Mexico-U.S. Wrap Up Part of NAFTA Renegotiation

NAFTA Trade
Daniel Ujczo is an International Trade and Customs Lawyer with the Dickinson Wright Law Firm in Columbus Ohio. He says the agreement this week between Mexico and Canada basically completes their part of the NAFTA negotiations. (Photo from twitter.com)

The U.S. and Mexico announced the framework of an agreement to put a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

in place between the two countries. The question is, what exactly did they agree on as details aren’t entirely clear. Daniel Ujczo is an International Trade Lawyer with Dickinson Wright in Columbus, Ohio, who works on trade for a living. He said this basically means the work to resolve the outstanding issues between Mexico and Canada is done.

“This is the first hurdle cleared in the attempt to get to a final NAFTA,” Ujczo said. “The issues between Mexico and the U.S. primarily surrounded automobiles, but on the agriculture side, included seasonal produce, which was a request that the U.S. put in to resolve the ‘great tomato wars’ between Florida and Mexico. The U.S. agreed to withdraw that proposal.

“There were several other smaller NAFTA issues between the two countries,” he said. “Autos really led the charge until we reached agreement on that. The agreement came about somewhat surprisingly to external observers, but for those of us on the ground, we knew this was happening.”

Ujczo said Mexico and the U.S. went beyond just the bilateral NAFTA issues between the two countries during their negotiations. He said they’ve essentially come up with the rest of the deal on areas like intellectual property rights, in particular. Some observers had expected intellectual property rights to come up later when Canada returned to the negotiating table.

“In short, the U.S. and Mexico have really finished their part of the NAFTA agreement,” Ujczo said. “The next thing is to bring in Canada. Because of the way the procedural and political timelines work, that all needs to be done by Friday, August 31. That makes for a very short window to resolve some long-standing issues between the U.S. and Canada, not the least of which is dairy.”

Here’s the complete interview with Daniel Ujczo:

MDA Gathering Info on Potential Dicamba Damage

dicamba
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is asking farmers to fill out an online survey as they investigate alleged soybean damage caused by dicamba drift. (Photo from agfaxweedsolutions.com)

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is again gathering information on plant damage that may have been caused by the use of the herbicide dicamba. The MDA is encouraging anyone with damage in the 2018 growing season to complete a survey or register a formal complaint. The survey will be open until September 15.

Last year, the MDA received 253 complaints related to the use of dicamba in Minnesota. The complaints centered on off-target movement that impacted non-dicamba tolerant soybeans, other sensitive crops, as well as non-crop plants. The University of Minnesota estimates the damaged area totaled 265,000 acres across the state.

In an effort to prevent off-target movement incidents this year, the MDA added additional restrictions to the herbicide’s application: a June 20 cutoff date and an 85 degree Fahrenheit temperature cutoff. As of July 23, 2018, the MDA had received 30 reports of alleged dicamba damage. Not all of those reports requested an investigation.

“It is important that we continue to monitor the situation this year and gather as much data as we can,” said Assistant Commissioner Susan Stokes. “Last year’s survey gave us very valuable information, and this year’s survey will help the department as we look ahead to the 2019 growing season.”

Dicamba is an herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds in dicamba tolerant soybeans, corn and a variety of other food and feed crops, as well as in residential areas. Dicamba belongs to a class of herbicides that are volatile, and can drift and/or volatilize from the intended application area if not used according to the label. Off-target movement may cause unintended impacts such as serious damage to non-targeted crops.

If you believe dicamba was used in violation of the label or law, and you wish to request an MDA investigation, you will also need to complete the pesticide misuse complaint form or call the Pesticide Misuse Complaint line at 651-201-6333.

You can find more information on dicamba at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/dicamba.

Here’s a refresher from the North Carolina Soybean Association on spotting different levels of dicamba damage:

Margin Protection Program Registration Deadline Extended

Dairy Margin Protection Program
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced this week that the enrollment deadline for the Dairy Margin Protection Program has been extended till June 22. (Photo from foodsafetynews.com)

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the re-enrollment deadline for the Margin Protection Program (MPP) for Dairy will be extended until June 22, 2018.

The new and improved program protects participating dairy producers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant. USDA has already issued more than $89 million for margins triggered in February, March, and April, and USDA offices are continuing to process remaining payments daily.

“Last week we re-opened enrollment to offer producers preoccupied with field work an additional opportunity to come into their local office to sign-up. We did get more than 500 new operations enrolled but want to continue to provide an opportunity for folks to participate before the next margin is announced,” said Secretary Perdue. “More than 21,000 American dairies have gone into our 2,200 FSA offices to sign-up for 2018 MPP coverage but I am certain we can do better with this extra week and a half.”

The re-enrollment deadline was previously extended through June 8, 2018. The deadline is being extended a second time to ensure that dairy producers are given every opportunity to make a calculated decision and enroll in the program if they choose. This will be the last opportunity for producers to take advantage of key adjustments Congress made to provisions of the MPP program under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to strengthen its support of dairy producers.

USDA encourages producers contemplating enrollment to use the online web resource at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool to calculate the best levels of coverage for their dairy operation.

