Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/590163
10 NOVEMBER 2015 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com W hen a wildfire skirted the edges of Chelan, Washington, in August, Reggie Collins suffered more than one loss: In addition to the destruction of Plant No. 1 at Chelan Fruit Cooperative, where Collins is chief executive officer, he also lost about 6,000 trees in his own orchards. The fire burned 4,500 apple trees— Fuji, Gala and Braeburn—and about 1,500 Santina and Rainier cherry trees. And like most growers, Collins didn't have insurance on the trees, just on the crop in the event of a major loss. "You lose on the trees, the income those trees would have produced 10 to 15 years," he said. "I didn't have any insur- ance for the irrigation system that was lost in the rows. Deer fencing and posts that surrounded my property are not insurable." But, he added, noting that more growers suffered wildfire damage in north-central Washington last year, "It could have been a whole lot worse." There are programs available to help growers who've suffered damage to trees and property—and not just to their crops—in a natural disaster, though there are limits to who qualifies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency's Tree Assistance Program (TAP), which was authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, provides finan- cial assistance to qualifying growers to replant or rehabilitate trees and vines damaged by natural disasters. The program pays 65 percent of the actual cost of replanting and/or 50 per- cent of the actual cost of rehabilitation, after adjustment for normal mortality of 15 percent. So, a grower who lost 100 trees in an orchard to wildfire would be reimbursed 65 percent of the cost to replant 85 trees or 60 percent of the cost to rehabilitate 85 trees, with the remain- ing 15 trees considered normal mortality and ineligible. Growers must have owned the eligible tress or vines when the disas- ter occurred, but they are not required to own the land on which the trees and vines are planted. TAP caps payments per grower at $125,000 per year and acreage to replant or rehabilitate at 500 acres. The average adjusted gross income for the grower or entity also cannot exceed $900,000 to be eligible for the program. T h e E m e r g e n c y C o n s e r v a t i o n Program (ECP), also administered by FSA, provides emergency funding to farmers to rehabilitate land damaged by natural disaster and to implement emergency Safety net programs are available to aid growers in wildfire disasters. by Shannon Dininny NITROGEN GENERATOR • High purity output • Most effi cient energy to production ratio • Low total cost of ownership CARBON DIOXIDE ADSORBER • Large range of capacities available • Low energy consumption • Patented low oxygen operation ETHYLENE CONVERTER • Decomposes to PPM and PPB levels • No consumables • Proven technology ATMOSPHERE CONTROL SYSTEM • Control of O 2 , CO 2 , C 2 H 4 , temperature and humidity • Centralized controls via easy to use software • High accuracy sensors DCA - FRUIT OBSERVER • Based on chlorophyll fl uorescence measurement • Safe detection of lowest oxygen level • Signifi cant reduction of scald Besseling Group North America 110 Carr Crescent - Oliver BC - V0H 1T5 Canada +1-250-462-3187 www.besseling-group.com m.besseling@besseling-group.com Besseling CA equipment now available in North America Unrivalled quality, from fruit growers roots • Superior quality equipment • Unbeaten energy performance • Extreme reliable • Small footprint • Global operating company • Local support and service Advertentie.indd 1 08-10-15 13:59