The Nation's First IPM Certified Eco-label
Partners with Nature, a collaboration of UMass Extension, the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, and the USDA Farm Services Agency which recognizes growers who document high-level adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), certified 120 separate crops grown on 49 farms. UMass staff developed new IPM guidelines for greenhouse crops and blueberries, bringing the number of crops eligible for certification to 10. Program participants were very pleased with how effectively Partners with Nature used the media to educate the public on the value of IPM certification. Stories in seven newspapers and on the radio reached an estimated 770,000 people.

Making Allies with a Fungus
Dodder is one of the major weed pests in cranberry bogs. When a naturally occurring fungus was observed infecting dodder, researchers used it to develop pure cultures. Dodder was then successfully infected with the cultures in both greenhouse and field experiments. Once various parameters necessary for optimal infection are better understood, UMass Extension researchers hope that the organism can replace conventional synthetic herbicides for spot treatment in the bogs.

Success with Tropical Crops Right Here at Home
A new project shows how Massachusetts farmers can expand their market by producing new crops. Research at the UMass farm in South Deerfield demonstrated that three vegetables popular with the Latino population -- calabaza (a winter squash), ají dulce (a sweet pepper), and recao (an herb) -- can be grown to maturity in this climate. Fourteen farmers who sell their produce at farmers' markets in Latino neighborhoods were given seed or transplants for some or all of these crops. They reported finding enthusiastic buyers who were excited to find that these tropical crops can be grown locally and sold fresh at the markets. Healthful ways of cooking the produce were demonstrated at the markets by the Extension Nutrition Education Program.

What Did We Accomplish?
Selected 1998 Program Impacts

The Lee Community Development Corporation worked with our program to map 30,000 acres of existing farmland for protection from non-agricultural development, and provided a $25,000 loan for a newly formed vegetable cooperative.

150 lawn care operators learned about environmental options for managing turf problems and pests at the 6th annual Lawn Care Seminar sponsored in cooperation with the Massachusetts Association of Lawn Care Professionals.

A pilot group of 35 restaurants in western Massachusetts joined the Local Food-Restaurant Certification Program (an effort cosponsored by Extension) in which they pledged to use 5% to 10% more local food in the meals they serve each year. The agreement could increase grower revenues by more than $1 million.

8,144 persons were trained in IPM methods and techniques while attending 138 separate presentations. Workshops and meetings presented by the Cranberry Experiment Station attracted 772 people, while 241 attended biweekly open laboratory sessions during the growing season.

Floriculture team members provided training in Integrated Crop Management (ICM), pesticide application, and environmental stewardship to over 600 growers through programs, newsletters, and publications.

The Waste Management and Utilization team worked with four farmers on using mineral by-products of the aggregate industry as soil amendments or fertilizers for commercial production of sweet corn, strawberries, lettuce, and apples. Support was obtained from the National Aggregate Association and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture.

Over 1,000 people attended the three-day New England Vegetable and Berry Conference, which had sessions on all the vegetable and berry crops grown in the state as well as on farm profitability, IPM, and methods of extending the growing season.

43 issues of IPM newsletters or pest alert messages were received in print by 1,220 subscribers, while another 232 subscribers received theirs electronically.

A tree fruit Web site was developed for apple and peach growers, drawing 2,000 visitors.

IPM team members published 125 articles, fact sheets, scientific papers, manuals, or production guides, many of which were sold throughout the region.

The Waste Management and Utilization team joined with a major paper mill to find ways to use paper mill sludge as a soil amendment and fertilizer in sweet corn production, as well as advising the industry on use of the sludge as a landfill cover for growing turf.

Over 225 growers attended six twilight meetings on vegetable and berry farms, learning first hand about topics such as blueberry pruning, grape trellising, deer control, on-farm composting, and IPM for pumpkins.

About the Program

The Agroecology Program helps agriculturists and communities develop and sustain economically viable, ecologically sound, and socially responsible agricultural and green industry production and marketing systems. The program works in partnership with agricultural producers and related businesses, the green industry and related services, public agencies and private organizations with agricultural interests, and local, regional, and state government.

Drawing upon the resources of the University's College of Food and Natural Resources, educators develop new techniques and technologies designed to help agricultural businesses prosper while they meet the public demand for safe, high quality agricultural products in ways that protect and preserve the natural environment.

The program is organized into seven commodity-focused teams, assisted by four teams dealing with issues that apply to all commodities.

Cranberry Team -- advances knowledge of cranberry-related research in areas of entomology, plant pathology, and weed and plant sciences.

Crops and Dairy/Livestock Team -- assists producers in the development of management strategies and viability assessment. Also helps with information on product quality, environmental monitoring, and facilities engineering.

Floriculture Team -- supports the green industry by advancing knowledge of greenhouse crop management, including biological and cultural control of insects and plant diseases, plant nutrition, plant growth, and composting.

Landscape, Nursery,and Urban Forestry Team -- develops and distributes knowledge on economically and environmentally sound nursery-crop production and landscape and urban tree management.

Tree Fruit Team -- works to keep the apple and other tree fruit industries economically strong and environmentally sound in a state where land values are high and orchards coexist with residential land use.

Turf Team -- develops and disseminates research on economically and environmentally sound turf management practices for managers of municipal grounds, golf courses, athletic fields, and lawn care businesses.

Vegetable and Small Fruits Team -- helps over 1,000 diversified vegetable and berry farms with new soil, crop, and pest management strategies to improve the economic health of this industry.

Integrated Pest Management Team -- conducts applied research and provides grower education on ways to control pests in environmentally responsible ways. Techniques include monitoring of pests, encouraging pests' natural predators, adjusting cultural practices to make crop conditions less favorable to pests, and appropriate use of pesticides.

Pesticide Education Team -- provides continuing education on safe and effective use of pesticides and alternative pest control strategies.

Community Development Team -- supports agricultural enterprises working with others to foster a community approach to agriculture.

Waste Management and Utilization Team -- provides research and education on proper management of agricultural wastes and their role in enhancing agricultural sustainability.

Program Management

Agroecology staff are located at:

Amherst
Barnstable
East Wareham
Hanson
Pittsfield
Waltham
Worcester