Dairy Margin Protection Program
Dairy Producers have until June 22 to get signed up for the Dairy Margin Protection Program. Don’t leave potential money on the table when times are still tight financially. (Photo from wikihow.com)

The next margin under MPP, for May 2018, will be published on June 28, 2018. Therefore, all coverage elections on form CCC-782 and the $100 administrative fee, unless exempt, must be submitted to the County FSA Office no later than June 22, 2018. No registers will be utilized, so producers are encouraged to have their enrollment for 2018 completed by COB June 22, 2018.

All dairy operations must make new coverage elections for 2018 during the re-enrollment period, even if the operation was enrolled during the previous 2018 signup. Coverage elections made for 2018 will be retroactive to January 1, 2018. MPP payments will be sequestered at a rate of 6.6 percent.

To learn more about the Margin Protection Program for dairy, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency county office at offices.usda.gov or visit us on the Web at www.fsa.usda.gov.

Minnesota Strawberry Season is Rapidly Approaching

Minnesota Strawberries

Minnesota strawberries will be ready for picking soon. Growers across the state have reported fields full of blossoms and are expecting to be open for pick-your-own and pre-picked strawberries over the last two weeks of June.

Minnesota Strawberries
The strawberry season is almost here in Minnesota! Almost time to get out and pick them fresh off the vine! (Photo from Facebook.com)

Berry season is short and sweet (literally!), with seasonal availability beginning in southern Minnesota and moving northward. The typical strawberry season is two-three weeks long but the length of harvest varies from farm to farm, depending on varieties planted, weather, and soil type. Mild temperatures in the 70s and 80s extend the season and allow berries to ripen at a steady pace, while excessive heat can cause berries to ripen more quickly and shorten the season.

Minnesota strawberry varieties are grown for their robust, juicy flavor, and not for long shelf life or shipping ability. John Jacobson of Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake gives tips on preserving Minnesota strawberries’ fresh taste.

“Leave the berries in their natural state until you are ready to use them,” said Jacobson, “then wash them up. Waiting to wash the berries will keep them fresher longer and will help them from going bad prematurely.”

Kevin Edberg of The Berry Patch in Forest Lake has grown berries for 41 years. Edberg recommends that visitors call the farm beforehand and properly plan visits.

“Call the farm before going and prepare for being outside,” said Edberg. “Bring things like hats, sunscreen, and a water bottle. Most farms these days provide containers, but verify if you need to bring your own.”

Edberg also recommends calling ahead for those wishing to place orders for pre-picked berries.

Danielle Daugaard of Minnesota Grown recommends on-the-farm berry picking as an educational family activity.

Minnesota Strawberries
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture wants you to know that it’s almost time to head out to your local produce grower and pick some fresh strawberries right off the vine. Bring the whole family and spend a couple hours together outdoors. (Photo from minnesotahauntedhouses.com)

“Picking your own berries is lots of fun and is a great way for kids to learn where their food comes from,” says Daugaard. “Minnesota Grown farmers are always happy to connect with their customers, and visiting their farms can give families a chance to ask questions about their food.”

The Minnesota Grown Directory, available in print or online, is a great place to find local pick-your-own berry operations or farmers market. The 2018 Directory includes 73 strawberry farms, 36 summer raspberry farms, 31 blueberry farms, and other specialty berry farms like elderberries, currants, honey berries, and aronia berries. Free, printed copies of the Directory may be ordered online or by calling 1-888-TOURISM (1-888-868-7476).

Poison Hemlock Spreading Across Minnesota

Poison Hemlock
This is a poison hemlock plant in bloom. It’s spreading across Minnesota, appearing now in 25 counties and is especially dangerous to livestock if it’s ingested. (contributed photo.)

Poison hemlock is a toxic member of the carrot family. That’s right, I said carrot family. It can grow to heights of eight feet and has clusters of small white flowers that bloom from May to August. The leaves are fernlike and the stems have purple spots. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, which can be especially dangerous to livestock that accidentally eat it while grazing. 

2017 was an important year for poison hemlock in Minnesota. Prior to 2017, it was confirmed in isolated pockets of only eight counties. Accurate mapping and reporting led to confirmation of infestations in 17 additional counties across Minnesota, so it is spreading. A rigorous evaluation using a weed risk assessment model, was conducted on poison hemlock by the Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (NWAC). 

Based on the results of a risk assessment, any weed species may be recommended for listing on the Prohibited – Eradicate, Prohibited – Control, Restricted, or Specially Regulated categories. After the poison hemlock risk assessment was completed, NWAC recommended that the species be emergency listed as a Prohibited – Eradicate species, the most severe category on the list.

Because of its current status on the Noxious Weed List, landowners are required to destroy all above and below ground parts of the plant. Most infestations are small, with just a few plants. Effective management must prevent seed production and exhaust the seedbank.

  • Mow before seed set to prevent movement of seed to new locations. Clean equipment, clothing, and shoes after moving through an infestation.
  • Herbicide applications that target rosettes in the early spring and fall can be very effective. Spring treatments of rosettes should be timed well in advance of flowering and follow-up treatments may be necessary for several years to exhaust the seed bank. If using herbicide treatments, check with your local co-op or certified landscape care expert for assistance and recommendations. There are several businesses throughout the state with certified herbicide applicators that can be hired to perform chemical applications.