Aug. 21, 2001

  Tom Babb, Contract Manager
Department of Pesticide Regulation
P.O. Box 4015
Sacramento, CA 95812-4015

Re: Contract #99-0250

  Dear Tom:

  In accordance with the terms outlined in the grant awarded in June 2000 to the Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA), I am enclosing the fourth quarterly status report on the Alliance’s activities for the period of  May 1, 2001 through July 31, 2001.

  Under separate cover, I have submitted an invoice in the amount of $49,031.51 for reimbursable expenses incurred by the Almond PMA during this time period. To date, $74,911.58 in funds have been expended, leaving a balance of $23,844.42. The Almond Board’s fiscal year closed July 31, 2001 and under Board policy, expenses submitted after Aug. 31, 2001, will not be paid by the Board. Most of the remaining costs are related to contractual budget items. I expect the final Almond PMA invoice for Year 3 will be submitted to DPR in October.

Field days were held May 1 in Kern County, May 10 in Stanislaus County and June 10 in Butte County. All three field days were very well attended.  There were approximately 60 growers and PCA at the Kern County event, while Stanislaus County attracted approximately 100 growers and PCA’s, and the Butte County event approximately 80 growers and PCA’s.  I have attached agendas from each of the three field days.

  During this time period, a status report was filed by the Kern County project, a copy of which is attached. All of these reports are published on the project’s website and we encourage each project to file a quarterly status report.

  The almond PMA newsletter was published in July and distributed to almond growers, PCA’s and other interested parties. Additionally, the newsletter is posted to the PMA website. This newsletter reflects the desire of the management team to explore issues related to the issues of reduced pesticide risk.

Our next PMA Advisory Team meeting is planned for Thursday, Sept. 6 at the UC Davis DANR building at 10 a.m. I hope you will be able to join us as we make plans for our Fall field days and discuss the Year Three results to date with an eye to preparing the final report for Year Three due Dec. 31, 2001.  We also plan an extensive discussion of the merits of preparing a proposal for a fifth year of funding.

  Please let me know if I can provide you with any further information.

  Sincerely,

  Mark Looker, Project Administrator
Almond Pest Management Alliance

  Cc: Almond PMA partners, Rodger Wasson, Tom Krugman

  Enclosures:      

                        May 2001 Butte Project Status Report

                        Summer 2001 Newsletter

                        Spring field day agendas