Fruit Program News

Agralytica of Alexandria, Virginia is conducting a review of the apple insurance plan on behalf of the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). As part of the review, Agralytica staff will hold listening sessions with growers, insurance staff and other interested parties in several states. For New England, the principal session will be on March 30 in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Anyone in western Connecticut and Massachusetts is also welcome to attend a session in Highland, New York if it is more convenient.

The aim is to get feedback on how the program is working and how it can be improved. A central focus of the research is experience with and alternatives to the Fresh Fruit Quality Option, but Agralytica is also charged with reviewing current production and marketing practices in New England and identifying other issues that growers face with the current apple program. This is an opportunity for producers, insurance staff and agents alike to communicate concerns and possible improvements for consideration in the development of future apple crop insurance policy. 

Fruit production specialist Jon Clements of UMass Extension demonstrates more efficient growing methods to produce greater yields and higher-quality fruit from Massachusetts apple orchards. This new technology is the future for the next generation of apple growers in Massachusetts and beyond.

View video of High Density Apple Orchards

The MyIPM smartphone app has undergone a major update! Previous to now, separate MyIPM apps were available for different crops and disease/insect scenarios. (See previous news item here.) NOW, these have been rolled into one major upgrade of the MyIPM app, and it is available on both the Play and Apple Stores on your Android or iOS device respectively. MyIPM now includes Apple, Blackberry, Pear, Cherry, Blueberry, Strawberry, Peach, Bunch (grape), and Cranberry fruit crops, with both Disease and Insect pest and management information. MyIPM's main intent is to help with chemical control selection to avoid developing chemical pest resistance by rotating fungicides/insecticides/miticides. There is also a wealth of practical information on pest biology, alternative control methods, and chemical control options. In addition this update to MyIPM includes information on pesticide (by trade name) application risk for many environmental factors such as pollinator, human, avian, aquatic, earthworm, and small mammal. (As provided by the Pesticide Risk Tool.) There is also a handy app-wide "Search for pesticide" function. Speaking of search, SEARCH for "MyIPM" in your respective smartphone app store to download and begin using MyIPM to help with pest identification, management, and resistance avoidance.