Date: June 2nd, 1999

APPROVED

SIR GROWER/INDUSTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

MINUTES of the Grower/Industry Committee meeting of the OKANAGAN-KOOTENAY STERILE INSECT RELEASE (SIR) PROGRAM held in the Food Processing Meeting Room at the Pacific Agriculture Research Centre in Summerland, BC on June 1st, 1999.

 

Committee Members:    

            Chair Gavin Young                   Westbank Packers Ltd.            -           Chair

            Paulo Araujo                            Grower

            Pedro Barata                            BC Fruit Growers’ Association (Oliver)

Jack Barkwill                            BC Fruit Packers

Norm Filipenko                        Sun Fresh Coop

Russell Husch                           BC Fruit Growers’ Association (Kelowna)       

Joseph Lucich                           Grower

Hank Markgraf             BC Fruit Packers

Brian Mennell                           Grower

Greg Norton                             Grower

            Hugh Philip                               BCMAF/*Resource Person* Regional Entomologist

            Gerry Shaw                              BC Tree Fruits

Wayne Still                               Similkameen Okanagan Organic Producers Assn.

            Stan Swales                              Okanagan North Growers Coop          

Peter Waterman                       Okanagan Similkameen Coop              

            Tim Watson                              South Valley Sales                                           

            Brian Witzke                            Grower           

           

Committee Members Absent:

Jack Morley                             Okanagan Similkameen Coop               Absent

Tom Ouchi                               Grower                                                Absent

           

Other:

            Dr. Bob Vernon                       Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, PARC Agassiz         Greenprint Agri-Food Production Systems                                         

 

SIR Staff:

            Dr. Howard Thistlewood          Program Director

            Rob Gauthier                            Zone 1 & Zone 2 Field Manager

            Bob Fugger                              Zone 2 Clean-up Co-ordinator

            Karen Nelson                           Recording Secretary

 

 

AGENDA TOPIC #1:

 

Mr. Young called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m., and started the opening by questioning if the minutes from the last meeting on April 6th, 1999 could be adopted.

 

Moved by Gerry Shaw            Seconded by Stan Swales

“ Accepted minutes for meeting dated April 6th, 1999.”

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

 

 

 

1

AGENDA TOPIC #2:

 

AGENDA TOPIC #2:

 

Dr. Thistlewood started the Zone 1 and Zone 2 update. He stated that out of the 2,200 copies of the SIR Newsletter, there had been only two requests for the newsletter to be written in Punjabi. He noted that it may have been such a little amount for the response because the question had been written in English.

The second newsletter will come out at the end of June if warranted or later in July if more material is required.

As of May 1st, 1999, the SIR Spray Line now has English and Punjabi on it. It costs $59.95/month. 

A TV story was on CHBC last month regarding the trials done in Kelowna.

The Company that distributes “Last Call” is hoping to get approved in Canada for commercial registration by next year.

   

Howard then explained that Dr. Jeff Connor, an agricultural economist from the Oregon State University, has been corresponding with him regarding the economics of codling moth management and how SIR compares with area-wide strategies in the USA Pacific Northwest. Also, that Dr. Richard Carew, an agricultural economist with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, PARC Agassiz is working with SIR to develop information from our growers regarding the economics of various control strategies and measuring pesticide use by growers. 

Howard also mentioned that he has been talking to several groups, primarily the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food, regarding secondary pests. Hugh Philip (BCMAF) added that there has not been any discussion yet regarding the survey that the Grower & Industry Advisory Committee has requested.Please have Adrian check this part

 

Dr. Thistlewood started the Zone 1 and Zone 2 update. He stated that out of the 2,200 copies of the SIR NewletterNewsletter, there had been only two requests for the newsletter to be written in Punjabi. He noted that it may have been such a little amount for the response because the question had been written in English.

The second newsletter will come out June 2, 1999.

As of May 1st, 1999, the SIR Spray Line now has English and Punjabi on it. It cost $100.00/month. 

A TV story was on CHBC last month regarding the trials done in Kelowna.

The Company that distributes SIRENE is hoping to get approved in Canada for commercial registration by next year.

