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Re: No Tomatoes in 1998?



 Bob Beer   bbeer@u.washington.edu  http://weber.u.washington.edu/~bbeer
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
 Safe upon the solid rock the ugly houses stand:     | Edna St.   
 Come and see my shining palace built upon the sand! | Vincent Millay

On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, Jim McCue wrote:

> Please tell me this was an April fools joke.
> 
> On Tue, 1 Apr 1997, Robert Beer wrote:
> 
> > USDA TO BAN CERTAIN PLANTS PROVEN TO BE VIRUS VECTORS
> > 
> > People who like to grow their own tomatoes and peppers had better enjoy
> > them this year, because next year, the seed may not be available on the
> > racks.  This is the latest strategy in the long running attempt by
> > Department of Agriculture scientists to eradicate, or at least control,
> > certain new plant viruses that cause enormous economic losses each year to
> > commercial factory farms across the country.
> > 
> > Last year alone, the most troublesome of the viruses, tomato wilt virus,
> > caused nearly one third of the tomato crop in California to produce at a
> > level dramatically below average, and unless drastic measures are taken,
> > the farming corporations will not be able to survive.  The virus can
> > remain active in the soil for several years, so crop rotation is
> > insufficient to destroy it.  The current method is to sterilize the soil
> > with a deep steam treatment, which though effective, is expensive, as it
> > needs to be repeated due to repeated re-infections from home gardeners
> > crops.  Home gardeners typically do not have the money or resources to
> > perform soil sterilization on such a scale, and many are reluctant to do
> > so because of concerns about soil ecology.  Therefore the only course is
> > to keep host plants from being planted so that the virus can die out on
> > its own.  This process takes from five to ten years.
> > 
> > The bans will affect all the solanaceous crops; that is, plants in the
> > nightshade family.  This includes tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, peppers,
> > and eggplant.  Several more obscure food plants will also be affected by
> > the ban, including "garden huckleberry," and goldenberry, also known as
> > ground cherry.  Ornamentals would also be affected, such as Datura and
> > Brugmansia, Morning Glory (Ipomea and Convolvulus species).  A full list
> > of forbidden species will be issued later this year.
> > 
> > The ban is sure to elicit widespread outrage from gardeners around the
> > country, being decried as draconian.  There is also serious doubt on the
> > part of many horticulturists/agricultural scientists as to the
> > effectiveness of the measure, especially as Canada and Mexico are unlikely
> > to consider such a ban.  Chief USDA Phytosanitation officer Melvin
> > Dremper, however, is optimistic that the ban will do some good.  "There
> > will be some resistance," said Dremper, "and thats understandable; but I
> > believe in the long run gardeners will appreciate the result.  It should
> > take only about ten years to eradicate the virus, and when this is done,
> > they wont have to be concerned with it any more.  As for Canada and
> > Mexico; Im fairly confident that they will follow suit when they see the
> > positive results in the U.S."
> > 
> > Those concerned about the culinary effects of the ban neednt worry;
> > commercially-grown tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant will remain on the
> > market as the commercial farms will raise them in sterilized soil.
> > Dremper noted that "...there are so many other good food plants available,
> > and we will encourage people to grow them instead.  Parsley, for example,
> > is an under-used vegetable."
> > 
> > There is concern that many people will ignore the rulings and plant
> > tomatoes using saved seed or left-over seed from past years.  Because of
> > this, the U.S.D.A. has received several million in federal funding to
> > train dogs to recognize the odor of tomato plants.  Dremper commented,
> > "Tomato plants have such a powerful and distinctive smell, that the dogs
> > are able to recognize and locate plants at nearly half a miles distance.
> > Those who are considering growing the banned plants should keep this in
> > mind. Indeed they should; the fine for possession of home-grown
> > solanaceous plants will be $500 per plant, which should deter even the
> > most dyed-in-the-wool vegetable gardener.  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
>
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