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Border specialists intercept ag pests

Border specialists intercept ag pests

Shipments of grapes and pumpkins contained seed bugs and cucumber moths

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Two potentially dangerous crop pests didn’t get a chance to establish themselves in America, thanks to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists.

Between Oct. 5 and Oct. 7, inspectors found an Ochrostomus sp. (Lygaeidae), commonly referred to as a seed bug, in a shipment of Brazilian grapes, and Diaphania sp., known as a cucumber moth, in a shipment of Costa Rican pumpkins.

The discoveries happened at the ports of Philadelphia, Pa. and Wilmington, Del.

The seed bug discovery is a first for the Delaware port, meaning the insect represented a new local pest threat.

These insects are known to eat crops including tomatoes, cotton, tobacco and grapes.

As the name implies, the bug feeds on seeds or “portions of the plant that give a high nutrient return,” a 2014 study says.

The cucumber moth feeds on members of the cucurbit family.

These include watermelon, cucumber, pumpkins and melons.

Cucumber moth caterpillars “attack the flowers and reduce the number of fruits set,” Pestnet.org says.

The caterpillars will also feed on young fruit, damaging the skin and causing them to rot.

Keeping pests like these out of the country helps ensure America’s food supply is safe.

CBP ag specialists “are on the frontline against the extraordinary threat posed by invasive and highly pathogenic animal and plant diseases that threaten our economic security,” Casey Durst, director of field operations for CBP’s field office in Baltimore, said in a statement.

The ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington are among the busiest in the country.

Seaports in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey rank first in the country for imported produce for 17 products including apples, grapes, bananas and oranges.

The Port of Philadelphia itself is the nation’s leader in beef imports from Australia and New Zealand. The port handles about 639 million pounds of beef each year, worth almost $2 billion.

CBP photo


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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