October 19, 1998
Larry Wilhoit
Department of Pesticide Regulation
830 K Street Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Contract #97-0281
Dear Larry,
In accordance with the terms outlined in the grant awarded to the Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA), I have enclosed the first quarterly status report on the Alliance’s activities.
As you know from attending meetings of the Almond PMA Advisory Team, the project has been moving forward in a rapid fashion. Three projects have been identified and established in the southern, central and northern portions of the almond growing region. The cooperators are enthusiastic about the demonstration projects and are looking forward to the first field days set for early December.
I trust this report meets the requirements of the DPR. If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mark Looker
Almond PMA Project Administrator
Enclosure: Quarterly Report
Cc: members of the Almond PMA
Almond Pest Management Alliance
Quarterly Report Oct. 16, 1998
Ben Bertagna of Bertagna Orchard in Chico is the cooperator on this project. The UC farm advisors include Joe Connell of Butte County and Carolyn Pickel, the Regional IPM Coordinator. This project entails using "conventional" pesticides on the front 27 acres, with a "softer" approach on the back 22 acres. Varieties are Nonpareil at 50% and Aldrich, Sonora and Butte at 16.6% each. There will be satellite projects in adjoining counties with the cooperation of farm advisors Rick Buchner, John Edstrom and Bill Kruger.
Merlyn Garber of Modesto is the cooperator on this project. The UC farm advisors include Roger Duncan of Stanislaus County, Lonnie Hendricks of Merced County and Regional IPM Coordinator Walt Bentley. This project, involving three contiguous 40-acre blocks of 10 to 12-year-old Nonpareil/Carmel trees, will evaluate the possibility of managing arthropod pests with less disruptive pesticides. Three treatment categories will be studied and these will be replicated four times.
Thomas Vetsch of Vetsch Farms of California Orchard at Pond is the cooperator on this project. UC farm advisors include Mario Viveiros and James Brazzle, Kern County, and Regional IPM Coordinator Walt Bentley. The project’s purpose is to compare a reduced risk strategy to a normal conventional management program. The orchard consists of two 40-acre blocks of Nonpareil-fritz-Sonora and two 40-acre blocks of Butte-Mission-Padre. There will be two treatments and two replications in both Nonpareil type and Butte type varieties.
If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please feel free to contact either me or the Almond PMA Project Administrator, Mark Looker. Mark can be reached via voice mail at (209) 526-4181 or email at mllooker@ainet.com. Additionally, the PMA Web site is linked from the Board Web site www.AlmondsAreIn.com