Feb. 1, 2001

Tom Babb, Contract Manager
Department of Pesticide Regulation
P.O. Box 41015
Sacramento, CA 95812-4015

Re: Contract #99-0250

Dear Tom:

In accordance with the terms outlined in the $98,756.00 grant awarded 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, 2000 through January 31, 2001.

Under separate cover, I have submitted an invoice in the amount of $7,010.44 for reimbursable expenses incurred by the Almond PMA during the second quarter.

To date, the Almond PMA has incurred expenses of $11,015.05, leaving a balance of $87,740.95.

During the second quarter, a great deal of the PMA team’s efforts was focused on preparing the year-end report for Year Two. This report was submitted in January to DPR to the attention of Bob Elliott. The report is also published on the PMA’s website. The report’s conclusions have been publicized in the press release the PMA team issued in conjunction with the announcement of the fourth year of funding awarded by DPR.

The first significant field activity under Year Three was held with the dormant spray field days Nov.14 at the Sutter Buttes, Nov. 17 in Hamilton City, Nov. 22 in Bakersfield and Dec. 14 in Madera. All of the field days were a tremendous success in terms of attendance and presentations. There were approximately 50 in attendance at both the Nov. 14 and Nov. 17 field days, while the Bakersfield event drew 42 growers and 23 PCAs, and the Madera event drew approximately 60 people. 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. I have attached a copy of the agendas for these events.

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 published on the PMA website, emphasized the findings from the Year Two reports for each project area, as well as publicized the planned dormant spray field days.

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 7 at the Almond Board of California office in Modesto. Plans will be made for the Spring field days at each of the three field projects.

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

Attachments: Field Day schedules, field scout reports