Feb. 1, 2000

Bob Elliott, Contract Manager
Department of Pesticide Regulation
830 K Street Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Contract #98-0326

Dear Bob:

In accordance with the terms outlined in the grant awarded June 4, 1999 to the Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA), I am enclosing the second quarterly status report on the Alliance’s activities for the period of November 1, 1999 through January 31, 2000.

Under separate cover, I have submitted an invoice in the amount of $23,05018 for reimbursable expenses incurred by the Almond PMA during the second quarter.

Additionally, I have enclosed a separate document showing the projected budget by category, cash flow and the budget balance as of Feb. 1, 2000.

The Almond PMA Advisory Team met Nov. 10 at UC Davis. That meeting discussed the year-end reports each project site filed, in addition to the Final Report on Year One. As you are aware, each of the three regional projects reports were filed with DPR as part of the annual year-end report submitted to your office Jan. 7, 2000. I have not enclosed that report here but as you are aware that report consumed a great deal of the PMA partners’ time and energy during this time period.

The first significant field activity under Year Two was held with the dormant spray field days Nov. 23 in Kern County, Dec. 15 in Stanislaus County and Dec. 16 in Butte County. All of the field days were a tremendous success in terms of attendance and presentations. There were around 80 growers and PCA’s at the Kern event, 120 at the Chico event and 130 at the Modesto field day. These field days allowed the University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors and other UC researchers to discuss some of the alternative approaches to dormant spray applications. The field days also allow the advisors to discuss the ongoing PMA projects, their purpose and goals and findings to date.

The second quarter saw publication of a newsletter which updated almond growers on the progress of the PMA project to date. This newsletter, a copy of which is enclosed, emphasized the findings from the Year One reports, as well as publicized the planned dormant spray field days. This newsletter was also posted to the PMA website for additional distribution.

Second quarter field reports have been filed by the Kern and Butte project field scouts. I have enclosed copies of those reports. These reports document the dormant spray protocol used on the demonstration orchards, as well as recording mummy counts and chilling hours. The Stanislaus field scout report is expected to be filed in a few weeks.

The third quarter will be the focus of the PMA Advisory Team meeting scheduled for March 14 at UC Davis. Plans will be made for the Spring field days at each of the three field projects. Additionally, the management team will discuss preparation of the update of the Pest Management Evaluation as a prelude to filing a proposal for a third year of funding from DPR.

I hope this information is helpful to you. As you know, this status report, as well as status reports from each site’s field scout, are posted to the PMA website, which is maintained on my website www.lookercomm.com.

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