For Immediate Release

April 17, 2001

Contact: Mark Looker (209) 575-2094

Mllooker@ainet.com

Pest management meeting set for Southern San Joaquin Valley almond growers

(Bakersfield, CA) - - Southern San Joaquin Valley almond growers are invited to attend a Tuesday, May 1 meeting designed to highlight ongoing research work into a reduced risk system of almond production.

The meeting at an orchard located near the intersection of Pond Road and Magnolia, west of Hwy. 99, is co-sponsored by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and the almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA.) The PMA is a cooperative project funded by a grant from the state Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to study a reduced risk system of almond production through use of alternative products and practices, on-site demonstrations and grower education.

The meeting, which runs from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon, features sessions on:

• "Introduction and Welcome" - Darlene Liesch, Kern County Director
• "Overall Objective of the Almond Pest Management Alliance Project: The Integrated Approach to Pest and Disease Management" - Mario Viveros, Farm Advisor, UCCE Kern County
• "San Jose Scale Management: SJS is becoming a major pest in the Pest Management Alliance Orchard" - Walt Bentley, Regional IPM Advisor, Kearney Ag Center
• "Peach Twig Borer Control: PTB Emergence and Bt Sprays" - Peggy Schrader, SRA, UCCE Kern County and Mario Viveros, Farm Advisor, UCCE Kern County
• "Ants: Monitoring, Treatment and Control "- Mark Freeman, Farm Advisor, UCCE Fresno County
• " Mite Management and Control: The predatory mite as a practical approach to mite management "- Matt Billings, Sterling Nursery, Billings Ranches, Delano
• "Mite Monitoring: Presence and Absence" - Walt Bentley, Regional IPM Advisor, Kearney Ag Center
• "Water Management: Irrigation Scheduling "- Blake Sanden, Farm Advisor, UCCE Kern County
• "Water Management: Soil Moisture Monitoring and Water Infiltration-" Brian W. Hockett, District Manager, Pond-Shafter-Wasco RCD Mobile Laboratory
• "The PMA Project: What have we learned in two years? "Mario Viveros, Farm Advisor, UCCE Kern County
• "Lunch/Discussion"

Lunch will be served. Reservations can be made to the UCCE office at (661) 868-6200.

The Kern County PMA project is one of three projects funded by the grant. The other demonstration orchards are located in Stanislaus and Butte counties. PMA partners include the Almond Board of California, the Almond Hullers and Processors Association, the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Further information about the PMA project is available from PMA Project Administrator Mark Looker at (209) 575-2094.

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