-344-1234
Putnam: Diane Olsen, dko3@cornell.edu, or Jennifer Stengle,
jjs95@cornell.edu, 845-278-6738
Rockland: Donna Cooke, dmc72@cornell.edu, or Paul Trader,
pwt2@cornell.edu, 845-429-7085
Ulster: Teresa Rusinek, tr28@cornell.edu, 845-340-3990
Westchester: Rick Harper, rwh26@cornell.edu, 914-946-3005
Sullivan: Marianna Quartararo, mdq2@cornell.edu, 845-292-6180 x 112
***
Mention of trade names and commercial products is for educational purposes;
no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Cornell University
Cooperative Extension or Cornell University is implied. Pesticide
recommendations are for informational purposes only and manufacturers'
recommendations change. Read the manufacturers' instructions carefully
before use.
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