Modbee.com
By
RICHARD T. ESTRADA
BEE
STAFF WRITER
Mild
weather, the weak farm economy and a tolerance for pests played a role in
Stanislaus County farmers cutting their pesticide use by 31 percent last year.
Farmers
applied 4.68 million pounds of pesticides, a decrease of 2.12 million pounds
from 1999.
Stanislaus'
ability to slash its chemical use helped drive down California's use of
pesticides for the second consecutive year -- and to its lowest level since
1992.
"Stanislaus
County was a microcosm for California agriculture in 2000," said Glenn
Brank, a spokesman with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
"I think there very clearly is an indication that we are going in the right
direction."
About
188 million pounds of pesticides were used in California in 2000, a 7 percent
decrease from 202 million pounds in 1999.
Sulfur,
used across the state to eliminate fungus and other moisture-related diseases,
accounted for a third of that pesticide use.
"We've
been working with individual growers and commodity groups to pursue alternatives
to pesticides," Brank said. "The almond industry has been particularly
aggressive in that area."
Almond
growers reduced pesticide use by 3 million pounds, down to 11.61 million pounds.
"Growers
are getting better at looking at orchards in a scientific way targeting pests
and timing the spraying so it's most effective," said Chris Heintz,
director of product research and environment for the Modesto-based Almond Board
of California.
The
less-toxic pesticides typically cost less to buy, as well.
"These
are hard economic times for growers," Heintz said. "I think some of
the decrease is growers trying to save money."
Almonds
are Stanislaus County's No. 2 ag commodity and played a key role in the county's
reduced pesticide use last year.
Almond
growers typically apply sulfur, petroleum oil and mineral oil, but the use of
all three pesticides fell. The most dramatic reductions came in petroleum oil,
down 50 percent to 488,657 pounds, and mineral oil, down 55 percent to 306,261
pounds.
Both
oils are typically sprayed in orchards during the dormant winter season to
control pests.
The
dry summer meant growers had less to fear from mold, which meant less sulfur was
needed, while the favorable temperatures kept pest colonies at a manageable
levels.
"Insects
multiply on a cycle and cooler weather upsets their reproduction," said
Dennis Gudgel, Stanislaus County's assistant agricultural commissioner.
"Growers were also looking at the bottom line and didn't necessarily spray
to kill every pest."
Where
growers might have typically sprayed 4 pounds of pesticides over an acre, last
year they may have used a pound or two on the same amount of land.
"There
is also a move toward reduced-risk pesticides," Gudgel said.
"Integrated-pest management is moving more people to think twice before
spraying."
The
application of soil fumigants was also reduced in 2000. Methyl bromide use fell
by 4.3 million pounds, while metam-sodium use decreased by 3.9 million pounds in
California. Both were also used on fewer acres.
California's
stringent regulation on methyl bromide use, and a pending ban on the fumigant,
is driving growers to find alternatives for the potent chemical.
"We've
launched an initiative to control the use of fumigants in general. We don't want
people to shift from methyl bromide to some other fumigant," he said.
"That just shifts the problem."
Pesticide
use was down 3 million pounds in wine grape vineyards, down 2.7 million pounds
in raisin and table grape vineyards and down 2 million pounds in processing
tomatoes.
The
Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted
on 10/25/01 05:30:03
http://www.modbee.com/workmoney/story/1063893p-1123794c.html