Partners with Nature: 



A Massachusetts Integrated Pest 



Management Recognition Program 



Vicki Van Zee 



Massachusetts Department of Food & Agriculture 



The Massachusetts Department of Food & 

 Agriculture (DFA) will be implementing a pilot 

 program in 1993 to recognize growers who are 

 practicing integrated pest management (IPM). 

 DFA has supported the concept of IPM for the 

 same reasons that more and more growers are 

 using it, i.e., it makes good economic sense and 

 it is environmentally sound. The title of this 

 program, "Partners with Nature," was chosen to 

 convey the environmental benefits of IPM. 



Most of the Massachusetts growers recently 

 surveyed (refer to pages 7 through 11 in this 

 issue of Fruit Notes) perceive themselves as 

 practicing IPM. In the absence of a formal 

 definition or standard of IPM, the IPM label has 

 been loosely assigned. Growers participating in 

 IPM programs have asked for a consistent way 

 to identify their produce. In the same survey, 

 over 500 participants indicated they would en- 

 roll in such a program. The goals of the 

 program are to promote the adoption of IPM 

 among growers and to increase consumer 

 awareness and demand for IPM-grown produce. 

 By establishing a consistent IPM label, both 

 growers and consumers can have a common 

 understanding of its meaning. Recognition of 

 IPM growers will help foster better community 

 relations as growers may use the program to 

 demonstrate their concern for the environment. 

 The program will educate consumers to help 

 them better understand how purchasing IPM- 

 grown produce benefits both our local growers 

 and our environment. 



DFA will administer the program by identi- 

 fying crops according to guidelines developed by 

 the IPM Specialists in the Cooperative Exten- 

 sion System. In order to get this IPM program 

 off to a solid start, DFA will begin a pilot pro- 



gram focusing on three crops in the 1993 grow- 

 ing season. Strawberries, sweet corn, and 

 apples have been selected for the first year. 

 These crops were chosen because well-devel- 

 oped IPM techniques and resources exist for new 

 as well as experienced IPM growers. As the 

 administrative capacity of DFA expands and the 

 process is strengthened, the program will in- 

 clude more crops in the following years. 



Participation in the program is voluntary. 

 Qualifying growers will receive marketing ma- 

 terials (i.e., posters, pamphlets, stickers) for 

 their produce and educational brochures for 

 their customers and employees. Certificates 

 will be issued on individual crops which have 

 been raised according to IPM program guide- 

 lines. These certificates will serve as official 

 recognition of IPM growers. Proposed IPM 

 guidelines for strawberries and apples are pub- 

 lished in this issue of Fruit Notes. 



DFA intends to make the process as manage- 

 able as possible for growers. At the same time, 

 verification of procedures will be required of 

 participants in order to validate the issuance of 

 IPM-grown certificates. The process will involve 

 the following: 



October - November, 1992 



The Partners with Nature program will be 

 announced. 



Introductory information about the process 

 will be available from DFA upon request. 



December, 1992 • February, 1993 



Applications will appear in growers associa- 

 tions' newsletters, The Farm and Market 



Fruit Notes, Fall, 1992 



23 



