Two University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) farm advisors have been honored by the state of California as IPM Innovators. Longtime farm advisors Kathleen Kelley Anderson and Roger Duncan, both UCCE Stanislaus County, were honored by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) for their work in hosting regular breakfast meetings in the spring, at which growers learn the latest information about and techniques for managing pests. They were one of four statewide groups to receive the honor.
The Tree and Vine IPM Breakfast Group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from March through June. The 40 or so attendees include pest control advisors along with growers and guest speakers. Meetings cover insect and disease education as well as options for management.
The Annual IPM Innovators Awards recognize people who “put a lot of time and effort into pest prevention techniques that can reduce the use of pesticides,” said Tom Babb, environmental program manager at CDPR, in a news release.
Anderson has been with Cooperative Extension for 33 years, specializing in walnuts, apricots, apples and cherries. Duncan has handled almonds, peaches, grapes and miscellaneous tree fruit during his 21 years there.
