Carrot Country Summer 2018

CarrotCountry.com

•

Summer 2018

Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide

Buyers’ Guide

Harvest Essentials

Getting the Good Bugs Automated Agriculture New Products

Magazines For Maximum Yield

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461

www.carrotcountry.com Carrot Country Contacts Editor Denise Keller

Vol. 26, No. 2

Summer 2018

In This Issue:

editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Publisher / Advertising Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Carrot Country is interested in newsworthy material related to carrot production and marketing.

Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.

4

Getting the Good Bugs:

8

Automated Agriculture

The Amazing World of Natural Enemies

Researchers Work on Robotic Weeder

10 Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide

ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@carrotcountry.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S................... 1 year $16 Canada ............ 1 year $24 Foreign ............ 1 year $40 Payments may be made by check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

Subscribe online at: www.carrotcountry.com or call (503) 724-3581.

Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Carrot Country PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444

Carrot Country magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), is published quarterly and mailed under permit #410, paid at San Dimas, CA 91773.

It is produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444.

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group.

For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.

2

Carrot Country

•

Summer 2018

Departments:

12 New Products 13 Calendar 14 In the News

On the Cover: ASA-LIFT’s PO-335BU harvests bunched carrots from the field.

Find harvesters, sizers and more in the Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide on pages 10-11.

Photo courtesy ASA-LIFT

A lady beetle, pictured here eating aphids, can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its brief lifetime. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker See story on page 4.

New! Extreme Super Cleaning System 3 to 4 times better cleaning than any other system

Custom Built Harvesting Equipment Carrots — Pickles

We offer a computer (digital processor) individual row head height system 2, 3, 4, 6 & 8 Rows Conventional Roller Bar or High Speed Crowning.

Precision Computer Controlled Planting Population Systems

LEADER IN CARROT HARVESTING TECHNOLOGY BUILT IN THE U.S.A. HE BEST T D L I U WE B REST! E H T X I AND F

For More Information Phone:

(231) 821-2125 Between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST Ask for Wayne Fax (231) 821-0275

www.vogel-engineering.com

Getting the Good Bugs: The Amazing World of Natural Enemies

By Jessa Kay Cruz, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

O

ne of my favorite stories about pest control takes place on a small vegetable farm in western Idaho. I am conducting a site visit, consulting with the farmer, Lucas, about an upcoming habitat project. It’s fall, and many of his summer crops are done for the season. As we tour the farm, he shows me his carrots, onions and cilantro. He has finished harvesting these plants, but instead of terminating them immediately, he decided to let them bolt because I’d previously told him that the nectar-rich flowers of these plants are a favorite of parasitic wasps and other natural enemies.

From the bolting summer crops, we head over to look at his recently planted broccoli. He had noticed an aphid outbreak earlier and wants me to help him determine if the outbreak warrants spraying. As we start to scout, we see something strange. The aphids look dark-colored and desiccated, almost the same way they look after being sprayed. Closer examination with a hand-lens reveals what I suspected: they’ve been parasitized. Every single one of the aphids is dead. I tell him that those bolting crops must be doing their job,

Here, a lacewing larva eats aphids. Like lady beetles, lacewings have voracious appetites.

Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

raising populations of parasitic wasps that are attacking the aphids on his broccoli. It’s a perfect system.

At work in this story is a pestmanagement strategy that has been getting a lot of attention lately, referred to as conservation biological control, conservation biocontrol, or simply CBC. The foundation of CBC is creating conditions on a farm that attract and support significant populations of beneficial insects. These beneficial insects, also known as “natural enemies,” attack crop pests like aphids and flea beetles by either eating them or parasitizing them.

Insects like syrphid flies, lacewings and lady beetles prey directly on crop pests; a single lady beetle can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its brief lifetime. Others, such as braconid wasps and tachinid flies, are parasitoids, laying their eggs on or inside the body of their host. Those eggs then hatch and the larva consume their host until they finally emerge as adults, leaving only empty insect “mummies” behind.

While many predatory insects are generalists, meaning that they prey on a wide variety of pest insects, most

A hedgerow of blooming shrubs and perennials along a field border serves as habitat for beneficial insects. Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan

An insectary strip of blooming plants in the middle of a field supports beneficial insects throughout the cropped area. Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan

parasitoids are host-specific and can provide excellent control of target pests.

