Kansas State University’s Vet School Will Work with Horse Owners, Veterinarians on Diagnosis
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Just as the spring horse show season moves into full swing, owners and trainers are encouraged to monitor their horses for symptoms of a potentially serious disease that is easily spread from horse to horse or through shared equipment.
The warning follows an outbreak of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy at a competition in Utah April 29-May 8, in which horses from other states competed. Since then, the virus appears to have spread to several other states, according to a Kansas State University veterinarian.
As of May 18, a total of 14 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported in the United States, including five deaths. The states reporting confirmed or suspected cases by that date included California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico (suspected), Utah (suspected), Washington, and Alberta, Canada.
“Equine herpesvirus 1, or EHV-1, is one of a large group of DNA viruses causing potentially serious disease in horses and other species,” Davis said. “EHV-1 can cause different forms of disease, including abortion in mares, respiratory infection and neurological symptoms. The most recent outbreaks have involved the EHV-1 respiratory/neurological form of the virus, or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM).”
The virus is contagious and is spread by direct horse-to-horse contact, but also by contaminated hands, equipment and tack, said Davis, who serves as K-State’s section head for equine medicine and surgery. The virus also can spread for a short time through the air within the stall and stable environment.
Horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1 might have a fever as well as nasal discharge, incoordination, hind end weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone.
Currently there are no EHV-1 vaccines that have been proven to prevent against the development of EHM, Davis said. She recommends that horse owners contact their local veterinarian or the K-State Large Animal Desk (785-532-5700) to discuss potential vaccine recommendations that may be implemented to help limit the severity of disease, should their horse become exposed to the virus.
“If horse owners notice that a horse develops fever, respiratory or neurological signs, they should call us or their local veterinarian and not move the horse or horses in the immediate area,” Davis said. “We are also urging horse owners in this situation to alert those who have horses in the adjacent vicinity to cease all movement in or out of the facility until a diagnosis is confirmed by testing. If horses are exposed and then travel to a new stable or show, the infection can spread to other horses at the new location.”
Davis is encouraging horse owners who have questions or notice such symptoms to contact their veterinarian or K-State’s Large Animal Desk at 785-532-5700. She has developed a fact sheet, available on the website: http://www.vet.ksu.edu/depts/VMTH/equine/index.htm . Click on the link under the photo or on “Timely Topics” on the left side.
USDA will update its planted area estimates in June – and the Chicago-based research and brokerage firm Linn Group expects the numbers for corn, soybeans and wheat will be down. That’s because of the weather issues that have plagued major growing regions of the U.S. The group no longer believes the nation’s corn growers will plant 92.2-million acres – but 89.5-million. But that doesn’t mean growers will abandon corn for soybeans. The Linn Group is forecasting a decline in soybean acreage to 75.1-million. They peg spring wheat planting at 14-million – down from USDA’s 14.4-million projection.
This year, the dedicated efforts of agri-business, farmers, biotechnology advocates and others, including the National Corn Growers Association, are producing results as a new generation of corn technologies are set to enter the market. Now, farmers can look forward to specialty products intended for specific markets and corn capable of better coping with climate-based stressors.
“Fifteen years of biotechnology advocacy and support for science-based regulation created the conditions for approval of these exciting new products,” said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chad Blindauer. “We applaud the release of products that provide growers with options that allow them to diversify or improve their operations. At the same time, this success renews our dedication to grower access to technology. I strongly urge farmers to consider the power that grassroots activism has as demonstrated by these events.”
Earlier this year, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service deregulated corn engineered to produce a common enzyme called alpha-amylase that breaks down starch into sugar, thereby facilitating a vital step in ethanol production. This represents a major change in the types of corn traits available to growers.
Until the deregulation of corn amylase, traited corn products protected yield and reduced stress from biotic factors such as insects or weeds. This reduced inputs needed to protect the crop and maintain yields. Corn amylase opens new options as the first output trait approved and commercialized.
Now, APHIS is in the final stages of consideration for deregulation of the first biotech corn variety that targets abiotic stress, drought. This will be the first variety available that reduces stress from a purely climatic factor. In the future, further abiotic traits better suiting corn for cooler weather and other climate-based stressors are expected.