   

Howard then explained that Dr. Jeff Connor, an agricultural economist Advisor from the Oregon State University, has been corresponding with him regarding the economics of cCodling mMoth management and how SIR compares with area-wide strategies in the USA Pacific Northwest.

Also, And that Dr. Richard CarewKaru, an aAgriculturale eEconomist with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, PARC Agassiz, is working with SIR to develop information from our growers regarding the economics of various control strategies and measuring pesticide use by growersaccording to economics. 

Howard also mentioned that he has been talking to several groups, primarily the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food, reps regarding secondary pests. Hugh Philip (BCMAF) added that there has not been any discussion yet regarding the survey that the Grower & Industry Advisory Committee has requested.

 

Zone 1 Update – Rob Gauthier

 

Please have Rob check the following sections

SIR 1999 Information

 

May 30, 1999

 

Trap Information (preliminary)

 

- Sites where trap counts indicate 1st cover required (to date)

 

Area

Blocks

Acres

Orchards

Acres

Total Acres (AREA)

Similkameen

1

1

2

9

10

Naramata

4

9.5

7

17

26.5

Oliver

9

24.5

18

92

116.5

Osoyoos

7

19

5

21

40

Penticton

2

5

6

17

22

Sland

4

8

1

0.5

8.5

 

223.5

 

Note:

-         Summerland /Penticton/Naramata areas still may have some more counts come in due to degree-day accumulations to date.

-         This represents preliminary sites that should spray twice, one at 250 followed by another 14-21 days later.

-         Some very highBig counts occurred unexpectedly in the Oliver area, north of town in 8 farms along the right side of the Hwy 97 backing onto Island road. No wild trees were found to date, and no harvest damage occurred in 1998, but there were lots of rose bushes and walnut trees. The gGrower(s) has has (have) been talked to with advice concerning necessary re sprays, and will be visited – again tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

2

 

General (Karen - this is too cryptic and shortened please expand a little as I have tried below)

-         The low catch of sterile moths reflects the current cool weather, but perked up during warm spell.

-         Modified releases during early season to date. To ensure that the field release portion of the moth distribution is doing every thing we can to get sterile counts up in all pheromone traps, we have asked our Moth Release Drivers to do a variety of things, such as: start later in the morning in warmer outside temperatures, “hand-release” moths into tree canopies in areas where wild moths are of concern, double and triple up releases in areas of concern, and release more frequently in some areas.

-         All trap record sheets should be up and a majority of Pesticide Warning signs have been distributed more to arrive this week from the FARSHA and WCB organisations. These weather-resistant octagonal signs were obtained to replace the older paper signs the Program has used in the past to warn of orchard sprays and re-entry periods. They will be placed at the location of the trap counts or where growers prefer.

-         SIR Phone numbers (the 1-888-601-1112) have been printed out and will be stuck to the spray sheets or trap record sheets for growers reference

-         Banding project continues to go well and is on target to completion by end of June. Approximately 600-700 acres of orchard will be completely banded and all other Zone 1 orchards will have banded applied in a random fashion at a 30 per acre density. As per the SIR Technical Committee guidelines.

-     Approx. 420 acres of mating disruption (Isomate C) material has been applied in Zone 1 orchards (a numeric breakdown showing the number of acres under CM disruption for each area will be available for the next meeting) in Zone 1

 

-The low catch of sSterile moths counts reflects the current cool weather , but– perked up during warm spell

-Modified releases during early season to date?? meaning

-All trap record sheets should be up and a majority of Pesticide Warning signs have been distributed more to arrive this week from the FARSHA organisation

-SIR Phone numbers have been printed out and will be stuck to the spray sheets or trap record sheets for growers reference

-Banding project continues to go well and is on target to completion by end of June

-Approx. 420 acres of mating disruption materials MD  are up in the trees (a numeric breakdown will be available for the next meeting) in Zone 1

 

Spray Line – May 31, 1999

Growers are reminded to look at the codling moth trap counts for your orchard. If two or more moths have been captured for two consecutive weeks, or a single trap has caught 4 or more moths at any time during the spring, apply a cover spray for codling moth at 250 degree days (3% egg hatch). Look carefully at your traps, some blocks may require a chemical cover while others may not.

