Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/74662
GRAPE GRO WING ably because all the suggestions about how to deal with the grape mealybug problem were pesticide-based. What followed was an energetic exchange about what IPM was and whether it was dead or not. Later, the founding member e-mailed us all, saying he was amazed at the response his admittedly off-the-wall comment had gener- ated. He concluded, based on the electronic exchanges, that IPM was indeed alive and well in the collective knowledge and experi- ence of AAIE members. This exchange made me think it was time to revisit the topic of IPM in my Vineyard View column. IPM is a sustainable strategy IPM is a sustainable strategy for manag- ing pests that combines biological, chemi- cal and cultural controls in a way that minimizes economic, environmental and health risks. One of the reasons I like this definition is because I can recite it without having to look at a cue card. More impor- tantly, I like it because it uses the words "economic, environmental and health," linking it to the definition of sustainable farming, which uses the words "economic, environmental and social." In my opinion, IPM is one of the cor- nerstones of sustainable farming. It is a Mealybug destroyers are hard at work at Ridge Vineyards. systems approach to managing pests, much like sustainable farming is a sys- tems approach to managing a farm. The IPM concept shares other things with the sustainable farming concept. IPM is a journey, not a destination; it is a para- digm, not a recipe. Like sustainable farm- ing, I feel it is best viewed as a continuum from no IPM on one end to complete IPM on the other. Because of these attributes, the concept of IPM can be challenging to understand and implement. People often debate what constitutes TransitionEquip_Dir11 11/2/10 11:50 AM Page 1 the true definition of IPM and if a given pest management approach can be con- sidered IPM. In other words, many want to draw a line on the IPM continuum saying anything to the left is not IPM and anything to the right is IPM—sort of like bragging, "I am more of an IPMer than you are." Does this scenario sound familiar? I get tired of these types of de- bates. To me the important thing is for each of us to move along the IPM con- Owned and operated by third generation grape growers, S & L Vineyards supplies bulk grapes, juices and wines to large and small wineries. Grown in Lodi/Woodbridge and the Sierra Foothills where the climate is warm and dry in the summers and cool and moist in the winters, our premium wine grapes are harvested at optimum brix levels, custom processed based on customer preference and placed in cold storage. Hand selected grapes are packed in half- ton cardboard containers and shipped in refrigerated trailers directly to your facility via your preferred method and carrier. S & L Vineyards can be reached at 866.214.7273 or sales@slvineyards.com 4265 Hall Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 e-mail: vickitec@aol.com www.transitionequipment.com Tel: (707) 537-7787 Fax: (707) 537-7174 Cell: (707) 484-8776 QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #606 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2011 125 RIDGE VINEYARDS