“APHIS deregulation of corn amylase represented a major triumph for science-based regulations,” said Blindauer. “The introduction of additional options continue to allow growers to produce the corn needed for food, feed, fuel and fiber in a rapidly growing world.”
WASHINGTON, May 18, 2011—Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes and Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced that by working together to leverage monies for water delivery agencies and agricultural producers in California’s Central Valley, agencies of the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture will provide $9.1 million in funding to five water/power delivery districts to save water, improve water management and create new supplies for agricultural irrigation.
“This cooperative effort is a concrete step forward in coordinating and leveraging federal actions to meet water supply needs while alleviating the ecological decline of the California Bay-Delta,” Deputy Secretary Hayes said.
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan
“USDA and Interior are working in tandem with partners in the Central Valley to ensure that water management and conservation efforts enhance water supplies for both rural and urban users,” Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said. “This announcement today exemplifies President Obama’s call to find creative and innovative ways for government to work better together.”
As a result of the 2009 Interim Federal Action Plan for the Bay Delta, the Bureau of Reclamation – an agency of the Department of the Interior – and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – part of the Department of Agriculture – launched the cooperative pilot program to fund water use efficiency projects.
With support from NRCS, Reclamation has selected five projects for funding, totaling $4.1 million, under its WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) program. The selected projects will increase district-level efficiencies and facilitate water conservation and/or water use efficiency on farms. NRCS will provide up to an additional $5 million in funding and technical assistance to growers in the selected districts for eligible on-farm conservation practices. (Adding $5 million from NRCS to Reclamation’s $4.1 million in WaterSMART funding, a total of $9.1 million is being provided to enhance water conservation.) NRCS will work with each district to determine the appropriate sign-up/application periods for the district’s eligible growers.
NRCS Chief Dave White
“NRCS is committed to partnering with private landowners to enhance water conservation in the Bay-Delta,” said NRCS Chief Dave White. “By working with Reclamation, we can provide a more comprehensive approach to water conservation that benefits the entire region.”
“Federal, state and local partnerships are the keys to addressing California’s long-term water issues,” said Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor. “Multiple federal agencies are strategically aligning their resources under the action plan. There is no time to waste.”
The five recipients of the funding include the Buena Vista Water Storage District, South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Semitropic Water Storage District, Henry Miller Reclamation District 2131, and the Firebaugh Canal Water District.
Through a WaterSMART Funding Opportunity Announcement, “Bay-Delta Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Grants,” Reclamation invited Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources with Reclamation on water conservation and water use efficiency projects. Following are the details on the projects selected to receive grants (please note that all reported water savings are estimated district-level savings and do not include estimated on-farm savings):
Buena Vista Water Storage District
The Water Use and Irrigation Efficiency Project
Reclamation Funding: $999,681, Total Project Cost: $2,081,648
The project will line 1 mile of earthen canal to reduce seepage losses, build new turnouts for more efficient water deliveries, install a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system and retrofit meters. The project is expected to conserve 4,000 acre-feet per year and will provide water supply sustainability to the district and contribute to wildlife enhancements. These system improvements will provide more precise water deliveries to growers, allowing them to implement such things as tailwater return systems, ditch lining and irrigation system evaluations and retrofits.
South San Joaquin Irrigation District
South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Division 9 Irrigation Enhancement Project
Reclamation Funding: $1,000,000, Total Project Cost: $12,996,280
The project will build a state-of-the-art, pressurized irrigation system, replacing an open channel system to irrigate approximately 3,800 acres, and will capture agricultural run-off for irrigation re-use. The project incorporates automated water delivery controls and updated metering technology, allowing for precise measurement and accounting of water use. The project will result in energy conservation, reduced air emissions and improved water quality, and it is expected to conserve 3,498 acre-feet of water per year. Fields currently flood-irrigated can convert to sprinkler or micro-drip irrigation systems that result in significantly less on-farm water use.
