IPM and Conservation Farm Workshop/Tour  

NRCS district conservationist Mary Thompson demonstrates soil quality assessment tool at IPM Workshop/Tour (NRCS photo -- click to enlarge)

Maine Department of Agriculture and the University of Maine Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (UMCE) organized an integrated pest management (IPM) and conservation workshop/tour held recently at two farms in Maine.  Approximately 60 people participated in the farm workshop/tour that focused on how IPM and conservation practices complement one another and benefit vegetable production.

The Spear Farm near Nobleboro, Maine, with a dairy herd of approximately 100 Holstein cows, was the setting for the morning workshop/tour session.  The Spears grow sweet corn and silage corn to feed their dairy herd.  They also operate ten greenhouses where they grow tomatoes and cucumbers along with vegetables and flowers produced in surrounding fields for sale at their two farm stands.

Owner Bob Spear explained his approach to IPM and conservation and representatives from NRCS, UMCE, and Ag Matters, Inc., shared their expertise on the principles and practices of ecological weed control, plant nutrition and crop health, and host plant resistance as part of a pest management plan.  Maine Commissioner of Agriculture Seth Bradstreet, Maine NRCS State Conservationist Joyce Swartzendruber, and Carrie Koplinka-Loehr of the Northeast Integrated Pest Management Center provided opening remarks.

The Williamson family County Fair sweet corn, squash, pumpkin, greens, bean, apple, and hog farm in Jefferson, Maine, was the setting for the afternoon session.  All tilled crop fields are prepared by using the zone-till cart that make six, four-inch wide seed beds planted into the zone tillage rows by a planter.  In the fall, the Williamsons run a u-pick pumpkin and apple operation.

Owner Andy Williamson discussed his approach to IPM and NRCS and UMCE representatives added their thoughts on the impacts of managing soils under continuous no-till and cover crop systems, cover cropping for IPM, and practical IPM for sweet corn.  They also demonstrated soil quality assessment tools and explained why this information is critical to soil management.

Participating agricultural professionals and growers had an opportunity to learn how to use NRCS conservation programs, IPM practices and their conservation benefits, and see the practices applied to working lands.  The workshop/tour also provided an opportunity for producers to earn credits toward pesticide, certified crop advisor, and nutrient management certification.
Your contact is Elaine Tremble, NRCS public affairs specialist at 207-990-9569.