MSU 'Agronomy Day': Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, will be the 2023 Crop and Pest Management “Agronomy Day” program for farmers and others involved in agriculture in southeast Michigan. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old Mill, Dundee, with check-in and a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Topics and speakers include: “Weed Control” by Christy Sprague, “Tar Spot and Other Diseases” by Marty Chilvers, “Update on Insect Pests” by Chris DiFonzo, “Corn Fertility Considerations” by Kurt Steinke, “Drainage and Tiling” by Ehsan Ghane and “Irrigation” by Lyndon Kelley.

This meeting has been approved for five pesticide recertification credits in the categories of private, commercial core and commercial categories 1A and 1B and five CEU credits. The cost is $40, which includes a “Back in the Day” catered lunch, and a 2023 MSU Field Crop Weed Guide. Preregistration is required online at events.anr.msu.edu/2023cropandPestmanagement/ or by calling 269-467-5511. The deadline to register is Feb. 1. 

USDA WASDE Report: On Jan. 12, the USDA released one of the “big three” crop reports for the year, the latest World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report. In the world of agricultural statistics, USDA is head and shoulders above other countries. In general, corn, soybeans and wheat stocks are at low levels, both in the U.S. and around the world. The three big variables going into 2023 include weather and the ending of La Niña, the tight supply situation and the uncertainty surrounding Ukraine and Russian agriculture, planting and exports. Corn exports from Ukraine are estimated to be down only 24% from a year ago.

Good news locally is the tighter basis and better local prices relative to the futures market. The lowest wheat stocks of the past 15 years is partly offset by higher fall planting of wheat, including in southeast Michigan. And the low Mississippi River level has not grossly adversely affected shipments to the Gulf ports for export.

The drought in the western U.S. has meant fewer numbers of cattle on feed, though supplies of pork and poultry are not affected in the same way. However, recent rains have changed the U.S. drought monitor to the better. Not mentioned in this USDA report were amounts or availability of fertilizers, fuel or other inputs or input prices. Also not mentioned specifically are factors of slowing global economies and that impact upon demand for U.S. commodities. The cost or value of the U.S. dollar among world currencies makes the cost of buying U.S. products higher.

All-America Selections: One of the better ways to have success in a home garden is to plant vegetable or flower varieties that are designated All-America Selections (AAS) award winners. All-America Selections is a national, nonprofit plant trialing organization that has been testing new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener since its founding in 1932. 

For 2023, 11 flowers or vegetables were designated AAS winners, which includes new varieties of coleus, colocasua, echinacea, leucanthemum, two kinds of pepper, salvia, snapdragon, squash, tomato and watermelon. In 2022, there were 18 winners, six winners in 2021, and the list goes on and on.

Judges are professional horticulturists from universities, public gardens, breeding companies, growers and others. Judges are asked to evaluate characteristics such as earliness, taste, disease-resistance, uniqueness and more, depending upon the species and category. The categories include ornamentals, edible fruits and vegetables and herbaceous perennials. Although AAS does not advertise, seed companies usually prominently display the AAS logo on varieties that they sell.

Ned Birkey is an MSU Extension educator emeritus and a regular contributor to The Monroe News.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe County Agriculture: Gardeners look for 'All-America Selections'