She succeeds Ray Hammerschmidt, who plans to retire.

Byrne, who holds a doctoral degree, has worked at MSU as the plant pathology diagnostician since 1999, after earning a B.S. in plant science from Cornell University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in plant pathology from MSU.

In addition to her diagnostic role, Byrne teaches plant pathology to students in the MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology and has served alongside Hammerschmidt as the associate director for the North Central Plant Diagnostic Network since 2003.

For more than 20 years, Hammerschmidt, a PhD, served as the faculty coordinator for the MSU diagnostics lab and the director for the North Central Plant Diagnostic Network. His work during this time has grown and strengthened the training and networking capacity of diagnosticians to benefit MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics clients and the regional and national networks, according to a news release.

In addition to those roles, Hammerschmidt is an accomplished professor of plant pathology, focusing on physiology and biochemistry of disease and disease resistance in cucurbits, potatoes, cherries, arabidopsis (small flowering plants related to cabbage and mustard), and soybeans.

Hammerschmidt also taught MSU’s core plant pathology class, two graduate plant pathology courses and served in various administrative roles including the chair of the former Department of Plant Pathology, interim director of MSU Extension and Project GREEEN advisor.

In July 2022, after almost 42 years of dedicated service to MSU and the greater community, Hammerschmidt retired. He stayed on as professor emeritus and worked part time on research, Project GREEEN and the transition of leadership of the Plant & Pest Diagnostics and North Central Plant Diagnostic Network. He plans to “retire again” at the end of 2024.

When asked about his successor, Hammerschmidt commented, “I’m very pleased that Dr. Byrne has accepted the directorship of Plant & Pest Diagnostics. She is already very well-known for her excellence as a plant pathology diagnostician and Plant & Pest Diagnostics team member. She has a very clear vision for how the Plant & Pest Diagnostics will continue to provide excellent service while growing and evolving to meet changing needs. As the associate director of North Central Plant Diagnostic Network, she has provided valuable assistance and guidance to both me and members at the regional and national levels. I have no doubt that Jan will excel in her new position and continue to move diagnostics forward!”

MSU has offered plant-related diagnostic services to the public and local and national agricultural communities for more than 25 years. Services include identification of plant pests and plant health analysis spanning pathology, entomology, nematology and abiotic issues.

As the North Central Plant Diagnostic Regional Center for the North Central Plant Diagnostic Network, MSU has faculty and staff devoted to each of these diagnostic disciplines and continues to expand its capabilities through advances in molecular diagnostics.

The services at Plant & Pest Diagnostics will remain unchanged and Byrne will continue to serve as the plant pathology diagnostician and teach in her new leadership position.

— Erin Hill, Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

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The partnership combines Marion Ag’s advanced fertilizer technology and soil amendments with Columbia Seeds’ expertise in the seed market.

The collaboration aims to streamline operations and enhance market reach by leveraging Marion Ag’s industry-leading products and Columbia Seeds’ Value Direct Link strategy.

The integration is designed to allow for greater seed production relationships and provide distributors with multiple product categories in a single delivery, reducing supply complexity, according to a news release.

Jeff Freeman, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Marion Ag, emphasized the strategic advantage of the partnership.

“Accessing the experience and collaboration of the Columbia Seeds team will accelerate our mission as our proprietary varieties hit the market,” he said in the release.

Both companies will maintain their current structures while working together to deliver enhanced value and service.

“Combining our marketing and supply efforts will generate new opportunities for customers. I’m excited to partner with an organization that values customer service as much as we do,” Tom Pape, Columbia’s vice president, said in the release.

For more information, visit marionag.com.

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“Eastern Propak and Jersey Fruit are prime examples of how peach growers can collaborate to better market their products,” Wengryn said. He noted that the facility’s advanced technology ensures high-quality standards and allows New Jersey peach producers to remain competitive in the global market.

New Jersey ranked fourth in the nation for peach production in 2023, with farmers harvesting 28.4 million pounds of peaches on 3,300 acres, generating $29 million in production value. The peach season in New Jersey runs through September, with around 80 orchards producing over 100 peach varieties.

