EQIP support for IPM in Wisconsin Orchards

Posted March 2008

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Beginning in 2003, Wisconsin apple and cherry growers and the University of Wisconsin worked with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to address orchard pest management resource concerns through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). As a result, in 2005 Wisconsin’s
EQIP Pest Management Standard was changed to provide orchardists with extended technical assistance and allow for progressive adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques,
from relatively basic to advanced. A flat-rate incentive payment encouraged growers to address multiple resource concerns through IPM. In just three years, the NRCS processed contracts
that provided 31 growers with the resources necessary to implement IPM on 19% of Wisconsin’s orchard acres.

Read the full article: (PDF)
Hirsch, RM and M Miller. 2008. Progressive planning to address multiple resource concerns: Integrated pest management in Wisconsin orchards. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, Volume 63, Number 2.

Vegetable Storage Crops Workshop

Learn how to extend your marketing season by growing and selling winter storage crops like carrots, beets, winter squash, cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic and more. This workshop will be held on December 4 in Hudson and December 11 in Madison. For details, see the workshop flyer. Hope to see you there!

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CIAS in the community

CIAS Hosts Annual Meeting of Eco-Apple Growers

On Thursday, November 12, CIAS hosted its annual meeting of apple growers engaged in its Eco-Apple pesticide reduction program. Notably, the group of 48 growers celebrated the successful completion of a six-year effort designed to reduce the use of pesticides on orchards throughout Wisconsin. During the course of the program, all reporting orchards demonstrated a reduced reliance on pesticides in favor of a diversity of IPM strategies, and some realized a near-total elimination of organophosphate applications. CIAS thanks its team of growers for their enthusiastic and committed participation. In particular, CIAS wishes to thank Dave Flannery, Wendy Schafer, Bill Stone and Anna Maenner for their fortitude in seeing this phase of the project through to a successful conclusion. UW rsearchers Dan Mahr, Patty McManus, Matt Stasiak and Teryl Roper have been critical to the project’s success. Thanks also to EPA-V and the USDA for their support and encouragement.

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