A little cooler for working outside today.  I do wish the dead woodchuck under my office (or whatever that is) would dry up with the dry weather we have been having.

Oh, no!  The NEWA models are off line so what shall we do.  I found this option http://climatesmartfarming.org/tools/csf-growing-degree-day-calculator/ You can put in your address (click on the Edit Button, put it in and click Save and Select) .  Don’t forget to change Planting date to March 1, 2020 (not really the planting date but when the count starts).

June 10 (Note the lag)    June 18

Champlain                           353                                         474

Geneva                                435                                         567

Riverhead                           433                                         563. (this seems low relative to the NEWA site)

I’m checking some other lists today – this one is from NH. Many of these insects are new to me.  Do you see them?

pine sawfly                                         246-1388

pine eriophyid mites                       298-533

pine needle scale                             298-448

two-spotted spider mite               363-618

pine needle miner                           448-802

pine root collar weevil                   618-912

Ohio State has a table https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/gdd/gdd2new.asp

You can’t put in anything but an Ohio zipcode but you can still check the numbers. And you can choose Plant or all to see what’s blooming at the same time.  Miss Kim lilac is at 422 for first bloom and mine has been out for a few days.

Have fun!  And have a great week!

PS – shout out to NYS Christmas tree growers who attended the Retail Safety Plan webinar (2 of your compatriots asked questions so I know they were there). I hope you learned something.  Everyone else has another chance on Monday, June 15 at 7:00 pm Eastern https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T5LuxhEBREuEl_Rljtc-OQ

You had a day without masses of emails from me, so I am making up for it today.

The Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development program is sponsoring webinars on developing safety plans for compliance with the NY Forward program requirements. TONS of information on their website – http://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/ny-forward-business-safety-plan/

There are templates and examples to follow, some considerations you might think about in your plan, and references.

Remember, these safety plans are MANDATORY! (is that loud enough?) – no matter what kind of farm you have, no matter if all your employees are family, no matter if you have been open all this time.

Farmers Markets must also have safety plans (in addition to all the farmers having safety plans) and there is a template at the Farmers Market Federation of NY page (something new I learned about) – http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/farmers-market-reopening-safety-plan-template/

The 3 webinars that may relate to you, my list serv peeps, are:

• NY Forward Business Safety Plan Support for (Fruit/Vegetable) Farms: 12:00 – 1:00 PM | June 11
• NY Forward Business Safety Plan Support for (Retail) Farms: 7:00 – 8:00 PM | June 11
• NY Forward Business Safety Plan Support for (Greenhouse/Landscaping/Ornamental) Farms: 7:00 – 8:00 PM | June 15

Click those links to register.  I asked about whether a retail greenhouse operation should attend the greenhouse version or the retail version and was told ‘both’.  They will cover some different information and you can ask questions.

Do the best you can and I will help.  Also, many CCE educators attended the training webinar so you can also call on them.

I attended the training session today and it was enough to convince me of the need for these plans.  While they may be tedious, they are designed to provide protection from liability – both financial and reputation – for your business.

The plans can be requested by anyone – not just state employees but also your employees and visitors/customers – so you must have it available at your operation.

NY Forward guidance for Agriculture, including non-food agriculture is at https://forward.ny.gov/phase-one-industries

(Click on  Agriculture on the side bar on the left)

I’ll be on both the retail and greenhouse webinars (at least in the background) to help capture useful information for you.  And I’ll probably keep asking if you have done your safety plans!

Have a lovely day!

The NYS Nursery Landscape Association is doing an AWESOME job at keeping up with all the legislative changes that can affect their members – and your businesses, too.  You might consider a membership if you don’t already have one.  https://nysnla.com/

If you are feeling brave, you can read the actual legislation at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7010/text

Below is largely taken from NYSNLA’s News and Updates (with their permission)

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act was passed Wednesday, June 3. The legislation addresses many concerns that you as members have with the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness requirements. It is intended to provide flexibility for small businesses by:

