In this Issue:

GUEST ARTICLE

Strategic Innovation by Karl Foord

VEGETABLE NEWS

Vegetable Insect Update

SPECIAL FEATURE

STRAWBERRY NEWS

Strawberry Renovation

APPLE NEWS

Degree Day Accumulations

Weekly Trap Counts

Web Site of Interest

Insect, Pest Fact Sheets

USDA-Farm Service Agency Urges Fruit and Vegetable Growers to Participate in County Committee Elections

St. Paul, MN -- Nationwide, there are more than 8,000 county committee members serving more than 2,400 USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices throughout rural America. Minnesota FSA has 270 County Committee (COC) Members and 1/3 of these COC positions are up for election.

County committees oversee local FSA operations and make important decisions about the administration of commodity, disaster, conservation, farm loan and agricultural programs in their communities. This grassroots approach gives farmers and ranchers a much-needed say in how Federal actions affect their communities and their individual operations. County Committee remains a cornerstone of FSA's efforts to preserve and promote American agriculture. Given the critical role county committees play in local agriculture, MN FSA is calling for increased participation of all farmers and ranchers, including fruit and vegetable growers in the county committee election process that begins on July 15, 2004.

From July 15 through September 3, 2004 eligible farmers and ranchers can be nominated as a candidate for their local FSA county committee. Each County Committee (COC) is composed of three to five elected members, each serving a three-year term. Every COC member represents the producers in a predetermined portion of the county known as a Local Administrative Area (LAA).

Eligible producers in a voting LAA will receive ballots by mail in the fall with clear instructions for filling out and returning the ballots timely. Before ballots can be distributed, a slate of eligible candidates must be established.

Creating a list of candidates for each ballot depends on all important nomination process that begins July 15. FSA goal is to increase the participation of underserved customers, including small specialty crop farmers and organic producers. Minnesota FSA encourages members of the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association to participate in COC elections in their communities

Names for candidacy are submitted using the FSA-669A. FSA-669A is available at any FSA office or on-line at www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections /. Nomination forms must be signed by the nominee, and returned to the FSA office or postmarked before September 3, 2004.

FSA urges small specialty crop farmers, organic farmers, women and minority to participate in COC election so that a diverse list of candidates yield the best possible representations for their communities.

More information on COC election such as requirements to vote, to hold office as county committee, election posters, and important dates to remember for the election are available on-line at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections/ .

For further questions about COC election visit your local FSA office at the local USDA Service Center.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Co-Editors: Bill Hutchison, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, hutch002@umn.edu
Jeanne Ciborowski, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Ag. Resources Division,jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us
Suzanne Wold-Burkness, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, woldx018@umn.edu

The Newsletter is published weekly from May through August, cooperatively, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Minnesota (U of MN).  Reports are posted on the U of MN and MDA web sites on Fridays.  If you have suggestions and/or comments, please send your contributions by 4 p.m., Tuesday to Jeanne Ciborowski, 651-297-3217, jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us , MDA, 90 W. Plato Blvd., St. Paul, MN  55107-2094.  You can access the Newsletter at the U of MN web site in htm. format at: www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/mnindex.htm and at the MDA web site in pdf. format at: www.mda.state.mn.us/biocon/fruitreports/default.htm

Partial funding for this publication is provided through partnership agreements with the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the United States Department of Agriculture – Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the RMA Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program.  These institutions are equal opportunity providers.

DISCLAIMER

References to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses.  Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current manufacturer directions.

Last Revised July 15, 2004.
The University, including the Minnesota Extension Service, is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ©1999-2004 Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Contact copyright@extension.umn.edu for information on reproduction or use of this material.