EQIP Reduces Pesticides Use in Orchards

Controlling pest that damage fruit crops is a major expense for orchard operators and the use of pesticides to control pest pose a danger to our environment.  The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is being used to help orchard farmers do a better job of pest management while reducing their use of pesticides.

EQIP is providing cost-share funds for pest scouting and other innovative methods of reducing the use of chemical pesticides.  Scouts examine an orchard and determine if pesticides are needed, which ones, and how much should be applied.  Without this kind of information orchard farmers would apply a broad spectrum of pesticides with application rates sufficient to control any potential pest.  Scouting allows the producer to apply only the pesticides needed for the identified pest and only when needed.  Growers are reporting 20 to 30 percent reduction in pesticide use as a result of scouting.

Another way EQIP is helping to reduce pesticide use in orchards is by providing cost-share funds for the removal of abandoned orchards.  These unmanaged orchards can become a haven for pests and disease forcing neighbors to increase their use of pesticides in their own orchards.

A third way that EQIP is helping to reduce pesticide use is cost-sharing on the use of precision sprayers.  Precision sprayers use sensors to alter the spray pattern to the shape and spacing of the trees.  Pesticides are only applied were there is foliage.  Pesticide reduction has been as high as 35 percent by growers using the precision sprayers.

< Back to Profiles in Conservation