The Fruit Growers News - January 2001

More than 100 growers and agriculture representatives met Dec. 19 to discuss fire blight that has devastated Southwest Michigan apple orchards during the 2000 season.

Damage estimates for fire blight in the region will likely be increased once a new report is issued in the spring, according to Bill Shane, Michigan State University (MSU) district Extension agent based at the Southwest Michigan Research Extension Center, where the meeting took place. “We know our loss estimates are low. There’s a lot more tree mortality then we originally thought,” he said. By August 2000 losses were estimated at 1,550-2,300 acres of apple trees lost totaling $9 million plus an additional $15-$20 million in losses from future production on the dead trees.

“You don’t see effects of fire blight just in that first year,” said Shane. He described the oozing from many varieties as a “frightful situation.”

Southwest Michigan growers are currently mulling over their options. They are faced with the frustrating experience of waiting to determine which trees are dying or dead and trying to make the tough decisions on what blocks to keep and what blocks to take out.

Phil Schwallier, district MSU Extension agent for the West Central Region, addressed the audience about replant decisions. Growers with 50% of their trees infected with fire blight to a moderate to severe degree will likely have50% more of their trees die the second year.

“We’re only halfway through tree death. We’re still not out of the woods by any means,” said Schwallier.

An MSU Extension bulletin “Cost of Producing Apples” by Schwallier and Myron Kelsey, professor of ag economics, showed the cost of producing apples at $100 per bin including the cost of labor. This $100 per bin cost is also based on a yield of 800 bushels of apples per acre. (Average yield in Michigan is 456 bushels per acre).“If I lost 25% of my trees, I would have 75% of yield left. Our program showed a grower would never make a profit over the next 20 years,” Schwallier said.

“If you lost 50% of your trees, you’re at a decision to push out the rest of them,” he told the growers. He noted that if 50% of trees lost were planted in high densities, growers are in a gray area and could replant. “If 50% of trees are low density, you should think about starting over,” said Schwallier. He said growers might be wise to wait a year before deciding to take out trees.

Schwallier said Gala and Honeycrisp are two examples of red strains that are worth replanting due to higher prices. He told growers Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Gala and Honeycrisp are four fresh varieties offering the best chance for success in the marketplace, followed by Jonathan and Empire.

“If you had high value apple trees, you could operate with fewer trees and you would probably want to replant,” Schwallier said.

Rodney Winkel, a grower in Watervliet, Mich., lost 100 out of 250 acres due to fire blight. Some of his laborers have already started removing posts on high density trees and he has already started pulling some trees. Winkel said he won’t replant these orchards this year, although he said he’ll likely replant some of that acreage in apples in the future.

“I think we’ll see the effects of this for two more years, especially on high density orchards,” said Winkel, who also grows asparagus, tart cherries, peaches, grapes and zucchini on his 1,000-acre operation. “There’s a lot of frustration out there right now,” said Winkel.

Ken Nye from the Michigan Farm Bureau outlined aid programs available, including an emergency loan program available for apple growers that was announced in December. He urged growers to be in contact with their local USDA Farm Services Agency for more specifics on the program.

A quality loss aid fund totaling $38 million has been appropriated by Congress for apples and potatoes, although the rules have not been finalized, according to Nye. This quality loss must be weather related and includes fire blight. He said there is no payment or income limit for this program and the crop does not have to be harvested.

The final rules have also not yet been published for the Apple Market Loss program with $100 million available nationally. This program will provide relief from lost markets based on the higher of 1998 or 1999 production. Nye said he anticipates payments for this program will be made in April or May, 2001.

The Tree Assistance Program (TAP), currently not funded in Michigan, gave grants for tree damage due to weather including fire blight. However, there was a $25,000 payment cap per grower that many want increased, as well as having the program funded on a permanent basis. These are among issues on t he table in a discussion about improving the TAP program.

“The MACMA Apple Committee has part in this. It’s going to take a real team effort,” Nye said.

Nova Little, program technician for the Berrien County Farm Services Agency office in Berrien Springs, Mich. said that growers with tree loss need to be in contact with the FSA office.

“If they’re planning on taking out trees, we need to come and count the trees,” she said. Little noted that although many of the rules for the loan programs are not yet in place, growers need to come in and report acreage to save valuable time filling out paperwork in the future.

For information from the FSA offices call (616) 471-9111 in Berrien County or (616) 657-7055 in Van Buren County.