Both groups are important to have around in order to provide the best overall management of crop pests.

Types of Biological Control

Biological control, the use of living organisms to provide pest control, can take a number of different forms. Classical biocontrol involves the widespread release and establishment of a nonnative natural enemy from the pest’s native range. This method is generally managed by government agencies and scientists and can lead to long-term pest reduction.

Unfortunately, classical biocontrol requires an immense amount of testing and vetting, so the process can be very slow. And even with all the careful vetting, there have been instances of classical biocontrol going very wrong and producing unintended ecological and economic consequences.

Who can forget the cautionary tale of the cane toad in Australia?

Another form of biological control, referred to as augmentative biocontrol, involves the purchase and release of mass-reared insects. This method can be very effective in greenhouses or confined

spaces, and can provide at least temporary relief from pest pressure. The drawback is that augmentative biocontrol often doesn’t provide long-term pest control, as released populations of beneficial insects won’t establish permanently without habitat and management.

The magic of conservation biocontrol is that it works within existing ecosystems and relies on natural processes. Unlike other forms of biological control, CBC doesn’t rely on the introduction of foreign agents to do the job; it uses wild insects that are likely already present. In a way, it is the oldest of pest control systems made modern. Conservation biocontrol focuses on creating habitat and adopting farming practices that support beneficial insect populations. Since the estimated value of pest control by wild beneficial insects is $4.5 billion to $12 billion annually for U.S. crops, and $100 billion worldwide, it is a method that seems to be working.

periods of their life cycle, or use these floral resources to supplement their diets when insect prey is not available. For example, syrphid flies are predaceous in their immature stage, but feed exclusively on nectar as an adult. Adult lady beetles, on the other hand, need to feed on a combination of insect prey, pollen and nectar to flourish. Carefully placed and “Mummies” of parasitized aphids remain after the parasitoid’s eggs hatch and the developing larva consume the aphids. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

Importance of Habitat

Habitat is the key ingredient in conservation biocontrol, primarily because flowering plants provide food by way of pollen and nectar. Many beneficial insects rely on pollen or nectar at specific CarrotCountry.com

5

Good Bugs can seasonal cover crops. Beetle banks, comprised of a raised bed of bunch grasses, can provide shelter for large populations of predaceous ground beetles.

There are a few basic principles to keep in mind. Having somewhere on a farm with permanent habitat that is well protected from pesticides is critical for maintaining populations of beneficial insects on a farm long-term. Also, providing consistent floral resources from early in the spring all the way into the fall is an important way to support a diversity of natural enemies throughout their life cycles.

Scientific data supports the key function of habitat in conservation biocontrol. For example, a recent study comparing stink bug parasitism in tomato fields adjacent to hedgerows and tomato fields without habitat, found that parasitism rates were three times as high in fields adjacent to hedgerows. Another study found that planting buckwheat as a flowering cover crop adjacent to soybeans increased wasp parasitism of stink bug eggs by two and a half times.

Case for Conservation Biocontrol

This tachinid fly is a parasitoid, which lays its eggs on or inside the body of its host.

Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan Pictured is a parasitized tomato hornworm, with the parasitoid’s eggs laid on the outside of the host’s body. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

6

Carrot Country

•

Summer 2018

managed habitat can also provide nesting and overwintering sites and a refuge from pesticides and disturbances such as tillage or heavy equipment use.

On-farm habitat for beneficial insects can take many different forms. It can be as simple as allowing crops to bolt at the end of the season (as was successful on Lucas’ farm), or it can be planting a permanent hedgerow of blooming shrubs and perennials along a field border or roadside.

Insectary strips of blooming plants in the middle of a field can support beneficial insects throughout large cropped areas, as

Conservation biocontrol can work in nearly any cropping system and with many different pests. For example, predatory ground beetles attack soil-dwelling pests such as caterpillars, tuberworms and cutworms. Predatory mites, minute pirate bugs and lacewings can decimate populations of two-spotted mites and thrips. Finally, aphids are a favorite food of almost all beneficial insects, including amazing parasitoid wasps.

The only real cost of conservation biocontrol is in establishing and managing the habitat that supports beneficial insect populations, and agencies such the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help pay for that.

