Organic Tree Fruit AMA/EQIP programs
Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.
Natural enemies and environmental factors limit populations of insect and mite pests in natural ecosystems. When natural enemies are killed by man’s actions in any habitat or when pests are introduced to new habitats without their natural enemies, natural control often fails and results in pest outbreaks.
Many of the most economically important pests are moths. For these pests, synthetic chemicals have been developed based on the specific sex pheromone that the female of each species uses to lure males for mating. The direct management of insect pests using these synthetic pheromones to disrupt mating has given excellent suppression of populations.