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TOPP uses a variety of methods, including mentorship, workshops, webinars, technical assistance and field days, to help growers new to the organic fold learn how to satisfy the requirements in the three-year transition process from conventional farming to producing organic crops.

Once organic certification is granted, however, the need for assistance in organic growing practices and navigating the new organic marketplace continues, which is why the USDA chose to set a five-year timeline for TOPP.

“We wanted to make sure that the program supported not just the full three-year transition, but then time after growers have transitioned as well, just knowing that there are continued challenges and opportunities and need for information that growers and producers face once they have transitioned to organic,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.

TOPP, which began in October 2022, is part of the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, introduced in the summer of 2021. Meeting with organic industry segments, Moffitt said it was clear there was a need for comprehensive support for growers in answering numerous questions.

“Mentorships are really key,” Moffitt said. “The farmer-to-farmer information sharing across agriculture, whether it is organic or not organic, I think is really critical as well.”

There are 180 TOPP partners across the six U.S. regions, ranging from university Extension specialists, nonprofit agencies, farmer organizations and others. In TOPP’s first year, the partners worked with 11,000 farmers and ranchers at 165 events across the U.S., according to the USDA.

One of those partners, Farmshare Austin in Texas, has a five-month intensive training program called Farmer Starter. Graduates can establish a business by growing organic vegetables through Farmshare’s one-year farm incubator program, Cultivator.

The organization’s outreach focuses on the practical production and record-keeping skills needed to comply with the National Organic Program.

“Many of the growers we work with are already motivated to use organic growing practices in order to care for the ecosystem, but many are not sure about going the extra step of getting and maintaining certification,” said Michelle Akindiya, Farmshare Austin’s education and operations director.

A major concern from growers considering organic production, she said, is that recordkeeping requirements are too difficult.

“We make the argument that the kinds of records one needs to keep for compliance are the same that one needs to keep to run a profitable farm — that tracking production inputs and outputs and using that data to make decisions can make you a better farmer,” Akindiya said. “And we show them how to do it efficiently as a part of their day-to-day activities.”

TOPP provides an ability to educate not just producers, but the next generation of inspectors and others necessary to keep the National Organic Program running.

USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack “talks a lot about workforce development, and we really do aim to integrate that into a lot of things we’re doing,” Moffitt said.

Moffitt said TOPP activities are available to any grower considering the organic segment, but a focus is on smaller growers who don’t have access to the same resources larger operations might possess. That includes underserved producers, such as those whose primary language isn’t English.

Online resources

The USDA’s TOPP website, organictransition.org, allows new growers to seek mentors, and vice versa. Dozens of events are searchable by region. Online resources for pest, disease and weed management, farm business management, organic processing and handling, soil and nutrient management and other topics are available.

The six regions tailor their own programs for what benefits growers in each area.

“There’s a key framework, but absolutely locally led solutions,” Moffitt said. “What is needed in the Northwest is going to be very different than what is needed in the Southeast, which will be very different than what’s needed … across the Plains.”

— Chris Koger, contributing writer

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Led by Derek Plotkowski, Ph.D., the one-hour meeting will feature a short educational presentation followed by a discussion where farmers can share their experiences and learn from each other. The meetup aims to provide valuable insights and foster a supportive community among fruit growers.

Registration is required by Aug. 27.

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With origins as a marketing cooperative for strawberries, Naturipe has since transformed into a vertically integrated company owned by four distinct growing organizations. Its extensive network of growers cultivates blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and even avocados. 

Today, Naturipe is a large producer of organic blueberries, with year-round production sourced from prime growing regions in California, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Washington, Peru, Chile and Mexico. 

Earth-first philosophy 

Being organic is one part of the company’s strong commitment to the environment and sustainability.  “Naturipe growers use many practices to minimize their environmental footprints,” said Janis McIntosh, director of marketing innovation and sustainability for Naturipe Farms. “From good soil management to state-of-the-art technology, if it makes sense, they will implement it.” 

On the farm, sustainability practices include water management, integrated pest management (IPM), composting, mulching and the use of drones and other innovative tools.

“In addition, over one-quarter of our production is now packed and cooled with renewable energy,” McIntosh said. “New installations in New Jersey, California and Chile partially contribute to Naturipe lowering its carbon emissions by 100,000 metric tons.”