There’s no reason not to practice conservation biocontrol. Just ask Lucas.

Author’s note: For more information about planting habitat for beneficial insects, contact your local NRCS field office, or Jessa Kay Cruz at jessa.cruz@xerces.org.

Automated Agriculture Researchers Work on Robotic Weeder Story by Denise Keller, Editor Photos courtesy Manoj Karkee, Washington State University

W

ith labor coming at a high cost and being in short supply, the agriculture industry is looking for new ways to get the job done.

Currently, researchers from Washington State University (WSU), University of California-Davis and University of Arizona are collaborating to develop robotic weeding technology. This would help growers reduce manual weeding, which is one of the most labor-intensive operations on many vegetable crop farms. It would also improve sustainability, according to Manoj Karkee, an associate professor with WSU’s Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems.

Karkee expects labor availability to become an even greater challenge in the future due to increasing economic activities in Mexico and other countries, as well as uncertainties in the immigration system. Automating tasks such as weeding is necessary to minimize labor costs and keep the industry viable in the long term, he says.

Progress

The research team is working on a novel concept of using cameras and other sensors to differentiate crop plants from unwanted plants and weeds. When the robotic machine finds weeds, it will either use mechanical tools to remove the weeds, apply chemicals precisely on the weeds or apply heat to kill the weeds. Depending on the type of cropping system and type of weed, one method might work better than the other.

The developers have built the machine at a width of 42 inches and about twice as long, although the width could be adjusted based on specific planting systems. Several units will work together to weed a field in the desired time.

The component technologies are working well, according to Karkee. Now the researchers are putting the systems together. So far, they have integrated the camera system and robotic platform.

The prototype also has been integrated with the precision chemical application

Researchers will evaluate this weeding robot prototype in carrot and onion fields later this year.

system, which includes eight nozzles. The researchers are continuing to work on integrating the unit with the mechanical weed removal and thermal application tools.

A team at University of CaliforniaDavis tested the technology last year. The research team plans to evaluate the robot in Eastern Washington carrot and onion fields later this year.

Challenges

Right now, the camera and image processing systems can distinguish crops from unwanted weeds with about 80 to 90 percent accuracy.

“It is not 100 percent accurate yet in terms of differentiating the crop plant and the weed because they’re both of similar color. But we not only look at color; we also look at the shape of the leaf. Often times, the shape of the crop leaves is different than the shape of the weed leaves,” Karkee explains. “The sensors have the ability to see a little beyond color.

A research prototype of a weeding robot awaits some finishing touches in the lab.

They can look at some of the internal characteristics of the leaves, which might be slightly different.”

Carrots’ unique leaf shape will make it easier to apply robotic weeding technology in the crop, although the close spacing in which carrots are planted makes it more challenging to kill or remove weeds growing in between plants.

Achieving accuracy closer to the 100 percent mark may require the use of additional signals. Researchers are discussing the use of small stakes positioned next to seeded crops or the application of a food-grade coloring to transplant crops to help the sensor system distinguish plants from weeds. They are also looking at treating seeds with a compound that will give the resulting plants a unique color signature that can be detected with the camera system.

“We don’t want to kill even 5 percent of the plants we want or leave 5 percent of the weeds we don’t want,” Karkee says. “There may be situations when we might be missing some percent of weeds if we don’t use any external signal such as applying coloring.”

Depending on the crop and cropping system, the goal may be for the robot to eliminate 95 percent of weeds or better. In other situations, it may be more reasonable to use the robot to reduce weeds to 10 percent and finish the job manually.

“If we can get this robot to work and reduce manual weeding to 10 to 20 percent of where it is today, I think we can make this work for growers,” Karkee says.

“In fact, that works for growers quite well because they want to have a certain number of workers throughout the year.

They just don’t want to have a very high demand for certain periods of time like weeding.”

Researchers at Washington State University are collaborating with other universities to develop robotic weeding technology. Pictured, from left, with a research prototype of a weeding robot are Manoj Karkee, associate professor; Kapil Khanal, graduate student; and Xin Zhang, graduate student.

years of field evaluation to ensure they achieve the desired performance and functionality in various field conditions.

More testing and refinement is ahead before the research team has adequate data and a prototype that a company could commercialize. Toward the end of development, Karkee also plans to complete a comprehensive economic analysis of the technology.

