Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1243749
A L M O N D O R C H A R D 2 0 2 5 G O A L S PEST MANAGEMENT participated in MFP will find that much of their operation's information is already entered in the federal system, allowing for a more seamless process to apply for funding. Hudson Minshew, the NRCS California state conservation agronomist, said his agency made updates to further support growers' IPM practices. "The 595 practice has been revised to broaden a previous focus that heavily emphasized reducing hazards of pesticides. We have always wanted to incentivize a broad pest management system, including a variety of other companion practices, that I think go really well with Navel Orangeworm control," he said. Minshew said additional practices to reduce NOW include planting cover crops that spring up during winter, which may speed the decomposition of mummy nuts that fall to the wet cover below, in addition to planting hedgerows and field borders that help house pollinators and beneficial predatory insects inside the orchard. NRCS does not generally fund individual practices like mating disruption. Rather, field offices work with growers to develop a package of strategies to address all their conservation concerns, then score the package based on its ability to reduce environmental risk. As such, Minshew suggests interested growers contact their local NRCS field office to discuss the possibilities. 1 He confirmed that funding is available in 2020 and urged growers to act soon to ensure timely consideration of requests. Roseman said ABC is working closely with NRCS to help ensure funding for mating disruption and other IPM practices qualify for incentives. He said NRCS conservation planners use multiple resources such as University of California (UC) IPM and Almond Board guidance to work with almond growers to develop IPM plans for individual orchards that receive funding from EQIP. When considering mating disruption and participation in this program, growers should encourage their neighbors to also apply for funding, as research shows that mating disruption is most effective across 40 or more acres. Stenderup said this evolving understanding of new IPM technology among not only industry members but broader stakeholders such as NRCS is crucial. He also credited the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) for helping support NRCS's recognition of the importance of finding a way to support mating disruption, especially thanking David Haviland, a UCCE farm advisor in Kern County, for his work in this area. "Haviland did the heavy lifting to show how mating disruption could reduce pesticide usage and air emissions," Stenderup said. Mating disruption a no-brainer Grower action, combined with support from NRCS, will help the almond industry increase its use of mating disruption. "Greater use of mating disruption is an important metric the industry is using to track progress toward its 2025 Goal of increasing adoption of environmentally friendly pest management tools," Roseman said. Ultimately, Stenderup said, mating disruption is a no-brainer for growers looking to reduce NOW levels in their orchards, and orchard owners should work with neighboring growers of almonds and other tree nuts to implement this practice. "It checks all the boxes: less emissions, less pesticides and better quality," Stenderup said. "This is what NRCS and the Almond Board are all about – environmentally friendly pest management, improving product quality and striving toward a sustainable industry, always keeping the return on investment and the bottom line in mind." 1 Visit https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?agency=nrcs to locate the field office nearest you. "In orchards with mating disruption technology, we have reduced at least one Navel Orangeworm spray and reject rates have improved, with improvement in grades." — Kent Stenderup Stenderup's NRCS Conservation Plan Map details where mating disruption dispensers are located on his acreage. Almond Board of California 6