voice (916) 324-4100.
fax (916) 324-4088
dsupkoff@cdpr.ca.gov
************************
</fontfamily>Kathy Brunetti, Agriculture Program Supervisor
California Department of Pesticide Regulation
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November 5, 1998 (98-29)
Media Contacts:
Veda Federighi (916) 445-3974
Glenn Brank (916) 445-3970 http://www.cdpr.ca.gov
Ten IPM Innovators Show Soft Touch for Nature
SACRAMENTO -- Cal/EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation will honor
ten organizations Friday (November 6) that show a soft touch for the
environment without pulling their punches in the battle on pests. DPR's
fifth annual "IPM Innovator" awards will go to a diverse group of
agricultural and urban organizations, ranging from a major California
winemaker to a Southern California city. All share a commitment to
environmentally-friendly pest control strategies that succeed on the
farm, in the home, and wherever people and nature coexist.
IPM -- or integrated pest management -- involves working with nature
to create conditions that make it difficult for pests to survive, while
encouraging beneficial organisms to flourish. It is a problem-solving
approach to pest control that uses least-toxic methods. "IPM
Innovators" are selected by DPR for their creativity in using IPM
techniques and leadership in encouraging others to adopt IPM.
At an awards ceremony in Sacramento, DPR Chief Deputy Director
Jean-Mari Peltier will present ten recipient organizations with IPM
Innovator plaques, hats, and lapel pins featuring the IPM Innovator
logo -- a ladybug, one of the most recognized beneficial insects in
pest management. Officials from Cal/EPA and the California Department
of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will also attend to congratulate the new
Innovators.
Secretary for Environmental Protection Peter M. Rooney commended the
Innovators for their diverse approaches to reduced-risk pest
management. "These organizations have shown wide-ranging creativity in
devising reduced-risk pest management solutions," said Rooney. "The
fact that IPM can be successfully adapted to so many different
situations underscores the value and vitality of our least-toxic
pesticide programs."
Chief Deputy Director Peltier noted that the Innovators program is a
key component in DPR's ongoing commitment to IPM. "One of the most
important factors in our awards selection process is an Innovator's
willingness to share IPM information with others," said Peltier.
"These Innovators set a great example for their counterparts on the
farm and in the city. Their continued success makes a strong statement
that IPM practices are effective, environmentally friendly and
economically feasible."
CDFA Secretary Ann M. Veneman also congratulated the Innovators.
"California growers are recognized worldwide for the quality of their
products," said Veneman. "These awards demonstrate that California
agriculture is devoted to maintaining a top-quality environment."
The IPM Innovator award recipients:
*Baefsky & Associates, Orinda, established in 1985, provides IPM
consulting services to residential, commercial, and urban government
clients. The firm has distinguished itself with strong public outreach
efforts that communicate reduced-risk practices to urban audiences.
Baefsky & Associates promotes environmentally friendly landscaping
through monitoring, biological and cultural controls, and use of
reduced-risk pesticides such as soaps and oils, if necessary. The
consulting firm works on IPM research projects with Contra Costa County
and East Bay municipal utility districts. Media contact: Michael
Baefsky, (925) 254-7950.
*Bay City Flower Company, Half Moon Bay, is one of the country's
largest greenhouse operations, producing flowering potted plants for
national distribution. In the past 10 years, Bay City has dramatically
reduced pesticide use in its greenhouse spaces. Regular company tours
highlight IPM techniques for the floriculture industry. Most notable is
Bay City's adoption of an IPM scouting program developed by the
University of California. Bay City also uses "scouting and counting"
practices to find pest "hot spots" before insect populations get out of
control. Media contact: Sumiko Higaki, (650) 726-5535.
*California Lettuce Research Board (CLRB), headquartered in Salinas, is
a state marketing board for lettuce packers and shippers, originally
created as the Iceberg Lettuce Advisory Board in 1973. The board has
funded more than $8 million in research grants on iceberg lettuce,
expanding to include leaf lettuce in 1998. About 60 percent of funds go
to lettuce breeding research, emphasizing development of pest- and
disease-resistant varieties. Remaining funds support research in areas
such as pest management, cultural practices, and post-harvest quality.
Working closely with industry, the University of California, and
others, CLRB has been a leader in IPM research for lettuce. Media
contact: Edward A. Kurtz, (831) 424-3782.