Looking ahead, Karkee predicts that within three to five years, companies may have engineering prototypes of this type of robotic weeding technology. Within five to seven years, growers can expect to see robots in the field. Wide adoption

depends on external factors including labor availability, labor cost and whether companies offer the technology as a service or a product sale.

“The size of the farm has also always played a role in the potential to adopt new technologies. That will remain. But rather than having a big 400-horsepower machine covering 20 rows at a time, we are considering multiple smaller machines working together. It creates a model that farmers can adapt to their size,” Karkee explains. “I really feel excited and enthusiastic about what I’m doing and where this is going. It’s a real exciting area.”

Manoj Karkee (left) and two graduate students inspect an automatic control system that guides the weeding robot through the field.

Next Steps

Automated, complex machines require a long development window and multiple CarrotCountry.com

9

Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide Synthetic Resources Incorporated ReflectorNET www.syntheticresources.com

ReflectorNET is an elastic pallet wrapping net typically used in the agricultural business for palletizing fresh produce that requires ventilation. ReflectorNET is manufactured with enhanced elasticity to wrap more pallets per roll, which saves money on packaging products, and to allow for stronger pallet containment, which provides peace of mind that loads are securely wrapped. ReflectorNET saves 50 to 60 percent of the cost of strap-andcorners packaging methods. The product offers an aggressive built-in memory that helps maintain width, providing excellent pallet stability with only little overlapping whether used in a wrapping machine or manually. Synthetic Resources Inc. offers ReflectorNET in 20-inch- and 30-inch-wide machine rolls.

Standard pallet netting is available in hand and machine rolls.

Univerco Inc. Self-Propelled Multi-Row Carrot Harvester www.univerco.com

After 39 years of building one-row carrot harvesters for the North American and Mexican markets, Univerco Inc. is proud to introduce its selfpropelled multi-row carrot harvester.

Available in two-, three- or four-row configurations, this machine will also harvest red beets, parsnips, turnips and rutabagas without any modification.

The harvester features a high-capacity cleaning system with hedgehog belt and finger table after the topper bars. The short frame will allow for a short turning radius. Standard, readily available components include a high-torque Caterpillar engine and Sauer-Danfoss hydrostatic transmission. A new cab with superior visibility of all the pickers from the operator’s position and conveyor speeds synchronized with ground speed makes the operator’s life that much easier.

Univerco’s exclusive T-Drive System offers adjustable torque independently for each wheel and is controlled from the cab. This is a huge benefit to get through tough ground conditions.

Kerian Machines Speed Sizer www.kerian.com

The Kerian Speed Sizer sorts carrots by size accurately and consistently.

The constantly rotating rollers help the turning flaps align the carrots with the rollers so that the carrots (with or without tops) are consistently sorted by diameter. The sizer is proven in use for fresh carrots, baby carrots and processing lines.

10

Carrot Country

•

Summer 2018

ASA-LIFT Self-Propelled Harvesters, Bunched Carrot Harvester www.asa-lift.com

ASA-LIFT is the first manufacturer to develop a row-finding system that detects the rows by means of a sensor and automatically ensures the perfect position of the pick-up section. This system, in combination with GPS, makes it possible for the driver to concentrate on other tasks and also to realize higher harvesting speeds. The harvest losses are significantly minimized.

When it comes to harvesting bunched carrots, ASA-LIFT offers the three-point mounted PO-335BU. It is a small and extremely flexible harvesting machine which offers a number of advantages. It ensures that the product is further processed in a clean condition. The soft pick-up belt on the machine leaves the green top of the carrots intact. And finally, the special ASA-LIFT box with spring bottom system ensures gentle handling of the carrots when emptying the boxes.

ASA-LIFT, a Danish manufacturer of vegetable technology, has been on the U.S. and Canadian markets for more than two decades.

Greentronics RiteTrace

www.greentronics.com

Greentronics recently added load-by-load field-to-storage tracking to its RiteYield root crop yield monitor product. The new product, called RiteTrace, is designed to automate harvest and storage data recording, providing carrot growers with a wide range of reports as well as field and 3D storage maps detailing where each load originated and where it is stored.

Maps allow growers to select areas in storages or fields and link them together to understand issues around quality in discussions about crop management or when communicating with buyers and processors.

