Michigan Azinphos-methyl Tour

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Participants

EPA Office of Pollution, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances

Jim Gulliford

EPA Office of Pesticide Programs 

Katie Hall 

Nikhil Mallampalli

EPA Region 5

Margaret Guerriero

Barbara VanTil

Michigan State University Research & Extension

David Epstein, Tree Fruit IPM Coordinator

Department of Entomology

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 

Larry Gut, Associate Professor

Michigan State University Dept. of Entomology

Mark Whalon, Professor

Michigan State University Dept. of Entomology

Larry G. Olsen 

Co-Director, North Central IPM Center

Department of Entomology

Michigan State University

Michael Brewer, Coordinator

Michigan State University IPM Program

Department of Entomology

Michigan State University

Carlos Garcia-Salazar

Small Fruit Agent for West Central Region

Ottawa County MSU Extension

Amy Irish-Brown

District Fruit Integrated Pest Management Agent

Clarksville Horticultural Station

Peter McGhee

Research Assistant

Department of Entomology

Michigan State University

Michigan Department of Agriculture 

Michigan Department of Agriculture

PO Box 30017

Lansing, MI  48909

Ken Rauscher, Director

Pesticide and Plant Management Division

Gina Davis, Deputy Director

Pesticide and Plant Management Division

Brian Rowe, Manager

Pesticide Section

Brian Hughes 

Pesticide Section

Pesticide Registration

Antonio Castro-Escobar, Manager

Worker Protection and Restricted Use Pesticides Program Manager

Pesticide & Plant Pest Management Division

Michigan Department of Agriculture

Grower Group

Denise Yockey

MI Apple Committee

Growers

	

Joe & Joe Klein

Apple Growers

Sparta, MI		

Mike Wittenbach

President, MSU Horticultural Society

Apple Grower

Belding, MI

Jim Koan

Organic Apple Grower

Flushing, MI  

Dave Smeltzer

Apple & Cherry Grower

Bear Lake, MI 

Joe Rasch

Apple Grower

Conklin, MI 

Steve Thome

Apple Grower

Comstock Park, MI

Mike Vanagtmael

Apple & Cherry Grower

Hart, MI 

US Fish & Wildlife Service

Mike DeCapita 

US FWS Ecological Services Field Office

East Lansing, MI 

 

Worker Advocates

Ms. Teresa Hendricks

Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project

Grand Rapids, MI 

Judy Fitzgerald, R.N.

Intercare Community Health Network

Bangor, MI 

Alicia Sanchez, Assistant Outreach Coordinator & Migrant worker

Intercare Community Health Network

Bangor, MI 

Antonio Castro-Escobar

See under Michigan Department of Agriculture

Medical Monitoring Contact

Abby Schwartz, MPH Environmental Epidemiologist

Pesticide Exposure and Injury Surveillance

Michigan Department of Community Health

Itinerary and Discussion

Koan Orchards

Participants:  Jim Koan, Mark Whalon, Dave Epstein, Larry Gut, Jim
Gulliford, Margaret Guerriero, Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil
Mallampalli

Discussed operations at an organic apple orchard.  Organic orchards do
not produce the same amount of pest-free fruit that a conventional
orchard does, so it is important to diversify into different products to
stay competitive in the market.  A typical conventional orchard produces
about 85% saleable fruit, while an organic operation produces a maximum
of 50% marketable product.  Conversion to organic production in Michigan
is hampered by the lack of organically-approved materials for key pests
such as plum curculio.  The transition is especially difficult in areas
of intensive apple production, where abandoned orchards serve as a
reservoir for pest species.

Clarksville Horticultural Station

Participants present:  Mark Whalon, Dave Epstein, Larry Gut, Mike
DeKapita, Denise Yockey, Peter McGhee, Jim Gulliford, Margaret
Guerriero, Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil Mallampalli, Brian Hughes,
Brian Rowe

Discussed RAMP - Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Programs.  One RAMP has
been completed for apples; this project has recently been renewed by
USDA.  Another RAMP is in progress for cherries.  

