Providing Solutions for Northwest Tree Fruit Part 2

Providing Solutions for Northwest Tree Fruit Part 2

Providing Solutions for Northwest Tree Fruit Part 2. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Mike Doerr, is the new technical sales support representative in the Pacific Northwest for Chemtura Agrosolutions. He used to work for WSU’s Tree Fruit Research Commission and has a fairly good grasp on what some of the issues might be for tree fruit growers in the coming year.

DOERR: I’ve always said that university researchers, consultants and growers are great problem solvers but we need to know the rules of the game that we’re playing under and the rules just seem to change every year. MRL issues are constantly a problem for us. The country is changing their import restrictions on what residue they will allow on fruit or any of the food or flowers or trees or anything. But the MRL’s residue limits are constantly changing.

In this particular political climate Doerr says it’s sometimes tough to keep up with changes.

DOERR: What we’re trying to do is trying to identify best use recommendations is where these crops are going to be exported to. They’re big markets for agriculture so that’s a big challenge for everybody. Constant regulation changes, increases in regulations and water quality issues will dictate what products you can use and where we can use them. All that takes a lot of working closely with people, the growers to make sure that we’re identifying the best uses.

He discusses some of Chemtura’s products and uses.

DOERR: Our main focus is to get people comfortable using insect growth regulators and the products we have are Dimilin and Rimon in tree fruit. Rimon is just a very good codling moth product and a very good leaf roller product so you are getting two of the key pests in apple and pear. And pear psylla in pear also so really getting three key pests with this product but the use of insect growth regulators is just different than the old fashioned contact chemicals like azinphos.

He says it is an education effort for growers to understand the best products and their uses. He says this new position is also an education for him as well.

DOERR: I’m just looking forward to getting to know my territory better and learn all the new cropping systems. I spent the week down in Oregon looking at hazelnuts and Christmas trees and blueberries. When I was at WSU I worked with all of the chemicals that really was just targeting this tree fruit entomology, now I have this limited line of insecticides and pesticides to work with and I have every cropping system. It’s a different focus but it’s exciting.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.
 

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