Detailed and summary reports include yields by variety and field, in addition to loads by field, storage and truck. Data points are all date/time stamped, and reports are useful for managing efficiency. Maps and reports work well with GAP compliance.

Greentronics offers yield data integration with John Deere GS3 2630 and Trimble FMx and TMx monitors, allowing operators to view yield maps in real time.

Vogel Engineering Inc. Custom-Built Harvesting Equipment www.vogel-engineering.com

Made in the U.S., Vogel Engineering harvesters offer features such as a precision computer-controlled planting population system and individual row head height adjustability. Plus, the company’s new Extreme Super Cleaning System is built to clean three to four times better than other systems.

Harvesters are available in two-, three-, four-, six- and eight-row configurations. Other available options include conventional roller bars and high-speed crowning.

CarrotCountry.com

11

New Products Canadian Company Launches Soil Probiotic in US

Soil Activator, a soil probiotic from Earth Alive, is now available in the U.S. Soil Activator is designed to create healthier carrot plants that produce higher yields, with reduced fertilizer and water use. It is said to improve plant nutrient uptake by converting soil minerals into easily absorbable nutrients.

Carrots that received Soil Activator plus standard fertilization saw yield increase by 63 percent versus the unfertilized control, and by 32 percent versus carrots that received only fertilizer, according to the company. The increase in yield versus fertilizer alone was statistically significant.

Soil Activator is 100 percent certified organic, containing no GMOs or chemically synthesized materials. It can also be used in conventional growing, allowing the use of less fertilizer to gain the same or better results. The company recommends applying the product at planting.

Visit www.earthalivect.com/business-units/soil-activator/.

Solutions 4Earth Expands Fertilizer Line

Solutions 4Earth has added two new liquid organic products under the Infinite brand. Infinite Push 3-2-1 and Infinite Core 2-2-2 are both labeled for a wide range of crops including carrots.

Infinite fertilizers are said to contain nutrients necessary for strong plant growth. According to the company, the liquid-based formulation provides relatively quick plant response, which helps growers “spoonfeed” the crop. The products are designed to add carbon to the soil, resulting in enhanced microbial growth and improved soil health.

Infinite fertilizers can be applied to soil, as a foliar spray or injected through drip irrigation systems.

Visit www.solutions4earth.com.

Lindsay Upgrades FieldNET App

Lindsay Corporation has launched a new version of its FieldNET mobile app. The enhancements are designed to improve access, visibility and control of center pivots and lateral irrigation systems.

Key features and new, real-time functionalities now available include the ability to enable and disable auto-restart and autoreverse, as well as the ability to shut down multiple pivots simultaneously. Upgrades also include new search tools for equipment and groups, display of time remaining for current circle or until the next stop, and streamlined status alerts delivered via push notification.

Lindsay plans to integrate variable rate irrigation into the FieldNET app later this year.

Visit www.myfieldnet.com.

Company Prescribes Mud Rx for Planter Wheels

Two farmers from North Dakota utilized their engineering backgrounds to develop a product to eliminate mud-plugged planter and air seeder wheels in wet conditions and to prevent tire wear in abrasive soils.

Mud Rx is a plastic product that fits snugly between a gauge wheel and disc. This keeps the disc clean and prevents mud buildup and wheel plugging in damp or muddy conditions. In dry, abrasive soil conditions, the product is designed to keep small particles, rocks and debris from wearing down the tire edges close to the disc. The developers estimate Mud Rx extends tire life by three to five times.

Mud Rx fits nearly all planters with gauge wheels and most aftermarket wheels and tires.

Visit www.mudrx.com.

NEW/USED WALK-IN COOLER-FREEZER REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS HUGE InvEntory-All SIzES BUy  SEll  nAtIonwIdE 

AMERICAN WHOLESALE CO. TOLL FREE 877-220-8882 WWW.AWRCO.COM  AWCCO@AOL.COM

12

Carrot Country

•

Summer 2018

Never miss an issue: CarrotCountry.com/subscribe

Calendar

•

•

Nov. 14-15 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference and Trade Show Three Rivers Convention Center Kennewick, Wash.

