OWEGO, N.Y. For the sec
ond straight year, strawberry,
raspberry, and blueberry growers
in New York State (NYS) are set
to draw in consumers who rate en
vironmental stewardship as a ma
jor factor in their fruit and vege
table purchasing decisions.
Recently conducted surveys
show consumers are “going for
the green.” Unlike trends for many
specialty items, die demand for
produce raised with environment
ally directed practices is main
stream, not a niche market
State berry growers ate tapping
in to the rapidly expanding con
sumer demand by using integrated
pest management (IPM) practices
and by receiving NYS IPM berry
grower certification made possi
ble through a progressive program
created by the New York Slate
Berry Growers Association
(NYSBGA) and Cornell Univer
sity’s College of Agriculture and
Life Sciences.
The program, established in
1997, keys roadside stand, pick
your-own, and supermarket cus
tomers to berries raised with the
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IPM Berry Marketing Program Taps Demand
environment in mind. Along with
the established locally grown and
fresh identity, berries produced by
certified growers cany die unique
NYS IPM logo, spelling out that
consumers can be sure the fruit
they buy comes from farms using
prescribed methods to enhance the
environment.
In addition to grower certifica
tion, the program makes major ef
forts to deliver the IPM story to
consumers. The NYSBGA has
produced brochures and posters
that explain how growers have
taken the initiative to cut agricul
tural chemical use, incorporate cn
vironmentally-beneficial cultural
practices, and plant new. disease
resistant varieties. The association
is also working closely with retail
ers to ensure supermarket cus
tomers know berry growers in the
state produce high quality fruit
that not only tastes good but meets
the demands for environmental re
sponsibility.
According to Emil Ronchi,
NYSBGA chairperson. New York
growers ate among the first in the
nation to have such a program in
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"New York berry growers are
heeding the consumer’s desire for
tasteful, locally grown berries that
ate raised with environmentally
friendly fanning methods,” Ron
chi said. “We’re encouraging peo
ple to look for our label Buying
New York’s IPM berries supports
the local economy, and it supports
environmentally friendly farm
ing.”
More than SO association mem
bers joined forces to market ber
ries under the IPM label last year.
NYSBGA represents more than
200 growers in the state, and the
berry industry in the state ac
counts for more than $35 million
annually.
Frank Wiles, an Owego grower
and NYSBGA executive secre
tary. said die program is open this
year to all strawberry, blueberry,
and raspberry growers in die state.
Targeted sign up deadline is May
1, although that date may be ex
tended, he said.
IPM practices aim at reducing
the amounts of agricultural chemi
cals applied to crops. To reduce
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chemical use, IPM relies on scout
ing fields, spraying only when
economic thresholds are met. and
incorporating the latest research in
varieties, diseases, and pests. Cul
tural practices include mulching
with straw to reduce weeds, rotat
ing crops to reduce soil pests, cov
eting crops to reduce weeds, [Re
serving bees and other beneficial
insects, and determining fertilizer
requirements by testing plant
leaves.
Wiles said most berry growers
in the state are already using IPM
practices. To gain certification as
an IPM grower, farmers need to be
a member of NYSBGA, sign onto
the program, document their spray
Leading Farmers Want
More Biotechnology
PHILADELPHIA There is
no doubt about it leading U.S.
cotton, rice and soybean growers
see new biotechnology develop
ments as crucial for the continu
ance of profitably raising crops.
Past participants in the Pro
ducer Information Exchange
(PIE) program were recently sur
veyed for their opinions about
various aspects of farming leading
into the spring planting season.
PIE participants are elite farm
ers chosen to tour other fanning
areas so that they can enhance
their own fanning techniques and
gain an understanding of problems
faced by their peers. Participants
are chosen in cooperation with
The Cotton Foundation, American
Soybean Association, California
Rice Growers, and Delta Council.
Participants in PIE are often times
officers in the commodity associa
tions.
Nearly nine of every 10 past
PIE participants responding to the
survey rated future biotechnology
developments as “very important”
for the future of crop production.
It was also quite clear that high
er yielding crop varieties are seen
as the exact crop improvement
that they see as most important
Nearly half of the responders re
ferred to higher yielding varieties
as the major need. Other crop
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 25, 1998-D3
records, and receive verification
of practices by an independent
third party, he said.
The NYSBGA has hired Don
Prostak of American IPM, a New
Jersey-hosed consulting firm, to
serve as independent certifier in
1998. Prostak and other American
IPM employees will visit growers
prior to harvest to help growers
with their records, review prac
tices. and verify their IPM status.
New York growers can learn
more about the 1998 IPM Berry
Marketing Program by contacting
the NYSBGA. 396 S Waverly
Road, Owego, NY 13827, (607)
687-2874, fax (607) 687-9172.
improvements such as varieties
with specific end-user requested
traits were much farther down the
list in priority.
The survey was conducted by
FMC Corporation who sponsors
the PIE programs with grants to
die various commodity groups.
“It was obvious from the re
sponses that the growers complet
ing the survey are leaders and re
gularly let their opinions be
known,” said Ed Cherry, FMC
director of government regula
tions and agricultural business af
fairs, who oversees the PIE pro
grams for FMC. “Nearly three
fourths of those responding to the
survey had been in contact with
their U.S. Congress representative
or senator within the last 12
months.
“The survey gave us a good feel
for what some of the best pro
ducers are thinking prior to this
spring planting season,” Cherry
said. He notes that the 16 percent
response to the 567 surveys mail
ed was quite good, but the num
bers are not statistically valid.
“It was kind of discouraging to
read all the resentment of govern
ment oversight being blamed for
limiting companies from develop
ing new technology products,”
Cherry said. “Nearly half the re
spondents suggested the govern
ment approval process for new
products is a problem.”
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