*The California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA), headquartered in Reedley,
represents more than 2,000 growers and 325 packers of fresh market
peaches, plums and nectarines statewide. CTFA publishes a quarterly
research newsletter, A Closer Look, to provide timely information and
alternative IPM strategies for the industry. Through CTFA, the industry
funds a comprehensive research program that encompasses post-harvest
handling, disease management, cultural practices, and research on
reduced-risk pest management alternatives. Since 1978, CTFA's Research
Subcommittee has spent more than $1.3 million for IPM. At least 45
projects have contributed to development of reduced-risk pest
management practices. Media contact: Jonathan Field, (209) 638-8260.
*The City of Santa Monica established an IPM program early in 1996 as
part of its Toxics Use Reduction Program for city-owned buildings and
parks. The program includes comprehensive pest management training for
facility managers and extends to custodians, carpenters, and office
workers. Santa Monica sends IPM messages into homes, businesses, and
schools via retail store programs, community events, and newsletters
mailed to 48,000 city households. The city also uses an innovative
contract bidding process to identify pest control companies with
superior IPM services. Media contact: Judy Rambeau, (310) 458-8301.
* Community of Harbor Bay Isle Owners Association, Inc. (CHBI),
Alameda, serves the community's 3,000 property owners. Since 1995, CHBI
has incorporated IPM practices into its landscape management plan and
shares its information with six companies that provide landscape
maintenance for 2,300 single-family homes. The association also
sponsors IPM workshops and seminars for residents, and shares IPM news
in a bi-monthly publication. CHBI also designed its own oxygen infusion
system to control algae growth and surface booms to assist in algae and
weed removal in a community saltwater lagoon. Media contact: Thomas
Jordan, (510) 865-3363.
*Living Resources Company, Citrus Heights, has provided organic
landscape maintenance services and wholesale organic fertilizers
throughout the Sacramento area since 1977 while promoting urban IPM and
reduced-risk pest management. Outreach includes a regular newspaper
column, presentations to various groups, educational materials, and a
quarterly newsletter, "BUGS Flyer -- The Voice of Ecological
Horticulture." Living Resources encourages techniques that reduce or
eliminate herbicides in lawn maintenance and landscape care, and
experiments with new products and techniques to reduce reliance on
chemical fertilizers and pesticides in urban settings. Media contact:
Steven M. Zien, (916) 726-5377.
* Robert Mondavi Winery, headquartered in Oakville, helped create the
Napa Sustainable Wine Growing Group and the Central Coast Natural
Vineyard Team. The winery's reduced-risk practices include forecasting
for mildew control using computer software and weather stations;
planting cover crops and using composted grape pulp to add organic
matter to the soil; replacing pre-emergent herbicides with mechanical
cultivation and restricted use of glyphosate; monitoring pesticide use
through a database tracking system, allowing for review of pesticide
practices and promoting reduced pesticide use; and identifying
differences in vineyard performance through the use of global
information systems and satellite imaging. Media contact: DeWitt
Garlock, (707) 968-2042.
*S & J Ranch, Inc., headquartered in Madera, is a major farm management
company that grows citrus, almonds, pistachios, and olives in five San
Joaquin Valley counties. S & J also operates a commercial citrus and
pistachio nursery and a commercial insectary. The ranch began
converting from conventional to IPM practices in the late 1980s and now
follows an aggressive reduced-risk pest management program. One of the
company's most impressive accomplishments is a 70 to 80 percent overall
reduction in use of high-impact pesticides. In 1993, the company built
a commercial insectary for rearing and releasing beneficial organisms
to control scale and mites. S & J Ranch offers tours and its IPM
program serves as a model for other growers. It demonstrates how a
large farming operation can achieve superior quality while using
environmentally sound IPM practices. Media contact: Kevin Olsen or
Fritz Helzer, (209) 439-2598.
* Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, headquartered
in Elk Grove, suppresses mosquitoes and other vectors (disease-carrying
organisms) over a 2,013-square-mile area. The district gave more than
100 school presentations last year and regularly participates in public
events to promote safe and effective mosquito and vector control.
District research projects include a model surveillance program for
vector-borne diseases. The district is also conducting field trials for
a recently-registered larvicide for mosquito control, native predatory
fish, and global information and positioning systems to analyze control
measures. The district's IPM approach includes pest surveillance and
trapping to identify problem areas; consultation with landowners and
resource groups to minimize mosquito problems; management of ponds to
produce mosquito fish; and use and promotion of insect growth
regulators. Media contact: David Brown, (916) 685-1022.
Growers interested in more information on the IPM Innovator program or
in organizing to promote greater use of IPM may contact David Supkoff
of DPR's Environmental Monitoring and Pest Management Branch, 830 K
Street, Sacramento 95814-3510, phone (916) 324-4100. Additional
information on the IPM Innovator program is available on DPR's Web site
<<www.cdpr.ca.gov>.
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