More on Florida Strawberries

Charles Benbrook (benbrook@hillnet.com)
Thu, 06 Mar 1997 17:45:25 -0500

I was sure Kurt Davies fungicide data on Florida strawberries was
too high -- 350,000 pounds on only 5,800 acres -- so I called him. He had
it right; the details are pretty amazing, from NASS data:

* 20.6 applications of captan per crop, 38.8 pounds per acre, or 222,000 pounds
* 101,000 pounds sulfur
* 20,000 pounds Thiram
* and change across several other a.i.'s.

I would note that Florida strawberries are significantly more
reliant on pesticides than Claifornia, although production systems in both
states are clearly chemical-intensive, except for the growing number of
organic and bio-IPM growers, of which there are several in California and a
growing number in Florida.

chuck

Charles Benbrook 202-546-5089 (voice)
Benbrook Consulting Services 202-546-5028 (fax)
409 First Street S.E. benbrook@hillnet.com [e-mail]
Washington, D.C. 20003 http://www.pmac.net