Discussed cherries – all tart cherries in Michigan are harvested
mechanically.  Native hosts repopulate the commercial cherry trees with
pests.  

Discussed transition programs from OPs to newer chemistries.  Growers
are willing to transition from OPs, but they would like more assistance.
 There are no one-to-one chemical substitutions, and the newer
chemistries work differently than broad-spectrum OPs.

Endangered Species - Reconciling ES Protection with commodity
production.  Some industries have location information for every farm
that grows a given commodity that could be used in endangered species
assessments.  There are other sources of information that could
supplement EPA’s information.  

Codling moth alternatives – Visited several different test plots where
codling moth alternatives are being tested.  We also saw cherry breeding
program trees.  

Lunch

Participants present:  Cherry and apple growers, Carlos Garcia-Salazar,
Mark Whalon, Larry Gut, Dave Epstein, Brian Rowe, Jim Gulliford,
Margaret Guerriero, Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil Mallampalli

Cherries and apples – Cherry fruit fly and plum curculio are difficult
to control in MI.  There is a zero tolerance for maggots and larvae of
both pests, resulting in total rejection of a farm’s crop if a single
pest is found in the fruit. The tolerance for pests in apples is not
quite as low.  Many growers do not feel comfortable with the new
chemistries as they are frequently unproven.  Timing and rates of
application are more critical with the newer chemistries.  There is a
very steep learning curve for growers working with newer chemistries. 
Some of the new chemistries leave residues in the fruits for weeks or
months after they are applied, and they are not as efficacious as the
OPs.  Competitors can apply OPs, get perfect fruit that has no residues
and are more competitive on the global market.  

Joe Klein Orchard

Participants present:  Apple growers, cherry growers, Brian Rowe, Mark
Whalon, Larry Gut, Dave Epstein, Amy Irish-Brown, Jim Gulliford,
Margaret Guerriero, Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil Mallampalli

Discussed apple and cherry RAMP outcomes.  Some of the farms were
profitable when using reduced risk pesticides, many were not.  Some of
the growers adopted some the techniques they learned during the RAMP
projects.  The growers found that the new chemistries controlled the
primary pests but brought about secondary pests.  In the past 5 years
the pesticide bill has doubled for many farmers.  Apple RAMP –
alternatives are efficacious, but expensive.  Several Apple RAMP growers
intending to following the OP-alternative program had to make an
emergency OP application this growing season.  Cherry RAMP –
alternatives are not efficacious all the time and are more expensive. 
Because of the zero tolerance, growers may use AZM as a rescue treatment
before harvest.  AZM is never the first choice of insecticide; if it is
used it is because it is the only efficacious alternative.

Apple- Area-wide codling moth control research in the Ridge area of MI
has shown some success, but requires extensive scouting and monitoring
from MSU Extension.   Without the Extension commitment of resources, it
is not likely many farms would be able to adopt this technology.

Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project

Participants present:  Teresa Hendricks, Judy Fitzgerald, R.N., Alicia
Sanchez, Antonio Castro-Escobar, Jim Gulliford, Margaret Guerrerio,
Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil Mallampalli

Discussed common worker poisoning scenarios.  Continue outreach to
workers and medical staff on pesticide risks and symptoms.  High staff
turnover rates in community health centers is not conducive to incident
reporting.  Pesticide incidents are underreported and underinvestigated.
 Many workers are reluctant to report incidents because they don’t
want to lose work.  It is very difficult to attribute symptoms to
specific chemicals due lack of worker recognition of poisoning symptoms,
lack of reporting, and language barriers inhibiting worker understanding
of the nature of the pesticides applied.

Dinner

Participants present:  David Epstein, Larry Gut, Mark Whalon, Larry G.
Olsen, Mike Brewer, Ken Rauscher, Gina Davis, Jim Koan, Mike DeCapita,
Abby Schwartz, Jim Gulliford, Barbara VanTil, Katie Hall, Nikhil
Mallampalli

