INTRODUCTION

The first year of the Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA) was funded by a $99,000 grant awarded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) for the crop year Aug. 1, 1998 to July 31, 1999.  The title is "To Promote a Reduced-Risk System of Almond Production Through Alternative Practices.”  Since then, four more years of research and demonstration have been funded by the CDPR PMA grants with additional funding from the Almond Board of California. 

Structurally, the Almond PMA is managed by a team composed of representatives from each of the identified organizations, as well as private Pest Control Advisors (PCA’s.) This Advisory Team meets on a several times yearly to review the project's progress and make decisions about its future course.  The Almond Board of California oversees the administrative functions.

The Almond PMA set these basic objectives at the beginning and they continue to be relevant through subsequent years of funding.

·         Establish orchard sites in three different almond-growing regions to collect data regarding almond pest management practices that reduce environmental risks associated with pesticide use.

• Conduct extensive orchard monitoring and specific research activities that address localized pest control and almond production practices.

·         Provide almond growers with updated information on available reduced risk pest control practices so they can make informed choices about alternatives.

·         Promote and extend information to growers to ensure California almond growers understand the need for a reduced risk system that has the ability to reduce pesticides and sustain profitability.

·         Evaluate the risk reduction achieved as a result of this project by producing a final report that includes not only a projection of the risk reduced, but a discussion of the costs and benefits of the solution and the practicality of adoption.

To compliment the objectives involved in the Almond PMA, tasks were designed to accomplish the goal of reducing pesticide use.  Task 1 is to assemble an Advisory team that provides direction and keeps the project moving forward.  Tasks 2 through Task 4 consist of the continuation of the PMA sites in Butte, Kern, and Stanislaus counties respectively.  Task 5 is to research pesticide use in each of the regional PMA sites.  Outreach and education to the growers are Task 6, being field meetings, newsletters, and news articles relating to the Almond PMA.  Finally, Task 7 is the project evaluation.

The PMA views this project as an efficient way to bring together many years of research and demonstration which have been spent on alternative and reduced risk management techniques.  By applying the vast body of knowledge accumulated over the years by the University of California the Alliances goal is to study reduced risk practices on a large scale.

The Almond Board of California has been supporting an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system for more than 25 years. These projects have helped reduce the use of pesticides through such studies as: Navel orangeworm Orchard Sanitation and Early Harvest, Reducing Dormant Spray Hazards, Pheromones for Peach twig borer, and Alternatives for Soil Fumigation with Methyl Bromide.  Results of these research projects are available from the Almond Board of California.  The Board has also received an "IPM Innovator Award" from CDPR for its innovative leadership role in the field of IPM.

The UC Statewide IPM Project is well recognized for its national leadership on IPM. The IPM Project publishes the well-respected IPM for Almonds Manual.  This publication states, "A good IPM program coordinates pest management activities with cultural operations to achieve economical and long-lasting solutions to pest problems.”  The PMA has taken this quote to the field and reduced risk farming practices take in cultural and long-lasting solutions seriously.