 

For growers who have low codling moth numbers in their traps and are considering only one first brood cover spray, this spray should be delayed until approx. 300-degree days to affect a higher percent egg hatch.

 

Remember that the sprays are timed to affect hatching larvae and not to knock wild moths out of the air.

 

Please refer to the 1999 Tree Fruit Production Guide from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for chemicals and rates.

 

OSOYOOS and OLIVER AREA GROWERS:

 

As of May 29, 219-degree days have accumulated in Osoyoos and 211-degree days have accumulated in the Oliver area. If temperatures remain consistent, growers in these areas who have caught a significant number of moths or have caught 2 moths for two consecutive weeks should apply a codling moth cover spray beginning Friday, June 04. Please ensure that the forecast looks clear of rain for the period after the spray, it is better to be a day or two late than have it rain right after your chemical application.

 

SIMILKAMEEN AREA GROWERS:

 

Biofix was set in the Similkameen for May 14, and as of May 29th 192.4-degree days have accumulated. Not too many wild moths have been captured in the Similkameen over the past 3 weeks so please check your trap counts to see if a spray is required. If the criteria as mentioned above is met, and the temperatures remain consistent, a first brood cover spray should be applied beginning Monday June 07.

 

 

 

4

 

PENTICTON/SUMMERLAND/NARAMATA AREA GROWERS:

 

This includes growers in the Okanagan Falls and Kaledean areas. Biofix was set in Penticton area and Naramata on May 15th. As of May 26th, 158-degree days have accumulated in these areas. Summerland has had biofix set on May 16th with 165-degree days accumulated as of May 28th in the Trout Creek area. If weather is consistent, a first spray condition may be met on or around June 11. More up to date predictions will be available on this phone line on Friday.

 

CRESTON AREA GROWERS:

 

No wild moths have been captured in the Creston area to date. Once moths have been captured and biofix set, then degree accumulations can be reported.

 

KELOWNA AREA GROWERS:

 

Biofix has been set for May 18th in the Kelowna area. Degree day accumulations up to May 26th are as follows:            Belgo               150.5 DD

            East Kelowna   150.6 DD

            Ellison              142.0 DD

            Glenmore         144.7 DD

            Rutland 155.2 DD

            Westbank         151.3 DD

 

A first cover spray for codling moth is still approximately 13 or 14 days away for these areas. Please check your trap counts and note the block or blocks that will require some attention.

 

WINFIELD / VERNON AREA GROWERS:

 

No definitive word yet on biofix from these areas.

 

Degree-day accumulations to May 28th are as follows:

 

Oyama             146 DD

Winfield            110 DD

East Vernon     127 DD

North Vernon   107 DD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zone 2 Update – Bob Fugger

Please have Bob check this section

The Orchard Monitors will try to visit each orchard at least once during the season. Cconcentrate tTheir efforts will be concentrated on the high-pressure areas asthat will be determined by 1999 cCodling mMoth captures and historical data. The daily site visits could have significant distances between them, so the Orchard Monitors will be using their own vehicles and not ATV’s.

The Cutting Crew is currently removing trees that were identified in 1998 and also flagging trees in the Zone 3 area.

SIR was responsible for the removal of 14,461 host trees in 1998 and 13,828 host trees in 1997.

5,000 trees are being banded for wild moth integration of wild moths into the colony of the Rearing Facility.

Monitors are assisting in the Last Call applications and the banding of all trees in the field trials (32 acres).

Bob stated that they are hoping to have the banding completed this week (June 1st- June 4th). Monitors should then be in the orchards the week of June 7th.

Bob also passed out a handout regarding trap counts for the Zone 2 area.

  

 

5

AGENDA TOPIC #3:

 

Break time at 3:00.

 

AGENDA TOPIC #4:

 

Howard then started with the Clarification of liability issues. Copies of “Responsibility For Compensation For Workers” had been left on the table for Committee Members to review (attached). 

He stated that he had visited three growers in Creston to meet with three growers who hat were not allowing SIR Employees access on their property because of concerns they have regarding liability or other and personal issues.

One grower was concerned of the potential liability of