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Fruit Program News

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    red apples

    Growing Produce Announces the 2026 Apple Grower of the Year Regional Winners

    May 18, 2026

    The Apple Grower of the Year award recognizes growers who have reached outstanding levels of success through their efforts in innovative production, marketing, horticultural, and management practices. These high standards have been in place for nearly four decades. We recently announced the 2026 Apple Grower of the Year overall winner as Robert (Bobby) Brown of Orchard Dale Fruit Co.

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    Spotted Lanternfly, adult, Belchertown, MA. October 15, 2025. J. Galvan, UMass Extension

    Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Hatch Has Begun in Massachusetts

    May 13, 2026

    The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Spotted Lanternfly Survey Team has reported that spotted lanternfly egg masses have started hatching in Massachusetts, with small black nymphs now active in some areas of the state. Hatch is expected to continue over the next several weeks, depending on weather conditions, so there is still time to find and destroy unhatched egg masses.

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    Massachusetts drought status as of May 12 2026

    Massachusetts Drought Status

    May 12, 2026

    May 8, 2026:

    Today, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared worsened drought conditions in several regions of Massachusetts. The Connecticut River Valley, Central, and Northeast Regions and Nantucket County are now in a Level 2 - Significant Drought. The Western and Southeast Regions and Dukes County have moved to a Level 1 – Mild Drought. During March, Massachusetts received approximately 3 to 5.5 inches of precipitation, which is normal for this time of year. Some areas – like Essex, Middlesex, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties – got less than normal, about 0.5 to 1.5 inches below average. 

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    United States Environmental Protection Agency

    Draft Strategy to Protect Endangered Species from Fungicides

    May 11, 2026

    Join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday May 20, 2026 at 2 PM ET for a public webinar on an overview of the draft Fungicide Strategy. EPA released its draft Fungicide Strategy that identifies practical protections that fungicide users can take to ensure protections for federally endangered and threatened species. The draft Strategy provides flexibilities for states and growers and proposes a more efficient, science-based approach to meet EPA’s obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). 

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    Illustration of Multi-stage IPM system for Plum Curculio

    Advancing Sustainable Plum Curculio Management through Attract-and-Kill and Biological Control

    May 7, 2026

    Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines multiple complementary strategies to manage pests effectively while reducing reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides.

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    SARE

    UMass Extension Small Fruit Program Receives Northeast SARE Grant to Support Blueberry Growers

    April 30, 2026

    UMass Extension Small Fruit Educator John Galvan has been awarded a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant to support blueberry growers across Massachusetts and the Northeast. His project, “Blueberry School,” was one of only 7 proposals funded out of 95 submissions and received $137,000 in support.

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    5-Day Forecast, Belchertown, MA. April 20th, 2026

    Frost/Freeze Concern for Blueberries and Strawberries - Monday night into Tuesday morning - April 20–21

    April 20, 2026

    Growers should be watching temperatures closely tonight into Tuesday morning. Check NEWA for the nearest weather station to your farm. 

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    Spanish cider apple Coloradona tight cluster April 15 2026

    Updated Bud Stage Photos Available for the Season

    April 15, 2026

    Check out the most current tree fruit bud stages!

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    Massachusetts drought status as of April 8 2026

    Massachusetts Drought Status

    April 13, 2026

    Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared the Normal conditions have returned to the Southeast and Western Regions of the state. The Connecticut River Valley, Central, Northeast, and Nantucket County Regions have improved to a Level–1 Mild Drought. The Cape Region remains in a Level 2–Significant Drought.

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    fruit trees

    Announcing the 2026 Lunch Bunch Zoom Series

    March 25, 2026

    The UMass Extension Fruit Team’s Lunch Bunch Zoom Series returns this season as a companion to the Healthy Fruit newsletter, offering informal lunchtime discussions on timely pest and horticulture issues for tree and small fruit growers.

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    IPM pyramid depicting prevention practices at the base, then detection, mechanical control, biological control, and finally chemical control at the top.

    New IPM Videos!

    March 10, 2026

    New video showcasing local orchards and IPM.

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    Blueberry Pruning Clinic

    RESCHEDULED for MARCH 31st - Blueberry Pruning Clinic - Ward's Berry Farm, Sharon, MA

    February 23, 2026

    Due to the winter blizzard and weather-related safety concerns, the Blueberry Pruning Clinic originally scheduled for February 25 has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 31, 2026 (9:00 AM–12:00 PM) at Ward’s Berry Farm, 614 S Main St, Sharon, MA.

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    Aerial view honeypot hill orchard, Stow MA

    MA Fruit Grower Chelcie Martin Featured in Good Fruit Grower

    February 23, 2026

    The farm is just a constant presence in our lives, and we grew up going to work with our dad. So, us kids used to have races of who could make the most two-quart boxes in a minute or 5 minutes.

  • The University of Massachusetts Amherst and Hokkaido University held webinars on Integrated Pest Management

    February 20, 2026

    Hokkaido University (HU) delivered a four-day webinar series on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) together with its international strategic partner, the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMA). 

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    Cluster of apples infected with bitter rot with inoculum bearing mummy

    Summary Report- MFGA Funded Bitter Rot Mummy Research

    February 9, 2026

    Sanitation is a foundational principle of disease IPM. In apple scab, extensive literature demonstrates that practices such as urea application, leaf chopping, or combinations thereof can significantly reduce primary inoculum and subsequent infection risk. Sanitation concepts are similarly extended to bitter rot management, particularly the removal of overwintered fruit “mummies” from the canopy. While this widely repeated recommendation, there is limited published data showing the impact of mummy removal on bitter rot infection risk.

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    Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium

    2026 Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium Winter Webinar Series

    December 18, 2025

    Announcing the 2026 Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium's Winter Webinar Series!

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    great-lakes-expo-logo

    GLEXPO 2025 Posters

    December 16, 2025

    UMass Extension Educators Jon Clements, Susan Scheufele, and John Galvan attended the Great Lakes Expo (GLEXPO) December 9-11, 2026 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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    UMass and Hokkaido University staff with bust of Dr. William Clark.

    UMass, Hokkaido University Professional Development Program

    December 1, 2025

    From 27 to 31 October, Hokkaido University (HU) hosted three professional staff members from its Strategic International Partner, the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

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    Adult Spotted Lanternfly

    New Spotted Lanternfly Fact Sheet for Grape

    November 13, 2025

    New Updates to the Grape IPM - Spotted Lanternfly Factsheet!

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    fruit trees

    Fruit IPM Videos!

    October 20, 2025

    We've uploaded a new video!

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