Eco-Fruit

The Eco-Fruit program at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) helps fruit growers reduce or eliminate risk from pesticides by using IPM. From 2003-2008 participating growers in our Eco-apple project documented reduced pesticide risk by 58 percent and increased their reliance on IPM strategies by 33 percent. The project has also worked with berry and grape growers.

This project is working to build a sustainable and vibrant fruit industry in Wisconsin. CIAS is involved in the development of publicly-supported conservation initiatives that will re-tool this industry for sustainability.

Eco-Fruit provides growers with IPM coaching, tools, data and networking opportunities. We partner with the IPM Institute to offer participating growers access to IPM experts through AppleTalk. Weekly conference calls with these experts throughout the growing season provide updates on pest activity and disease prevalence, and IPM solutions. The conference calls also give growers a chance to hear from one another about challenges and successes faced in orchards across the Upper Midwest.

Learning IPM is no small task. AppleTalk gives apple growers the support they need to learn the scouting, monitoring, and sampling techniques necessary for a successful IPM regimen.

AppleTalk provides growers with access to IPM consultants and university faculty through conference calls held on a weekly basis throughout the growing season. All calls are recorded and can be accessed online or by telephone anytime. Each call includes:

• The consultant’s report of field conditions and possible IPM responses to pest and disease pressures
• Time for growers to ask specific questions about their farms and IPM regimens

“Conference calls and the ability to access recorded calls and text summaries later has proven very beneficial. Hearing reports from other growers around the state and from researchers provides additional insights into each unique growing season. Pairing this with scheduled visits from an IPM Institute scout has been invaluable.” –Tom Griffith, Door Creek Orchards

AppleTalk calls, now organized by the IPM Institute of North America, begin in April and run through August. Starting in 2014 subscription to the weekly call and blog is $125 for the season and an annual blog-only subscription is $65. Personal long-distance phone charges to connect to the calls may apply. The blog includes access to call recordings and transcripts from each weekly call, starting in 2014. All archived calls from 2007-2013 remain available free-of-charge, but growers must still sign up for access.

 “I don’t know any grower who wouldn’t get well more than their money’s worth from what we learn on these calls.”–Dave Flannery, Apple Holler Orchard

In order to participate in AppleTalk, you must sign up for this service. Contact Peter Werts at the IPM Institute, 608-232-1410 or pwerts@ipminstitute.org to sign up.

Eco-Fruit is a collaborative effort of the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association, the IPM Institute of North America, Threshold IPM,  USDA- NRCS and the Midwest Organic Tree Fruit Growers Network.

This work has been supported by:

• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• USDA Special Projects pesticide reduction grants
• Center for Agricultural Partnerships
• American Farmland Trust
• USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program (SARE PDP)
• North Central Region – IPM Center