• Reducing the 75% payroll requirement to 60% for forgiveness purposes. Borrowers would be able to use up to 40% of loan funds for: payment of interest on covered mortgage obligations; payment of covered rent obligations; and covered utility payments, and have those expenses forgiven. Senator Rubio (R-FL) has expressed concerns that this language will not allow for reduced forgiveness for anyone spending less than 60% on payroll and is working with the SBA on this issue.
• Extending the PPP covered period from the current June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
• Extending the forgiveness period (currently 8 weeks) to the earlier of: (1) 24 weeks after the origination of the loan; or (2) December 31, 2020.
• Extending the safe harbor deadline to rehire employees and restore pay to avoid reductions in forgiveness from the current June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
• The bill also stipulates that during the period beginning February 15, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020, loan forgiveness amounts would be determined without regard to reductions in FTEs if a borrower, in good faith is able to document an inability to: 1) Rehire individuals who were employees of the borrower on or before February 15, 2020; and 2) Hire similarly qualified employees for unfilled positions on or before December 31, 2020; or 3)Return to the same level of business activity as such business was operating at before February 15, 2020, due to compliance with requirements established or guidance issued by Health and Human Services, CDC, or OSHA during the period beginning March 1, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020, related to the maintenance of standards for sanitation, social distancing, or any other worker or customer safety requirement related to COVID-19.
• Allowing PPP borrowers to take advantage of loan forgiveness and the payroll tax deferment provision of the CARES Act. 1) The bill would strike the provision of the CARES Act that prohibits borrowers receiving loan forgiveness from also taking advantage of the law’s payroll tax deferral. 2) This provision would apply retroactively as if it was included in the CARES Act.
• Extending the loan repayment deferment period from the current 6 months to “the date on which the amount of forgiveness determined under section 1106 of the CARES Act is remitted to the lender.”
• Requiring borrowers to apply for forgiveness within 10 months after the last day of the forgiveness period or else the borrower would be required to begin making payments on principal, interest, and fees.
• Extending the minimum maturity period of new PPP loans made after the enactment of the legislation to 5 years from the current 2 years. The bill would not prohibit borrowers and lenders from mutually agreeing to modify the maturity terms of existing loans.
• Allowing borrowers who received loans before the enactment of the legislation to elect to have their forgiveness period end on the date that is 8 weeks after the origination of the loan.

The small businesses that received the first round PPP loans are already more than halfway through the 8-week covered period during which they are required to spend the funds to qualify for loan forgiveness and should find that these changes will offer more clarity and flexibility to qualify for PPP loan forgiveness.

Lovely weather!  And I am sure you are out in it!  I will be as soon as I get this sent off!

June 5                   June 10

Champlain                           300                         373

Geneva                                377                         456

Riverhead                           448                         519

I guess I picked good options for weather stations as each one is where the next one will be in 5 days (except for Riverhead – our weather pioneer!)

Not much has changed in what to scout for.  I have been having interesting conversations about weeds, though – bindweed and horseweed – in addition to pulling a lot of them at my house.

Unfortunately this system won’t let me attach anything but the tiniest file so if you are interested in getting the fact sheets on Horseweed vs. Goldenrod and Know Your Bindweeds let me know.  Direct email will work.

Why should you want to identify these weeds?  Not all herbicides work the same way on the different bindweeds and horseweed is one of those weeds that is starting to develop resistance to glyphosate.  If you have a resistant population and are using glyphosate, you probably aren’t getting the control you expect.

I also learned there is a mite that was imported to feed on bindweed.  Probably doesn’t work in our humid clime, and it isn’t a quick fix – but interesting!

Have a great week!

Every day I think you have heard enough from me, and almost every day there is more.  Thanks for continuing to read and keep up with all the frustrating challenges.  I am proud to work for these industries!

The EPA just came out with Temporary Guidance on Respiratory Protection for Agricultural Pesticide Handlers During COVID-19 on June 1 – based on the unavailability of required respiratory protection and fit testing. https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-releases-temporary-guidance-respiratory-protection-agricultural-pesticide-handlers

Rutgers is doing a great job in covering issues that I don’t see covered elsewhere – this time the use of disinfectant wipes. https://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/are-disinfectant-wipes-working-for-you/

Cleaning equipment from NYCAMH https://www.nycamh.org/news.php?id=836&utm_source=June+2020&utm_campaign=June+2020+Farm+and+Land+Notes&utm_medium=email

COVID related guidance translated into a variety of languages from NYS Ag and Markets – https://agriculture.ny.gov/coronavirus     Scroll all the way down to the end (there are 8 pages of translated documents so you may to page through to find what you want).

From Rutgers – first time I have seen this and I have certainly not been doing it correctly.

Betsy

The proper method to apply and use hand sanitizer.  Research has shown that a two-step sanitizer method is the best method for alcohol-based sanitizers.

1. Step 1: Apply three pumps of sanitizer from the dispenser.
2. Step 2: Rub hands for 20 seconds making sure to cover the palms, backs of hands, and between fingers up to the wrists.
3. Step 3: Wipe the hands on a disposable paper towel.
4. Step 4: Apply one pump of the sanitizer from the dispenser.
5. Step 5: Rub hands until dry.

Hand sanitizers do not take the place of handwashing before starting or returning to work; after using the toilet; before and after eating and smoking; before putting on gloves; after touching animals or animal waste or any other time hands may become contaminated under the Food Safety Modernization Act or for most audits.