To receive a notification through the Remind text messaging system when a Tangi-Washington Grower Update is posted, please contact Mary Helen Ferguson. Click here for links to previous Tangi-Washington Grower Updates.

This Update has information about several upcoming events and resources that may be helpful to you.

Louisiana Master Farmer Phase 1 Training – September 6 (Hammond)

Click here for more information and to register.

Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training & Optional Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) & Farmers Market Food Safety Workshop – September 26 - 27 (Hammond)

One part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Fresh Produce Safety rule is that “At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.” For those who aren’t familiar with FSMA requirements or need a refresher, this website provides information. As mentioned in the Key Requirements section of that page, farms “that have an average annual value of produce sold during the previous three-year period of $25,000 or less” are exempt from the Produce Safety rule. (That initial threshold has since been adjusted for inflation.) There are also exemptions related to certain crops that are identified as “rarely consumed raw,” and some farms that sell a majority of their food (not just produce) to “qualified end-users” are exempt from some but not all parts of the Produce Safety rule. If you think that you may qualify for a partial or full exemption, please see the above-mentioned website and this chart.

The GAP training component is for those interested in becoming GAP certified in the future. GAP certification is not required by law but is required by some buyers.

The cost for this event is only $20, but you do need to pre-register. For more information and to register, click here.

Louisiana Farm to School Conference: Rooting for Each Other - October 2 (Baton Rouge)

Click here for more information and to register.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew Identified in Louisiana

Unlike many of the plant diseases that affect our crops, the pathogen that causes cucurbit downy mildew does not overwinter outdoors in Louisiana, since it requires a living plant host to survive. When it first shows up on cucurbit family plants in Louisiana varies from year to year. Once it's found in an area, growers of susceptible crops should apply fungicides effective against downy mildew when weather conditions are favorable for disease development and should be on alert for disease symptoms. This year, I first observed downy mildew in Louisiana (Tangipahoa Parish) in late July and saw it again in mid-August. In both cases, it was on pumpkin plants. Note that the downy mildew pathogen is an Oomycete or water mold rather than a true fungus, so many fungicides are not effective against this disease. More information about the disease can be found here. The 2024 Southeast US Vegetable Crop Handbook has fungicide recommendations in the cucurbit disease management section. You can contact me (or the horticultural crops agent in your area, for growers outside of Tangipahoa or Washington Parishes) with questions.

Summer 2024 Edition of Small Fruit News Available

The Summer 2024 edition of Small Fruit News from the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium is available. (If you’d like, you can sign up to receive notifications about new issues directly from the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium.).

New Resource for Strawberry Growers

Growers may find Constructing a Cheap and Effective Strawberry Sprayer, from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, useful.

Let me know if you have questions.

Contact Mary Helen Ferguson, Ph.D.

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