Semitropic Water Storage District
Water Use Efficiency and Energy Improvements for Semitropic Water Storage District and Growers
Reclamation Funding: $711,170, Total Project Cost: $1,474,640
The project will implement district-level improvements to increase the district’s water and energy efficiencies by adding pumping capacity at two conveyance facilities and by adding a turbine to one of the district’s pumping plants. Semitropic estimates that the turbine will produce 2.9 percent of the District’s power needs. With the addition of this turbine, 16 percent of the District’s power need will be met with renewable energy sources. The project is expected to conserve 2,560 acre-feet of water per year. Semitropic’s improvements will enable growers to enhance their on-farm efficiency by reducing the on-farm energy required to provide groundwater and will enable growers to operate improved drip systems.
Henry Miller Reclamation District 2131
Arroyo Canal Modernization
Reclamation Funding: $434,975, Total Project Cost: $886,802
The project will install four long-crested weirs (LCW) on the main canal for the district. LCWs precisely control canal-water levels and help prevent system spills. Installing LCWs will reduce the water-level fluctuations in the canal, providing more constant water deliveries. This will improve the reliability and the flexibility of the water deliveries to growers and promote accurate measuring and water accounting. The district estimates the project will conserve 7,200 acre-feet of water per year and enable district growers to invest in more efficient irrigation systems such as pressurized drip systems.
Firebaugh Canal Water District
Firebaugh Canal Water District 1st Lift Canal Lining Project Phase 1-Terminus to Washoe Avenue
Reclamation Funding: $1,000,000 Total Project Cost: $2,814,000
The project will concrete-line 2.6 miles of earthen canal to prevent seepage and sediment in delivered surface water. By decreasing the suspended silts, growers can reduce the back-flushing and filtering needed for efficient on-farm irrigation systems. In addition to conserving 300 acre-feet of water per year, this project will encourage growers to install high-efficiency on-farm irrigation systems such as drip or sub-surface drip irrigation.
Beyond the Bay-Delta, the nation as a whole faces increasing water-resource challenges and issues that make it difficult to meet today’s diverse water needs through traditional water management approaches. The Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART program is working to achieve a sustainable water strategy throughout the nation. For more information on the WaterSMART program, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Overnight temperatures dropped below freezing in parts of western and northern Kansas on the mornings of May 15-16. In low areas of the fields, temperatures will typically be lower than the officially recorded temperatures, and this will be where freeze damage will be most likely, said Jim Shroyer, K-State Research and Extension crop production specialist.
Whether actual freeze injury takes place depends on the low temperature reached, how long the temperatures stayed that cold, temperatures gradients in the field, wind speed, soil moisture, canopy density and other microclimate factors, he said.
Shroyer explains the potential for freeze injury by stage of growth:
* Boot: In the boot stage, wheat can be injured if temperatures drop down into the mid to upper 20’s for several hours. Injury is more likely if this occurs repeatedly and if it is windy at night. To detect injury, producers should wait several days then split open some stems and look at the developing head. If the head is green or light greenish in color and seems firm, it is most likely going to be fine. If the head is yellowish and mushy, that’s a sign of freeze injury.
* Awns beginning to appear: If the awns have begun to appear, there can be significant injury to the heads if temperatures reach about 30 degrees or lower for several hours. Tillers may go ahead and finish shooting up the head, but few, if any, of the spikelets may pollinate normally and fill grain. Damaged heads from a freeze at this stage of growth may seem green and firm at first glance, but the floral parts will be yellowish and mushy.
* Heading. Wheat is particularly vulnerable to damage from freezing weather as the head starts to emerge through the flowering stage. Temperatures of 30 degrees or lower can damage anthers if they are exposed.
If the wheat was in the flowering stage at the time of the freeze in the early morning hours of May 16, you can determine if the anthers are damaged by examining them with a magnifying lens, the K-State agronomist said.
“Healthy anthers will be lime green. If they are damaged by a freeze, they will begin twisting within 2 to 3 days. Shortly afterward, they will begin to turn whitish or brown. The stigma in the florets may or may not also be damaged by a freeze. If the anthers are damaged by freeze, the flowers may fail to develop a kernel,” Shroyer explained.