Sheri Nolan, (509) 585-5460 or www.pnva.org

Aug. 21-24 39th International Carrot Conference

Monona Terrace Convention Center Madison, Wisc. vcru.wisc.edu/carrotconference

•

June 25-27 United Fresh 2018

Sept. 19-22 2nd International Symposium on Carrot and Other Apiaceae Kraków, Poland www.carrot-symposium2018.pl/gb

McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago, Ill. www.unitedfresh.org

Editor’s note: To have your event listed, please email Denise Keller, at editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com.

Please send your information 90 days in advance.

•

Oct. 18-20 PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Orlando, Fla. www.freshsummit.com

CarrotCountry.com

13

In the News Fox Packaging Opens New Facility

Fox Packaging opened a new printing facility in McAllen, Texas, in March.

With the new 32,000-square-foot facility’s increased space and state-of-the-art printing and conversion equipment, the company expects to increase production with shorter lead times.

“We wanted a space that would allow us to keep up with demand without sacrificing the elevated customer service our partners have come to know and trust,” said Keith Fox, president of Fox Packaging.

Fox Packaging develops and distributes flexible packaging options for fresh produce packers and shippers throughout North America and Latin America.

Double M Expands

Double M Ag and Irrigation opened a new store in Blackfoot, Idaho, on Feb. 1, adding to its stores in American Falls and Aberdeen.

Double M ships equipment, irrigation and sprayer parts throughout the United States and Canada. The company carries a line of new and used equipment and bills itself as a one-stop shop from planting through harvest.

VOGEL CARROT HARVESTER FOR SALE

Call 229-246-1340 or glenn@brinsonfarmsupply.com 14

Carrot Country

•

Summer 2018

Stokes Seeds Adds Midwest Sales Rep

Stokes Seeds has hired Tim Clark as sales representative for Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern Illinois. Clark will be supplying vegetable seed recommendations and service to commercial producers throughout this newly organized territory.

Clark has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been working in Midwest agriculture for over 10 years including experience in seed sales and crop production.

Bolthouse Pilots Autonomous Tractors

A pilot program involving autonomous tractors is underway at Bolthouse Farms in California.

The goal is to collect data and better understand the impact of autonomous tractors in a day-to-day operation.

Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) and Case IH are using multiple autonomous Case IH Steiger Quadtrac tractors for crop tillage at Bolthouse Farms. Feedback will be used to refine the technology for specific implements and production scenarios.

The work builds upon previous collaboration between ASI and Case IH, as well as New Holland Agriculture. Recently commercialized products resulting from the research and development activities of the autonomous program have included Case IH’s AccuTurn and New Holland’s IntelliTurn automated end-of-row turning products.

Equipment Company Opens

Automated Produce Equipment (APE) opened in early April.

The company provides produce machinery and packaging solutions primarily to the potato, onion and carrot industries. The company sells complete lines, as well as individual machines from bin tipping to packaging and robotic palletizing at the end of the packing line. APE’s vendors’ machinery is designed to reduce labor, increase efficiency and keep customers competitive in the industry, according to Mike McKnight, company president.

McKnight has been providing produce packaging equipment for nearly 10 years. APE is based in Marietta, Georgia.

MeloCon WG

Nematicide

KNOT nice.

MeloCon nematicide effectively controls plant-infecting nematodes, including root knot, burrowing, cyst, root lesion, false root knot and sting nematodes. Can be applied through any irrigation system. ➤ In-season applications ➤ No fumigant management plan required ➤ Application flexibility ➤ Broad spectrum nematicide

Image: Root nodules caused by root knot nematodes.

MeloCon is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.

Always read and follow label directions.

2018 Certis USA

©

1-800-250-5024 • www.CertisUSA.com

WORLD CLASS VEGETABLE HARVESTERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

ASA-LIFT CARROT HARVESTERS BUILD FOR AMERICA ASA-LIFT is a leading international company developing, producing and distributing vegetable harvesters.

For more than 80 years, ASA-LIFT machines have been sold all over the world, and more than 20 years of experience, on the US market.

www.asa-lift.com

ASA-LIFT US OFFICE ASA-LIFT . Metalvej 2 . DK-4180, Soro . Denmark . Phone: 01145 5786 0700 . asa@asa-lift.com . www.asa-lift.com

Miller Farms, Hancock - WI P. (715) 249 5160 pmillerfarms@gmail.com