Task 6: Outreach and Extension

Outreach and the extension of information are paramount in gaining confidence in reduced risk practices. Conducting Advisory Team meetings, field meetings, and providing information via newsletters, status reports, and articles play an important role.. In a survey conducted by BIOS, taken after the Hamilton City meeting in November, 2000, 39% of the growers participating in the survey learned of the meeting through a Farm Advisor. This shows the importance of the Farm Advisor in outreach activities. Approximately 35% of the growers learned of the meeting through the Almond Board PMA Newsletter and approximately 20% learned of the meeting via some other media.

Attendance at field day meetings reflects the optimism and success the PMA program. Each region organizes two meetings per year. One meeting is conducted in the spring and the other is a dormant/winter meeting. The listing of these meetings are seen below in Table 6.1. These meetings coincide with the time of the season where many insecticidal sprays are being applied and therefore are relevant for discussing reduced risk practices for controlling pests.

Table 6.1. Field Day and Attendance Almond PMA 2000.

In addition to the meeting, growers are encouraged to participate in a PMA Field Day Evaluation designed by BIOS. At the Hamilton City dormant meeting, most of the growers attending found the information to be helpful and applicable in their orchards. Overall, the growers found that the meeting length provided enough time for discussion and there was enough of hands-on participation. These surveys provide the PMA with useful information in order to be able to provide growers with information they feel will encourage them in adopting reduced risk practices.

Newsletters are an important component for relaying updates and informing growers, some who may not be active in the PMA, on issues regarding almonds in California. Many of these newsletters are regional, thereby relaying pertinent information to growers. Some newsletters are sent via mail, others are status reports or quarterly reports reported by the Almond PMA to the Department of Pesticide Regulation that can be accessed via the World Wide Web. Listed below in Table 6.2, are newsletters, status reports, and quarterly reports written by the Almond PMA project and submitted to the Department of Pesticide Regulation. Those reports accessed electronically can be reached at: www.lookercomm.com/AlmondPMA/almondPMA.htm

Table 6.2. Newsletters regarding Almond PMA 2000.

News articles and news coverage relating to the Almond Pest Management Alliance benefit the program by reaching a large audience in popular agricultural periodicals.

Many growers and those involved with the almond industry subscribe to or have access to agricultural periodicals. The Almond PMA makes good use of this medium for educating and updating many of those growers who do not actively participate in the Almond PMA. Through this medium, as seen in Table 6.3, we hope to spark interest in the program, thereby increasing the numbers of growers voluntarily adopting reduced risk techniques in some capacity.

Table 6.3. Publication relating to the Almond PMA Project 2000.