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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, 06 September 2001 FOR MASS. FARMERS, IPM STARTS EARLY AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON As Massachusetts farmers prepare the soil and plant their crops, many of them are already looking to UMass Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program for help in protecting the environment at the same time they protect their crops. IPM encompasses all available methods for managing pests, integrating those methods into every phase and aspect of the growing season. That way, pest management becomes part the growing process. IPM methods include: * "cultural practices," such as planting pest-resistant varieties and crop rotation; * biological controls, using predators and other natural enemies of pests; * and chemical control, where the safest and least disruptive pesticides are selected. IPM is based on careful observation and information gathering. Pests, weather and other conditions are monitored regularly, so that pesticides or other control methods are only applied when needed and when they will do the most good. By monitoring corn pests, Massachusetts corn growers are able to reduce pesticide use by 50 percent and apple growers have reduced pesticide use by 40 percent. Growers learn about IPM techniques through on-farm meetings, newsletters and by individual training by Extension specialists. The UMass program has also trained IPM specialists who have started businesses to monitor crop. One of our program’s greatest successes is the training of IPM consultants who start their own businesses in the private sector, according to Bill Coli, coordinator of the state IPM program. "People who have worked in our program have started their own businesses to provide farmers with the information they need to reduce pesticide use," says Coli. "Over three-quarters of Massachusetts’ apple and cranberry crops are grown with the advice of IPM consultants who learned their trade in our program." The UMass IPM program helps growers of vegetables and fruits -- including apples, cranberres and grapes -- manage all types of pests, including insects, mites, diseases and weeds. This past year, an IPM project was started to help Massachusetts schools implement pest management programs, to reduce pesticide applications. Contact: William Coli 413-545-1051 ARCHIVE: |
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