Minutes
1)
Introduction of Advisory Team members and guests
The following Advisory Team members were present:
Mark Cady
Chris Heintz
Sara Goldman Smith
Carolyn Pickel
Mark Looker
Frank Zalom
Walt Bentley
Mario Viveros
Roger Duncan
Gene Beach
Joe Connell
Larry Wilhoit
Guests
Colleen Aguiar, Almond Board of California
Judith Redmond, CAFF
Keith Warner, UC Santa Cruz doctoral candidate
Franz Niederholzer, Yuba-Sutter
farm advisor
2)
Review of Minutes of March 12, 2002 meeting
The minutes of the March 12, 2002 meeting held in
Sacramento had been mailed to all team members. No comments were received
regarding revisions and the minutes were accepted as presented.
3)
Keith Douglas Warner proposal
Keith Douglas Warner, a doctoral candidate at UC Santa Cruz
studying agricultural partnerships from a social science perspective, asked to
be on the agenda to discuss the possibility of conducting research into the
relationship between Pest Control Advisors and the Almond PMA.
His proposal is to conduct focus groups composed of PCA’s
and almond growers to learn more about how the PMA has impacted pest management
decision making and how the PMA could do a better job of disseminating
information to PCA’s.
There was considerable discussion. Most farm advisors
present expressed the view that PCA’s would not talk in small group settings
because of their concern in sharing proprietary information. Some of the
advisors suggested the possibility of meeting with Keith informally so that he
could gather their perspective about the relationship between growers and
PCA’s and how pest management decisions are made. Keith said he would follow
up with the appropriate farm advisors.
4)
Discussion of the future composition of the almond PMA partnership
The fifth year of the Almond PMA began Aug. 1, 2002.
Recently, the Almond Board of California, through its Environmental Committee,
has expressed concern about the role one of the partners, the Community Alliance
with Family Farmers, has played in the promotion of a book titled “Fatal
Harvest.”
The Environmental Committee at its Sept. 9, 2002, meeting
held a discussion of the book and the future role of CAFF in the PMA. Mark Cady
was on hand to offer CAFF’s perspective on the book and CAFF’s sponsorship
of the book. Following considerable discussion, the Committee unanimously
approved a motion “To continue the Pest Management (PMA) partnership with the
Almond Board, the University of California and the Almond Hullers and
Processors.”
Mark Cady and Judith Redmond, CAFF Board President board
member, were present at the PMA Advisory Team Meeting to discuss the issue.
Judith outlined CAFF’s involvement over the years with
the almond industry through its Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS)
program. She said that CAFF had enjoyed its involvement with the Almond PMA and
felt it had made positive contributions through its efforts at staffing field
days and helping to produce the PMA newsletters. CAFF, as a subcontractor to the
Almond Board on the PMA grant, is specifically tasked with these assignments.
Judith said CAFF had no editorial involvement in the book,
although one CAFF board member did write a chapter through her involvement with
another organization. CAFF did not review the book before its publication. Many
of CAFF’s board members are very concerned about the book but there was no
formal board discussion about the book prior to its publication.
CAFF’s point of view is that, although the book may have
parts that people disagree with, said Judith, agriculture needs to be involved
in the dialogue that the book is creating. She felt it would be a mistake for
the PMA to exclude CAFF from the partnership based solely on CAFF’s
involvement with promoting the book. CAFF has a diverse constituency, both urban
and rural, that should be at the table as dialogue is held about the issues
raised in the book.
Lengthy discussion was held about this issue. Many farm
advisors expressed their concerns about how agriculture is portrayed in the book
and expressed concern that CAFF did not review the book before publication.
There were strong feelings expressed about the damage that inaccurate statements
about farming practices can create with uninformed urban audiences.
Further, UC representatives stated that not only was the book
the antithesis of the purposes of the PMA, but that the UC’s role was
to find and educate people about the truth, and Fatal Harvest did not represent
the truth about agriculture.
Discussion turned to what action, if any, the Advisory team
should take. The UC farm advisors felt that they could not vote on the issue of
whether CAFF should or should not be included as a partner since it is the
mission of the UC to serve all constituencies.
Gene Beach, representing the Almond Hullers and Processors
Association, said that his organization did not wish to be affiliated with the
PMA partnership if it included CAFF.
Almond PMA Administrator Mark Looker noted that there is
not currently a contract executed between the Almond Board and CAFF for CAFF’s
services for PMA Year 5. DPR contract manager Larry Wilhoit noted that the PMA
contract is executed between the Almond Board and DPR, and that composition of
the partnership is solely up to the decision of the partners.
Looker suggested to the CAFF representatives that the issue
be taken back to CAFF and that the concerns raised by the Environmental
Committee and the Advisory Team be addressed in a letter to the chair of the
Environmental Committee. Looker said in his opinion if CAFF disassociated itself
from the book, the partnership may be able to move forward as it is presently
composed.
5)
Review of the PMA Project from March 2002 to present
Kern County
Mario Viveros reported on the progress of the Kern County
project to date. The reduced pesticide use approach is working well in this
young orchard. Harvest is happening very early in this plot. It is apparent that
there needs to be a better way to assess the ant population- they are using the
hot dog method and need a better detection method.
One of the positive outcomes of the project is that the PCA
is changing his approach, although a lot of that has to do with economics as
current low prices are leading many growers to cut back on spraying.
Stanislaus County
Roger Duncan reported that this plot has been very
consistent over the years as it is a very clean orchard with very low reject
levels. There is very little pest pressure and no increase in navel orange worm
or peach twig borer.
Roger expressed concern that there might be difficulty in
getting the grower to participate for the fifth year because the orchard has
been so clean. There has been very little scale and very few mites. But Roger
will talk to him and see if he will go a fifth year.
Butte County
Joe Connell reported the orchard has been very clean, with
the most damage coming from ants with a 1% reject level. Overall, he felt the
project had demonstrated to the grower community that you can have lower inputs
without suffering higher rejects. There was discussion about whether there
should be a protocol for ant treatment and Walt Bentley said he would write the
protocol for use by all the PMA orchards.
Sarah reported that the nut crackout is underway and
results are being compiled.
Carolyn reported that weed management satellite plots are
being planned for the fifth year.
6)
Fall field days
Discussion was held on holding field days in each of the
regions in the Fall. The following dates were agreed on:
Kern County field day—Tuesday, Nov. 26
Stanislaus County field day –to be determined
Butte County field day – Thursday, Jan. 9th
7)
Year Four Year-End Report
The report on the fourth year of the PMA is due to DPR by
Dec. 31, 2002. Sarah will be writing the report. It is requested that the farm
advisors provide their reports to her by Dec. 1, 2002.
8)
Fall Newsletter
Mark Looker will be coordinating publication of the Fall
newsletter. Anyone with story ideas is asked to contact Mark. The publication
should appear at the same time as the Fall field days and articles should update
growers on lessons learned from the project.
9)
Misc/Announcement
There has been ongoing discussion about preparing an
overall report on the lessons learned from the PMA project upon completion of
its fifth year. Roger Duncan had indicated his belief that the report should be
written by the UC and thought Walt Bentley could handle the task. Walt
graciously agreed to consider the request. The report will compile the long-term
results and possibly could be the basis for a brochure for use by growers.
10)
Next meeting date
The next Advisory Team meeting will be held in the Spring
at a place and date to be determined.
Submitted by: ______________________________
Mark Looker
Project Administrator