If you are unsure whether there has been freeze damage to the anthers, wait several days and determine whether kernels are developing normally, he added. A week after flowering, kernels should be well-formed up and down the head under normal conditions, he said.
If flowering has already occurred and kernels were forming at the time of the freeze, there still could be damage, Shroyer added. Generally, it takes colder temperatures (about 28 degrees) to cause damage to kernel development than to floral structures, he said.
“Healthy, developing kernels are greenish-white shortly after flowering, As they grow, they turn more greenish. But if they are damaged, they will turn grayish-white, shriveled and rough and will not continue to enlarge,” he said.
For more information on freeze damage to wheat, see “Spring Freeze Injury to Kansas Wheat,” K-State Research and Extension publication C646, at: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/crpsl2/c646.pdf.
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 18, 2011/National FFA Organization) – A Missouri FFA chapter has won the grand prize worth more than $8,000 in a seven-state competition that encouraged FFA chapters to connect with farmers in their local communities.
West Plains High School’s FFA chapter won the 2011 FFA Chapter Challenge, a pilot competition sponsored by Monsanto. The chapter will be able to send six students and an adult advisor on an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2011 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. The chapter will also receive $1,500 in credit with the National FFA Organization to help pay for FFA-related activities and expenses throughout the year.
West Plains earned 469 votes. Lawrence County High School’s FFA chapter in Moulton, Ala., and John Glenn High School’s FFA chapter in Walkerton, Ind., were the closest competitors, finishing with 416 and 407 votes, respectively.
The top 10 FFA chapters in each state that earned the most votes also received a $1,500 line of credit with FFA. Monsanto is also awarding each of the seven state FFA organizations a $1,500 grant for participating in the competition.
Since March 7, FFA chapters in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Georgia and Alabama sent members into their communities to meet local farmers, learn about their operations and connect with them by sharing what their FFA chapter is doing in their community. Farmers were then asked to visit FFAChapterChallenge.com and vote for their favorite FFA chapter.
“The inaugural FFA Chapter Challenge has been an overwhelming success,” said National FFA Foundation executive director Rob Cooper. “Thousands of FFA members made positive connections with local farmers. The intent of the challenge was to encourage FFA members meet their area farmers, learn about their business and connect with them – and in many cases reconnect with them because students found out that many of their local farmers are former FFA members. We are thrilled with the level of participation among students and farmers and look forward to staging a larger campaign with Monsanto next year, inviting even more FFA chapters to compete.”
Participation in the 2011 FFA Chapter Challenge was high. More than 360 FFA chapters and a combined 22,000 members earned more than 10,385 votes from farmers across the seven-state area. Website traffic was high throughout the competition as more than 10,740 unique users visited the site through May 1.
Monsanto's John Raines
“Monsanto is committed to youth in agriculture because we know our industry will only be as strong as the next generation of agriculture leaders,” said John Raines, vice president of customer advocacy at Monsanto. “The FFA Chapter Challenge allowed us to increase our valuable partnership with the National FFA organization while helping the local chapters connect with farmers in their communities.”
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that fund FFA activities, recognize member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agriculture education. Nearly 82 percent of all funds received by the foundation support FFA and agricultural education opportunities.
Formerly known as Future Farmers of America, the National FFA Organization provides agricultural education to more than 523,000 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,487 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st U.S. Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. For more, visit http://www.ffa.org.
DES MOINES, Iowa, May 18, 2011 – With the 2011 growing season starting out cool and wet in some places, experts from Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, say it’s wise for soybean growers to scout early for aphids. Paula Davis, Pioneer senior manager for insect and disease traits, says she expects higher aphid populations in 2011 than in the 2010 growing season, but environmental conditions in the coming weeks will be key to determine the extent. Growers should plan on scouting in late June through mid-August.
Although soybean aphids are a threat every year, outbreaks tend to be on a two-year cycle, Davis says.
