03/4/08 Cull onion disposal

March 15th is the deadline for disposing of cull onions in six western counties; Ada, Canyon, Gem, Payette, Owyhee and Washington. That means that there must be no culls, no onions deemed waste or unfit for human consumption, on hand at any packing shed, infield or at animal feed facilities on the morning of the 15th. Idaho State Department of Agriculture's Michael Cooper says onions sorted after the 15th must be properly disposed of within one week and trucks transporting onions should be covered to prevent spillage along the roadsides. All of these measures are aimed at controlling onion maggots. COOPER "As soon as it warms up and the onion maggot come out they can use those sprouting onions in those cull areas or cull piles the onion maggots can use those as a breeding ground and a completed generation or two and then move over to cultivated onions." Onion maggot is a problem for Idaho growers. Cooper says the larval stage of the onion maggot attacks and destroys portions of the onion bulb. COOPER "Especially on the young sprouting onions are the ones that are most vulnerable. Again it kills the plant, can cause a yield loss." A civil penalty of up to ten thousand dollars per violation can be enforced. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott