MPG Truck & Tractor: Identify Your GPS Potential! Maine Potato ...

MPG Truck & Tractor:Identify Your GPS Potential!

Schedule a FREE Base Station Survey with Gordon This Fall!

MPG Truck and Tractor is the proven leader in Precision Farming for Maine Farmers! Let us help you to determine if GPS is right for your operation.

If you are considering planting next year with GPS, we strongly recommend scheduling a Base Station Survey this Fall. Gordon will help you determine the signal requirements around your farms, and develop a plan and package that will ensure the most Value for your farming operation.

Compatible with Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, & many other brands of tractors, and Harriston, Spudnik, Grimme, and Lockwood Potato Planters.

Give Gordon a call today at 207-551-2423.

Maine Potato Growers is excited to announce our newly restructured Lubricants Division.

For over 75 years, MPG has been an industry leader in servicing the agricultural and forestry industries of Maine.

Offering a complete line of industrial lubricants, re-refined oils for government and other organizations, food-grade and non-food-grade lubricants and installation of bulk lubricant equipment.

Offering competitive pricing on a full line of Irving, Shell and generic lubricants, both in bulk or packaged. Make MPG your one stop for all petroleum lubricant needs!

Please contact us today or visit one of our two MPG Lubricant Warehouse Locations:

• PresqueIsle 50 Parsons Street NEW Phone (207) 554-4874 Hours: 7AM - 4 PM Mon. - Fri.• Houlton 2 Grange Street Phone: (207) 532-2289

SalesButch [email protected](207) 227-0750

SalesEd [email protected](207) 535-6514

HoultonStoreManagerAaron [email protected](207) 532-2289

Warehouse ManagerJosh [email protected](207) 551-3524

MPG Crop Services: 1,4SEED® – A New Tool for Quality Seed Storage Management

Every year seed potato growers in the Maine region have struggled with maintaining superior potato quality during the storage season while at the same time meeting the demands from their customers on delivering seed within a wide range of delivery dates and locations. This inherently provides

many challenges for the ability for the seed grower to deliver a firm, high vigor, sprout free potato seed. Seed growers have been generally limited to the practice of storing at lower temperatures all season long until the customer needs his seed. These colder temperatures are good but, can have an effect on reducing

the physiological aging of a particular variety and/or increased shatter cracking during delivery to the customer. Both of these characteristics can have detrimental effects on seed vigor and emergence once a variety gets planted out into the field. To counter act these effects, seed growers will often warm up their storage bins before shipment to provide a better environment to the potato during the transit and pre-planting storage time on the receiving end. This warm up process provides another set of challenges that involves increased sprouting activity, water loss and the overall vigor reduction of the seed piece.

The application of 1,4SEED® to stored seed potatoes can be incorporated into a seed growers management program to alleviate this inherit problem. The result is a better potato seed piece that has the ability to provide a higher plant vigor and even emergence in the field. This ultimately can translate to a better crop in terms of uniform stand counts and higher yield. (Picture A)

HowDoes1,4SEED® Work?1,4SEED’s® active ingredient is a molecule that is natural to the potato. Once applied, it penetrates through the potato skin, enhancing and restoring dormancy. The sprout suppression is temporary in nature and fully reversible. It dissipates out of the potato over time, depending upon storage temperature, the amount of ventilation and the rate that is applied. (Pictures B & C)

Reduce Shrink and Maintain Vigor with 1,4SEED®

1,4SEED® is very effective on lots that have been stressed in the field and show limited dormancy after harvest. Early

AMS vs. untreated. This photo was taken 18 days after treatment.

Capreno on large lambsquarters —

of COC and 1.5 lb AMS.

CAPRENO IN BRIEF• Capreno® herbicide provides growers with reliable,

broad-spectrum weed control.

• Capreno, a novel chemistry among corn herbicides, combines multiple modes of action for complete control of grass and broadleaf weeds.

• Capreno offers powerful broad-spectrum control strong enough to achieve one-pass weed control.

• Capreno is labeled to control more than 65 grass and broadleaf weeds, including fall panicum, yellow foxtail, green foxtail and other weeds exhibiting resistance to glyphosate, ALS, PPO, dicamba and triazine chemistries.

• Capreno kills glyphosate-resistant weeds.

• Capreno delivers burndown control of grass and broadleaf weeds, as well as residual weed control up to canopy. In fact, Capreno provides the longest-lasting residual available in a postemergence herbicide.

• Applying glyphosate with Capreno also can help break the weed resistance cycle because multiple modes of action are being used to control weeds. Capreno can be tankmixed with glyphosate for enhanced grass control.

• Tankmix Capreno with Liberty® herbicide for use on corn to optimize weed resistance management.

• The low use rate of Capreno makes it extremely convenient to use, which means there’s less product to handle, it’s easier to ship, it takes less room to store and there aren’t as many jugs.

With the longest-lasting residual of any post, Capreno postemergence corn herbicide delivers season-long control of the toughest weeds to deliver an amazing end-of-season clean. Thanks to its multiple modes of action, Capreno provides the most complete spectrum of weed control with the added benefit of residual control.

IT’S MAN VS. WEED.THIS YEAR, WIN ALL SEASON LONG.

Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, Capreno and Liberty are registered trademarks of Bayer. Capreno and Liberty are not registered in all states. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us.CR1012CAPRENA031V00R0

IMPORTANT: This bulletin is not intended to provide adequate information for use of these products. Read the label before using these products. Observe all label directions and precautions while using these products.