“Overwintering populations, natural enemies and environmental conditions are the main factors that impact outbreaks,” she says. “However, during an outbreak, late-planted fields can be at higher risk. I think it’s too soon to tell what 2011 will bring, but scattered outbreaks are likely. The weather in the next few weeks could really enhance or reduce the risk. With cool conditions, aphids could be a problem. Aphids don’t like it really hot.”
Long-range forecasts, such as the USDA 90-day outlook, suggest weather temperatures may be cooler than average across the upper Midwest from May to July.
Pioneer Agronomist Eric Zumbach
“The optimum temperature for aphid reproduction ranges from 68 to 82 F,” says Eric Zumbach, Pioneer area agronomist based in Marion, Iowa. “If the weather stays in this optimum temperature range, and aphids are present, then it’s important to intensify the scouting regimen. If temperatures exceed 90 F, aphid reproduction slows down which helps keep populations at bay. If growers find 250 aphids per plant, it’s time to pull the trigger with spraying.
“If growers are concerned about aphids, they should sample 10 to 20 plants in 10 different areas of the field,” Zumbach says. “The more samples, the better to see what kind of pressure exists in the field. Also look for other signs such as ants or colonies of ladybugs in the field as they both feed on aphids.”
Pioneer experts suggest growers leverage antixenosis/antibiosis ratings and select soybean varieties with native tolerance as the first line of defense. Antixenosis and antibiosis refer to natural characteristics that discourage aphids from feeding and reproducing, respectively, and these varieties provide some general protection from all aphid biotypes. Aphid ratings range from exceptional (E) and above average (AA) to average (A) and below average (BA).
Antixenosis and antibiosis evaluations also can help growers prioritize scouting. If an aphid outbreak occurs, growers can concentrate on fields with below-average ratings and save above-average fields for later in the process. This approach continues to be one of the best defenses against aphid damage.
Zumbach says this type of prioritization strategy helps growers who have many acres to cover. He adds that growers can call on Pioneer sales professionals to help determine which varieties to scout first. If growers encounter aphids, it may be necessary to apply a treatment, such as DuPontTM Asana® XL or Lannate® LV insecticide.
While Pioneer researchers continue to look for improved ways to fight soybean aphids, including the development of resistant varieties, growers should continue to be proactive in their aphid management approach.
For additional background, read the scouting guide on pioneer.com or search for aphids in the Pioneer agronomy library on pioneer.com.
Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering SuccessTM.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.
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®, TM, SM Trademarks and registered trademarks of Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Asana® XL and Lannate® LV are restricted-use pesticides.
Asana® XL is not labeled for use on aphids in California.
Asana® XL and Lannate® LV insecticides are registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
Slumping crude oil prices are having little effect on gasoline prices, and that has three U.S. Senators requesting a probe whether U.S. oil refiners are cutting back on gasoline production to keep pump prices high.
US Senator Claire McCaskill
Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, New York Sen. Charles Schumer, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nev., have asked the Federal Trade Commission to review allegations of potential wrongdoing by oil companies and refiners. The price-fixing probe is further pressure on the big oil companies that Democrats have portrayed as out of touch with consumers and not worthy of billions of dollars of federal tax breaks.
“If true, this behavior is a direct affront to the American people who are still struggling with the economic downturn,” the Senators said in a letter to FTC. Last week oil executives were grilled by a Senate committee over why an industry with $35 billion in annual profits in the first quarter deserves a $4 billion federal subsidy.
Senators seeking the investigation cite recent Energy Department data showing that U.S. refiners are operating only at 82 percent capacity. “Why are they producing less gasoline for the American consumer?” asked McCaskill. “Maybe it’s because they decided to reduce supply in order to increase price.”
Oil prices fell again on Tuesday, declining more than 1 percent as weak economic data fueled concerns about demand. Oil has declined 15 percent so far during May. Brent crude for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed yesterday at $109.24 per barrel, down $1.60. Crude for June delivery closed at $96.07 per barrel.
Refiners call their gasoline profit margin the “crack spread,” and that margin retreated about $3 yesterday to slightly more than $26 per barrel. The crack spread had been above $40 per barrel on May 10. Last week wholesale margins for gasoline sold in the Midwest were more than $1.20 per gallon.
