Almond Pest Management Alliance

Advisory Team Meeting

Aug. 5, 1998 10 a.m.

Olive room, DANR Building, UC Davis

Minutes

Attending:

Wes Asai, Pomology Consultant

Larry Wilhoit, Calif. Dept. of Pesticide Regulation

Joe Connell, Farm Advisor, Butte County

Carolyn Pickel, UC Area IPM Advisor- Sacramento Valley

Frank Zalom, Director, Statewide IPM Project

Bill Krueger, Farm Advisor, Glenn County

Marcia Gibbs, Community Alliance for Family Farmers

Chris Heintz, Research Director, Almond Board of California

Mark Looker, Almond PMA Project Administrator

1. Introduction of Advisory Team Members.
2. Members of the Almond PMA Advisory Team introduced themselves.
3. Overview of Almond Pest Management Alliance
4. Frank Zalom and Chris Heintz provided an overview of the Almond Pest Management Alliance, which was granted a $99,000 award by DPR to look into ways to demonstrate reduced pesticide risk.

   Heintz noted that the Advisory Team has an important role to play in providing oversight of the overall project. The Alliance is unique in that it is bringing the various players in the industry to the table to find common solution to problems. In light of the federal Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and other regulatory actions, it is important for the industry to help provide solid science-based information for regulators as they make their decisions.

5. Status of Regional Projects

Northern Project

Carolyn Pickel and Joe Connell outlined the results of the meeting held July 8 in Orland to discuss the Northern project. (A complete copy of those minutes is attached.)

Joe Connell and Bill Krueger are working on finding the appropriate demonstration site in Butte County. Satellite sites will be developed where there is already ongoing research related to reduced pesticide risk.

The demonstration orchard will be split in half with one half representing use of traditional chemistry but normal growing practice and the other half managed using a "soft" chemical program.

The site will be from 40 to 80 acres and trees should be around 5-10 years old.

There was considerable discussion about the purpose of the demonstration site and what the goal of the PMA project is. There was general consensus that the demonstration sites would be valuable in providing growers with information about the ways orchards can be managed through reduced risk practices. It was noted that economic analysis of the project will be important so growers could understand the cost/benefit.

As of this date, a cooperator had not been selected. However, a cooperator had been approached and Joe Connell was hopeful a decision would be made soon on the site.

Central Project

Walt Bentley outlined the scope of the Central project, as discussed at a meeting held July 24. (A complete copy of that project is attached.)

While a demonstration site had not been selected as of this date, farm advisors Roger Duncan, Stanislaus County, and Lonnie Hendricks, Merced County, were working on selection of a cooperator.

The purpose of the project is to evaluate the possibility of managing arthropod pests in almonds with less disruptive pesticides and to demonstrate those techniques to almond farmers, pest control advisors and those concerned with integrated pest management.

The plot will be set up as a uniform 120-acre orchard with Nonpareil as the main cultivator. Three treatment categories will be studies and these will be replicated four times. Each plot will be 10-acres in size.

Walt emphasized his belief that the outreach and educational components of the project were very important. Field days will be important to demonstrate to growers the results of the project.

Southern Project

Walt Bentley outlined the scope of the southern Project. (A complete copy of the project is attached)

The cooperator is Thomas Vetsch of Pond in Kern County. The orchard consists of two 40-acre blocks of Nonpareil-Fritz-Sonora and two 40-acre blocks of Butte-Mission-Padre. Each 40-acre block will be divided into two 20-acre blocks. One will have the normal conventional pest management program and the other will contain the reduced risk program.

The objective is to compare a reduced risk strategy to a normal conventional pest management program. Farm advisors involved are Mario Viveros and James Brazzle. Also involved is Brian Hockett of the Pond-Shafter-Wasco Resource Conservation District.

Walt noted the project is already underway and it is well suited to the Almond PMA. Pests to be monitored are navel orange worm, peach twig borer, San Jose scale, mites and ants. Water stress will be monitored, which is an important factor in mite management.

Cost records will be kept from all orchard activities so a cost-benefit study can be conducted.

Timelines

Discussion was held on the proposed timeline which was submitted with the grant proposal. Revisions were made and a revised schedule is enclosed.

Conclusion

In general, the Advisory Team achieved consensus on the objectives of the three demonstration plots that comprise the Almond Pest Management Alliance project and reached these conclusions:

• The demonstration plots would be designed for scientific validity such that, where possible, replications would be involved.
• While sound scientific research is important in the design of the plots and the validity of the results, the emphasis will be on demonstration of techniques and communication to growers with regard to reduced risk management.
• The PMA plots would enjoy statewide "ownership", such that even though the sites are located within the boundaries of specific counties all almond-engaged cooperators and contributors would feel ownership in the project.
• An important goal is to have the plots visited by growers in an effort to provide useful information to a diverse group of growers about reduced risk practices.