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
Merlyn Garber
Larry Wilhoit
Larry Wilhoit is the new DPR contract manager, replacing
Tom Babb. Larry is returning to the management team as he was the original
contract manager.
2)
Review of Minutes of Sept. 6, 2001 meeting
The minutes of the Sept. 6, 2001 meeting had been mailed to
all team members. No comments were received regarding revisions and the minutes
were accepted as presented.
3)
Review of PMA project from October 2000 to present
Kern County Project
Farm advisor Mario was unable to be present. However, the
project’s Year Three final report has been completed and submitted as part of
the overall Almond PMA report which is available on the PMA website. The date
for the Spring Field Day is May 1 at the cooperator’s orchard near
Bakersfield.
Stanislaus County Project
Farm advisor Roger Duncan was unable to be present.
However, the project’s Year Three final report has been completed and
submitted as part of the overall Almond PMA report which is available on the PMA
website. A date has not yet been set for the Spring Field Day, however, they are
considering an orchard where Jim Adaskaveg and Roger have been working on
silverleaf disease.
Butte County Project
Field Scout Sarah Goldman Smith reported on the project to
date. A diazinon with oil spray was applied in January. There has been good bee
activity during the pollination season –some growers are saying they are the
best pollination conditions they’ve seen in many years. San Jose scale traps
were recently set out in the orchard.
4)
Review of PUR data for Kern County
Carolyn Pickel asked for discussion of the PUR reports for
the three project counties, which were included in the Year Three report
submitted to DPR. Carolyn noted the charts for Kern County show the use of
OP’s going up in terms of pounds used per acre. At the same time, data shows
the reject level in Kern County is increasing. She wondered if there was a need
for an education campaign by the almond PMA aimed at Kern County growers.
Discussion ensued about the need for an education campaign
and what form it might take. It was suggested a brochure might be published,
entailing a chart on OP use statewide per acre, a chart on Kern County OP use
and another chart on rising reject levels. Such a brochure could be published
for Fall 2002.
Larry Wilhoit said DPR has data on OP use broken down by
time of the year so that dormant versus in-season use could be determined. After
considerable discussion, Carolyn said she would discuss the topic further with
Mario Viveros.
5)
Publication of almond PMA monitoring protocols
Carolyn asked the team to consider publication of almond
PMA monitoring protocols. She handed out draft protocols for dormant spur
sampling, mummy sampling, pavement ant and southern fire ant, presence/absence
sequential sampling for web spinning mites, peach twig borer, navel orangeworm,
pheromone trap monitoring for San Jose scale and parasitoids. Mark noted there
is funding available for publication of the protocols.
There have been many requests in Butte County for
monitoring protocols. It was agreed it was important to have grower-friendly
guidelines available. The drafts will be shared among the PMA partners and
Carolyn will follow-up with the other farm advisors.
6)
Spring field days
Discussion was held on holding field days in each of the
regions in the Spring. The following dates were agreed on:
Kern County field day—May 1
Stanislaus County field day –to be determined
Butte County field day – May 29
7)
Newsletter
The newsletter for Fall 2001 was delayed and will be
published in Spring, 2002. It will
feature an article on the overall goals of the project, emphasizing the main
lessons that have been learned to date after three years. We will attempt to get
CAPCA’s assistance with distribution of newsletter via their mailing list.
8)
Funding
Mark announced that a fifth year of funding had been
awarded by DPR, effective with the crop year beginning Aug. 1, 2002. The award
was for $79,487, short of the requested amount of $100,000 but in light of the
state budget shortfalls, the alliance feels fortunate to have received that
level of funding. The Almond Board has agreed to provide “gap” funding in
the amount of $38,000.
As the project prepares to enter its fifth year, Chris
Heintz raised the idea of publishing a report that would detail the entire
five-year project and its accomplishments. It was suggested this might be a
project that the Almond Board and other funding sources, such as EPA, be
approached to fund this effort. Consensus was that the end product should be a
grower-friendly document. Since Carolyn and Sarah have been involved with the
writing of the previous year-end reports, it was suggested that they explore
further how a summary report might be prepared.
9)
Misc/announcements
Chris Heintz reported that the Almond Board is
participating in a Prop. 13 “Implementation of Best Management Practices to
Mitigate OP Pesticide Runoff” watershed project in the Glenn County area. The
funds have not yet been disbursed. The PMA project will offer a synergy with the
Prop. 13 water quality research.
10)
Set date for next meeting
The next Advisory Team meeting will be held at the CAFF
office in Davis on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 at 10 a.m.
Submitted by:
Mark Looker
Project Administrator