U.S. gasoline prices averaged $3.97 last week, down a penny from the previous week, but $1.06 per gallon higher (38 percent) than the same week a year ago.
The Energy Information Administration said last week demand for gasoline had fallen 2.9 percent in the last month, while refineries were using only 81.7 percent of their capacity. Refineries are also exporting more gasoline, especially to Mexico and Latin America. In February the U.S. exported 400,000 barrels of gasoline per day.
Senator Schumer said it does not make sense for refiners to have low production levels and also export record amounts of gasoline when U.S. prices are high.
“Sounds like a recipe to keep prices high. We don’t know if this is a smoking gun but it sure requires a close look,” he said.
While refineries are operating at lower capacity levels, U.S. gasoline inventories remain high, rising almost 1.3 million barrels to about 206 million barrels, the EIA says.
Gasoline prices fell this week for the first time in eight weeks, and industry analysts say they expect retail gasoline to fall “significantly” over the next few weeks.
The flooding on the Mississippi River is sure to cost billions of dollars in damage and lost business – and diverting flood waters away from New Orleans may not reduce the cost of this disaster by much.
But just how much will the flooding cost the southern flooded areas – and the rest of the U.S.?
CBS News business and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis said on “The Early Show” Tuesday that the area affected by flooding is very significant to the national economy because of its gasoline resources.
“Thirteen percent of the nation’s energy sources (are) coming from this part of Louisiana,” she said. “One in nine gallons of gasoline that we use in this country every day comes from this part of the country.”
Ships, she added, also go through the area, from cargo to cruise ships.
The immediate risk to oil refineries and shipping, Jarvis said, seems to have been somewhat lessened by opening the spillways in the flood zones.
“That’s why the decision was made,” she said.
“Early Show” co-anchor Chris Wragge said that while major refineries and shipping areas are safe at this time, the surrounding farmland and homes in small towns may be under 20 feet of water for what some say could be weeks.
“We’re looking at hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage to farmland. We’re hearing from corn farmers in the area who have not been able to plant their seedlings,” Jarvis said. “You could also see in this country, as a result of all of this, corn prices going higher.”
(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – The 10,000 Garden Challenge is headed to Kansas City, Mo. The Missouri Department of Agriculture will visit the Westport Plaza Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, May 18 to register gardens, share gardening advice and encourage Missourians to participate in the Challenge.
AgriMissouri's 10,000 Garden Challenge
The 10,000 Garden Challenge is an initiative to register 10,000 Missouri gardens to promote agriculture, gardening, health and nutrition. Department staff will be at the Kansas City-area farmers’ market from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of Wyoming St. and Westport Rd. to add to the more than 2,800 gardens already registered at AgriMissouri.com.
“The response to the 10,000 Garden Challenge has been outstanding, from individuals and community groups registering their gardens and in terms of support from those in the horticulture industry,” said Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler. “We are excited to take the Challenge to towns throughout Missouri, and to spend time with the people setting an example for the rest of the state by rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands in the soil.”
The Challenge website, AgriMissouri.com, allows individuals, community organizations and school groups to register their gardens. The site also provides classroom activities and lesson plans for teachers, gardening tips and advice and a registry of Missouri’s public gardens.
Click here to hear an interview with AgriMissouri's Charlie Hopper at the Pony Express Farmer's Market in St. Jospeh
On March 14, Governor Nixon, the First Lady, and Director Jon Hagler of the Missouri Department of Agriculture challenged Missourians to register 10,000 gardens in the state of Missouri and put them on a map to promote gardening, health and nutrition throughout the state.
Since then, over 10,000 people have visited the 10,000 Garden Challenge website to gain valuable information and nearly 3,000 gardeners have signed up to help reach the goal of registering 10,000 gardens. As an incentive for registering, for every 1,000 gardens registered a drawing is held for a $500 gift certificate from Tractor Supply Company.
For additional details or to register your garden in the 10,000 Garden Challenge, visit AgriMissouri.com. More information about the Missouri Department of Agriculture and its programs is available online at mda.mo.gov.
