May 31 deadline for StarLink settlement Farmers who grew non-Star-Link hybrids in the year 2000 are eligible for payments as a result of the Non-StarLink Farmers Class Action Settlement. The deadline for filing is Saturday, May 31. Most farmers will qualify for the corn loss claim. This is for farmers who harvested non-StarLink corn in 2000 and were impacted by a loss of exports and market price due to the contamination of StarLink corn. It is estimated growers will receive $1 to $2 per acre for each acre of corn eligible. Growers without Internet connection should contact their extension office and ask for a Corn Loss Proof of Claim and Release. The extension office will need the grower’s name and address to print out the form. In addition, the grower will need to contact the FSA office and ask for FSA form 578 (Report of Acreage). Growers who have Internet access should go to the Web site: www.non-starlinkfarmerssettle ment.com. Click on Proof of Claim Forms and then scroll down and click on Corn Loss Proof of Claim and Release. Be sure to click on the correct claim form. At this point, enter your name and address and then click on submit. Your claim form has five pages with two pages of instructions. Again, the FSA 578 is needed to record the acres of corn grown in 2000 on each farm. It should take no more than 20 minutes to record the necessary information. For more information, feel free to contact me toll free at (877) 993-5275. Corn and soybean stands This time of the year I am asked to evaluate stands of corn and soybeans to determine if fields should be replanted. Stands are reduced for many reasons including cutworms, crusting, planter malfunction, seed corn maggots, wireworms, white grubs, hail, herbicide injury, pop-up fertilizer, etc. The decision to replant is not an easy one unless stands are decimated. Farmers sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion and replant fields if stands are not optimal. Keep in mind that soybean stands can be reduced to 78,000 plants per acre and yield loss will only be 10 percent. Corn is more sensitive to stand loss than soybeans. Yields are cut 10 percent when corn populations dip to 21,000 plants per acre. These yield estimates are accurate if the stand remaining is uniform throughout the field. When fields are replanted in late May or early June, the yield potential is naturally less. Our research data shows corn growers lose 17 percent yield for corn planted May 30 and soybeans lose approximately 13 percent if planted May 30. Other factors that need to be taken into consideration are seed supply of shorter season varieties, weed situation and the cost to replant. Before loading up planter with seed, make sure the economics favor replanting. Horticulture Notes Apple trees should be sprayed immediately after blossoming with an insecticide such as malathion, diazinon or the all-purpose fruit spray. Codling moths lay eggs on apples as soon as they develop. Larvae tunnel to the core of the apple and feed until mid-summer and then exit. Spraying twice, one week apart should reduce but not completely eliminate this pest. Carpenter ant calls have been coming in regularly since temperatures began warming up this spring. When carpenter ants are found inside the home in April, it’s a good bet a nest is located inside the home. If they enter in late May and the following summer months, ants are most likely inside foraging for food and the nest is outside the home in a nearby hollow tree or wood pile. Pest Control Companies may be needed to control carpenter ant nests inside the home. Baits can be used to help control food foraging ants that have nests outside the home. Grapes are easy to grow and one of the few fruits that are nearly pest-free. If you are looking for a grape that can be used for jelly and juice, you might want to try Concord. Concord is a fairly winter-hardy variety that produces nice sized fruit with high sugar content. They are ready for picking by late September. Seed catalogs now have seedless Concord grapes available.
