To promote prune BIFS practices, such as the use of cover crops and fewer fertilizer applications, over 24 educational meetings were held in 2000 with an audience of more than 1,100. The number of enrolled farms has increased 33 percent from 1999 when 22 farms were enrolled. Walnut BIFS Fred Thomas, cover crops expert and BIFS management team member, explains how to measure nitrogen in cover crops at a walnut BIFS field day. The use of pheromone mating disruption technology to control codling moth allowed 83 percent of the enrolled BIOS orchards to eliminate the use of organophosphate insecticides in 2000. Use of cover crops by enrolled growers increased from 60 percent in 1999 to 75 percent in 2000.
Cover crops are a cornerstone of an integrated orchard production system.
Cover crops can provide beneficial insect habitat, reduce runoff of agricultural chemicals and nutrients, and in some cases provide a biological source of nitrogen for the walnut trees. The BIFS orchards, by using pheromone mating disruption, were able to reduce the use of organophosphates by 59 percent and carbamates by 92 percent in their first year. The use of all traditional pesticides was reduced in the BIFS orchards by 72 percent. Rice BIFS Nine demonstration farms, on over 1330 acres, were enrolled in rice BIFS during 2000, up from eight farms in 1999. Collectively, participating growers manage more than 14,000 acres of rice.