Pollinator health is another area in which Naturipe’s growers are highly focused. In fact, over the last few years, the growers have installed more than 1,000 acres of habitats throughout North and South America.

“Our pruning, composting and chop-and-drop techniques increase soil microbial diversity and improve carbon storage and water retention,” McIntosh said. “Our diversified pollinator habitat programs support our pollinator- reliant crops and the local ecosystem.”

Regenerative agriculture

Several of Naturipe’s crops, including avocados, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, are no-till crops with live-root systems year-round.

“Cover crops are planted to add additional nutrients and organic matter, such as bacteria, fungi, and several other microorganisms, which are crucial to the health and fertility of the soil,” McIntosh said. 

The regenerative practices add to the longevity of the crops.

“For over one hundred years, our family farms have utilized state-of-the- art practices that have allowed them to farm the same land for generations, providing fresh delicious berries to the local markets,” McIntosh said. “Benefits of regenerative practices include soil health, increased pollinator population, reduced water use, composting and dependence on conventional energy.”

Tech talk

Over the decades, Naturipe has continued to add new technology to the farms to enhance water conservation and soil health, contributing to sustainability and resource efficiency. 

“Our growers use precise metered drip irrigation, tiling and mulch systems to reduce their water footprint,” McIntosh said. “Tunnels can be used to extend growing seasons and improve plant and soil quality. Also, we have stringent IPM protocols, including biological, cultural and mechanical controls such as pest vacuums and netting.”

For more than 40 years, all growers have used drip irrigation systems to deliver water and nutrients directly to the root zone, but this has only become more advanced.

“Today, we utilize laser-level technology to optimize the delivery of vital nutrients, creating a more homogenous, even crop,” McIntosh said. “In addition, drones deliver predatory mites based on pest pressure and satellite imagery. Camera technology with AI can enhance our field management, including worker movement minimization. And our grower partner has developed Smartberry, a digital data recording, reporting and visualization platform.”

Ensuring food safety

Naturipe has the protocols in place to ensure the highest standards of food safety across its supply chain. 

For instance, all of its farms are audited annually by a third-party certifying body to a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) benchmarked standard. Additionally, they all either have Global GAP or Primus GFS food safety audits.

“All growers have food safety personnel on-site trained in the latest food safety regulations and procedures, the produce rule or preventive controls training,” McIntosh said. “They also have robust IPM and GAP, a good agricultural practices program that guides all daily practices and ensures the best and safest berries are produced and sold. All fields are inspected just before harvest to ensure no contamination has occurred.”

All data is recorded into the company’s SAP platform so it can trace back and forth any product shipped.

“This system quickly allows us to find any of our products in minutes,” McIntosh said. “We also use an asset-based carrier that tracks the temperature and location of our product in real time to ensure there is no break in the cold chain until it reaches our customers. All products and trucks prior to loading undergo quality checks and inspections.”

Reducing carbon footprint

Since 2020, Naturipe’s growers have made significant investments in solar energy as they continue to look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

“In 2023, our grower in Chile celebrated the installation of the largest floating solar plant in South America,” McIntosh said. “Also last year, our flagship cooler in Watsonville, California installed rooftop and solar parking canopies to power their operation. In 2024, we are celebrating the installation of six acres of solar panels in Delano, California, powering one of our largest blueberry operations.”

Social responsibility

Naturipe was among the first companies to sign onto the ethical charter developed by the PMA International Fresh Produce Association and United Fresh. The charter outlines social responsibility issues and standards to ensure farmworker safety and security.

The company is also active participants and on the advisory board for the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP), a farm-level assessment and training to ensure every farm worker is treated fairly and employee safety comes first.

“In addition, many of our farms have also had a third-party social responsibility audit to ensure worker safety and that every worker is treated with respect,” McIntosh said. “While some of our growers are Fair Trade certified, all our growers are active in the communities they grow in. They support local charities, provide much-needed health and dental services, and even build playgrounds and ball fields.”

Article written by Keith Loria, Contributing Writer

A graduate of the University of Miami, Keith Loria is an award- winning journalist who has been writing for almost 20 years. View his recent writing at keithloria.contently.com.

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