Fruit and nut growers in the Central Valley continue to battle with invasive pests that threaten the health of their crops. That’s why the California Department of Food and Agriculture is awarding $1 million each to two projects that focus on sustainable pest management strategies across the region.
The first project will focus on stone fruit orchards. The goal is to reduce reliance on traditional pesticides by incentivizing Biologically Integrated Orchards Systems (BIOS) trials and demonstrations instead. Coordinated by American Pistachio Growers (APG) and developed by Washington State University, the second project will help support tree nut growers’ fight against the navel orangeworm. This invasive pest has been known to attack pistachios, walnuts, and almonds. Using a Decision Aid System (DAS), the project offers a combination of pest monitoring, phenology modeling, and management solutions.
Overseen by the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) grant program, both of these programs will run for four years. Meanwhile, our experts at Fruit Growers Supply are happy to offer their own assistance when it comes to sustainable pest management. Feel free to browse our previous blog entries related to SPM, and make sure to visit one of our supply centers to stock up on tools and tips!