(84%) and the majority of all respondents sup- 

 ported IPM-labelling, preferring EPM-labelled 

 produce when it cost the same as conventional 

 produce. If EPM-labelled produce cost somewhat 

 more (5%), nearly half of the consumers said 

 they would still buy it, but a large number of 

 respondents were undecided as to whether or 

 not they would. Twenty-five percent of consum- 

 ers responded that they were willing to pay 10- 

 20% more for IPM-labelled produce. In a New 

 York consumer survey (Burgess, 1989), 55% of 

 respondents were willing to pay up to 25% more 

 for IPM-grown produce. The majority of all New 

 England respondents felt that using state de- 

 partments of agriculture would be the most 

 appropriate method to certify IPM produce. 



The results of this survey provide a chal- 

 lenge to the IPM certification program: to edu- 

 cate consumers that the food supply is safe and 

 that supporting IPM-labelled produce is an en- 

 vironmentally positive step. Fortunately, IPM 

 was perceived by the majority of the respon- 

 dents in all categories as a step toward protect- 

 ing the environment. 



An IPM label may be useful for farmers who 

 adopt IPM methods to give consumers more 

 choices in the marketplace. First, however, 

 consumers and food industry personnel need to 



be informed about IPM and other agricultural 

 practices to increase their confidence in the food 

 supply. How this will be best accomplished is an 

 open question. Recently, we have used these 

 survey results to provide IPM training to state 

 extension nutrition specialists, whose clientele 

 are consumers. We have also published an 

 article on IPM in the Journal of the American 

 Dietetics Association. Much more work will need 

 to be done in education and marketing before 

 consumers will recognize the benefits of IPM- 

 labelled produce. 



References 



Anonymous. 1990. Organically grown foods: a 

 scientific status summary by the Institute of 

 Food Technologists' expert panel on food safety 

 and nutrition. Food Technology 44(12): 123. 



Burgess, R. 1989. Results of IPM marketing 

 survey. 51st annual New York Pest Manage- 

 ment Conference. 



Prokopy, R. J., W. M. Coli, R. G. Hislop, and K. 

 I. Hauschild. 1980. Integrated management of 

 insect and mite pests in commercial apple or- 

 chards in Massachusetts. Journal of Economic 

 Entomology. 73:529-535. 



Fruit Notes, Fall, 1992 



