Transition Task Force Meetings
First Meeting February 11, 2008
The first meeting of the Blueberry Guthion Transition Task Force was held on February 11 2008 at the Trevor Nichols Research Complex in Fennville, MI. This meeting was attended by 35 people representing the blueberry industry, government, university, consulting companies, etc. For a copy of the minutes, click here: Meeting Minutes. The meeting included a review of the EPA phaseout plan, the current use and importance of Guthion, the alternatives and other IPM tactics used, and the performance data available for these insecticides. To see the presentation, click here: Meeting Presentation
At the end of the meeting, the growers and other industry representatives in attendance developed priorities for research, extension-education, and regulator issues. These priorities are listed below:
Research priorities
1. Degree day model for CFW and CBFW
2. Efficacy of newer chemicals for CFW and CBFW (aerial as well as ground)
3. Importance of coverage for efficacy
4. Effectiveness of Delegate applied pre-bloom for CFW and CBFW control
5. Ensure studies address cherry fruitworm control in addition to CBFW
6. Testing programs on farm to see which is most effective
7. Performance of Intrepid against CFW and CBFW on-farm
8. Aerial Guthion versus aerial Asana
9. Secondary pests, which programs have a greater risk of secondary pests becoming a problem?
10. Concentration of compounds vs. control (related to aerial application)
Education/extension priorities
1. Degree days and how to use them for insect management
2. Update the Blueberry Pest Management Strategic Plan
3. June on-farm IPM meetings to update growers on insect management options
Regulatory priorities
1. Need Maximum Residue Limits for other (newer) compounds in export markets
2. Experimental Use Permits for most promising insecticides to learn about performance
3. Survey of current Guthion use patterns in Michigan blueberries (used by many small growers, so
number of acres doesn’t tell the whole story)
4. Expedited labeling of Intrepid for 2008 season
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