Picture A Picture B Picture C

MPG Farm Store: Five Easy Projects to Cut Energy Expenditures

Chances are, when you open your monthly utility statements, you’re witnessing energy costs doubling and even tripling at the height of the season. Many homes, particularly those built more than 10 years ago, do not feature the latest energy-saving techniques and products. By spending just a few dollars and doing some simple projects, you can save energy - and significant amounts of money. Here are five fast fixes to help you start saving:• LowerYourLightingCosts- Start with this easy task: Replace

current light bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. They screw in just like standard bulbs, but use a fourth of the energy and last up to 10 times longer. An 18-watt CFL bulb provides as much light as a 75-watt standard light bulb. Average savings: $10 - $50 per year

• TamingtheToilet- A constantly-running toilet can use

up to 8,000 gallons of water each year. Fix the problem by installing a toilet repair kit that features a new valve, flapper and other devices that will conserve water. Average Savings: $25 - $100 per year

• FixLeakyFixtures- Aside from causing that annoying

“drip,” leaky faucets can also cause a spike in your water bill. Replacing the aerator and rubber washer will cost you pennies yet save you dollars in the long run. As for the shower head, consider installing a flow-restricting

model - a family of four can conserve 10,000 gallons of water per year going this route. Average Savings: $100 - $300 per year.

• HotWaterHelp- Your water heater may be

working harder than it needs to, costing you precious dollars. Reduce the temperature on the unit to about 120 degrees - the water doesn’t need to be any hotter. If the unit is older than 12 years, you may want to look into replacing it with a new, more energy-efficient model. Average Savings: $20 - $50 per year.

• InstallaProgrammableThermostat -

Installing a programmable thermostat can significantly reduce energy costs, especially in the winter and summer months. Programmable models allow you to automatically adjust the temperature throughout the day, creating a specific energy-saving ‘program’ for weekdays and weekends. Some models even allow you to set preferences on the hour for each day of the week. Average Savings: $125 - $350 per year and up

Follow these simple tips and you’ll see savings in no time. And remember, if you have home improvement questions and need a little advice, send me an email at [email protected] - I’d be glad to help!

- Sharon Daigle-GerrishMPG Farm Store Manager

The all new, liquid seed piece treatment that protects potatoes with the power of two fungicides.Emesto Silver® protects potatoes against Rhizoctonia, Fusarium and Silver scurf. And because it contains two fungicides that are new to potatoes, Emesto Silver® provides the benefit of built-in resistance management.

Ask your local retailer how to experience first-hand the benefits of Emesto Silver® in 2013.Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label directions. Bayer®, the Bayer Cross® , Emesto Silver® are trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our Web site at www.BayerCropScienceUS.com.

applications right after storage door closure can help reduce shrink therefore providing more salable product at the end of the storage season.

Extend the Storage Life of Seed Crop Sprout-Free1,4SEED® can re-establish dormancy for seed lots that have begun showing signs of peeping and have several months left in storage or that remain after a partial shipment has occurred in a warmed up bin.

ApplicationTreat anytime during the storage season up to 30 days before the anticipated planting date. 1,4SEED® can be used successfully on all common varieties of seed potatoes. To find out how 1,4SEED® can be incorporated into your seed storage program contact the MPG Crop Services department at (207) 764-8517.

Although there are limited instances of human health pathogens on potatoes, ensuring we continue providing a high quality safe product is paramount. To do this, simple operating procedures can be adopted to assure Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are in place resulting in extended shelf life of product and a safe food supply. These are sensible and affordable steps to assure food safety in the potato industry.

Prior to potatoes entering, the packing house must be clean and void of visible soils and microbial pathogens. Simply rinsing down surfaces with high pressure water may remove the visible soils, but that alone will have no effect on the unseen pathogens. The following 4-Step process is required to assure the facility is clean:

1. Rinse to remove the heavy visible soils 2. Detergent application with Green Clean Alkaline Cleaner3. Rinse away detergent and soils4. Sanitize with SaniDate or StorOx

Also, use BioSafe Systems’ StorOx to control plant and human health pathogens in evaporative coolers, during wash and rinse steps, and humidification treatments. StorOx is a broad spectrum bactericide/fungicide that will extend shelf life, control soft rot, silver scurf, blight and pink rot, and kill pathogens that may lead to product recalls and illness.

Additionally, BioSafe Systems recommends using the ProMinent Dosing Systems to feed, maintain, and monitor StorOx or SaniDate in a tank wash application. The recommended rate for PAA in wash tank applications is 85ppm. StorOx or SaniDate 12.0 (a microbiocide) are both excellent antimicrobials for tank washes, while SaniDate 12.0 is the better option for large water applications.

Prior to bagging, a final antimicrobial rinse is recommended using a spray-bar. For best results consider placing the spray-bar above the brushes. This helps keep both the potatoes and brushes free of pathogens. For spray-bar applications on the potato line, BioSafe suggests dosing StorOx with a Dosatron chemical injector. This water operated pump is simple to use and once set will maintain the desired dosage rate. The targeted PAA level for this final antimicrobial rinse step is 200ppm. Finally, during the storage period, BioSafe Systems

MPG Crop Services: BioSafe Systems’ Food Safety Solutions for Potato Packing

recommends using the BioFogger to maintain fresh, quality potatoes.

For more information about BioSafe Systems’Food Safety Solutions, please contact Area Manager, Jim Peterson or Food Safety Manager Russell Owings:

• JimPeterson: 207-404-0704 [email protected]

• RussellOwings 540-256-8426 [email protected]

MPG Crop Services4 Ryan Street

Presque Isle • 764-8517Warehouse • 764-6465

MPG Lubricants50 Parsons Street

Presque Isle 554-4874

MPG Farm Store56 Parsons Street

Presque Isle764-2471

MPG Grain &Potato Marketing261 Main Street

Presque Isle764-8515

MPG Houlton2 Grange Street

Houlton532-2289

MPG Truck & Tractor261 Main Street

Presque Isle768-5211