EcoFarm Preconference Program

Practical Whole Farm Solutions for Pest Management Practitioners and Growers

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 from 8 am - 5 pm
$99 includes lunch

A Sustainable Future for Pest Management, Sapna Thottathil, Deputy Director of Sustainable Pest Management, Department of Pesticide Regulation. Read bio here.

Pest management plays an integral role in the stability of California’s healthy food supply, the health of our communities and environment, and the maintenance of our infrastructure. Julie will share the recommendations in the Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap released in January 2023 and how the Dept. of Pesticide Regulation is building on the Roadmap’s recommendations to accelerate a systemwide transition to sustainable pest management in California.

From Integrated Pest Management to Adaptive Ecosystem ManagementDr. Hans Rudolf Herren, Entomologist, California Farmer and Development Specialist. Read bio here.

Early in his career, Hans received the prestigious World Food Prize for his pivotal role in controlling the cassava mealybug with a parasitic wasp, a breakthrough that saved millions of lives. As a vocal advocate for agroecology, organic, regenerative, and other sustainable agricultural practices, he emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift. Hans argues that industrial, energy-intensive agriculture must transition into a multifunctional system that embraces a holistic, systems-based approach to both production and problem-solving.

Diversifying Habitat on the Farm Supports a Diversity of Beneficials and a Blanket of AttackDr. William E. Snyder, Professor of Agroecology and Systems Biology, Univ. of Georgia Read bio here.

Bill’s 28 years of research demonstrates that stronger pest suppression can be achieved when natural enemies occupy diverse, complementary feeding niches across the farm. Whether it’s flowers, cover crops, groundcover due to reduced tillage, continuous habitat linkages, or plants that support alternate insect hosts or prey, these habitats collectively create a comprehensive blanket of attack. A diversity of niches also decreases the likelihood of intraguild predation, where beneficial organisms prey on each other.

Soil Health and EcoSystem Management Minimize Soil Pest ProblemsDr. Margaret Lloyd, Small Farms Advisor, UCANR & Gerald Davis, Retired Agronomist and PCA for Grimmway Farms. Read bios here.

Non-chemical strategies should be the first line of defense against soilborne pests. These include building disease-suppressive soils through amendments, residue management, crop rotation,

and reduced soil disturbance. Margaret will discuss studies on these methods, and on inducing systemic resistance, which strengthens plant defenses against pathogens. Drawing on decades of experience managing 35,000 acres of organic production, Gerald will share his crop rotation strategies, composting methods, and other fertilization techniques that enhance soil health and reduce insect pest and disease issues.

Pest Management Practices Used in the FieldKim Horton, Agronomy Manager, Taylor Farms & Dr. Dylan Beal, Entomology Farm Advisor, UCCE. Read bios here.

Employing cover crops, optimizing plant nutrition, fostering beneficial insect habitats, releasing beneficials, and protecting them from pesticides all aid in managing vegetable pests. This session brings together an in-house agronomist and an extension entomologist with broad experience to discuss these strategies, and to specifically cover the biology of Diamondback Moth and its management.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Fungicide and Insecticide Biocontrol Products for Organic GrowersDr. Matt Grieshop, Director, Grimm Family Organic Center at Cal Poly & Gina Bella Colfer, Sustainability PCA/CCA, Wilbur-Ellis. Read bios here.

Together, Matt and Gina will explore the benefits and limitations of organic fungicide and insecticide biocontrol products, focusing on their efficacy, environmental impact, and compatibility with organic farming practices. Attendees will gain insights into selecting and integrating these products to optimize pest management in organic systems.

Weed Management Roundtable: The Role of Technology in Dealing with Weeds
Richard Smith, Emeritus Farm Advisor, UCCE - Moderator (not pictured)
Dr. Darryl Wong, Executive Director, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food System at UCSC; Nathan Dorn, Agricultural Business Development Lead, Farm-ng; Curtis Garner, Cofounder, Verdant Robotics. Read bios here.

Weed control practices aimed at minimizing weed populations include cultural methods like crop rotation and pre-irrigation, as well as mechanical approaches such as flaming and cultivation. Today, advanced technologies using cameras, weed recognition systems, and automated killing methods are also available. What role does this technology play in vegetable production, and can it be effective for smaller farms? In this session, a grower and representatives from two companies offering high-tech weed control solutions will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of these innovations.

Organic Thresholds and ScoutingDr. David Headrick, Professor, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo & Jessica Vaughan, Vaughan Grower Consulting. Read bios here.

Scouting is as important to successful crop production as watering. David will discuss the concepts behind pest population fluctuations, how to establish pest thresholds for organic production and what methods are appropriate for low-density or high-density pest populations. The Whole-Farm Scouting method puts theory into practice by capturing comprehensive scouting data, determining site-specific pest thresholds, and analyzing the data to help make informed farming decisions for successful crop production. As a practicing crop consultant, Jessica will share real life examples of these methods.

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