Eugene, OR -- A growing number of innovative farmers in Oregon are reducing their use of toxic pesticides, but the new pesticide tracking law will support these efforts and measure the changes that are happening, according to a new report released today. The report, Tracking Progress: Alternatives to Pesticides on the Farm [PDF 2.4MB], was published by a coalition of groups, called the Oregon Pesticide Education Network (OPEN).

"Tracking Progress showcases some of the unsung heroes in Oregon agriculture," said Lucy Vinis, author of the report, which highlights four farmers who work with different cropping systems and a research project undertaken by Oregon State University, in collaboration with researchers in California and Washington.

"These farmers are reducing their use of pesticides through practices like composting, crop rotations, and creating habitats for beneficial insects," added Vinis. "These practices help avoid explosions of pest problems by supporting natural systems."

For example, apple and pear growers participating in OSU's Codling Moth Areawide Management Program (CAMP) use mating disruption and biological control to manage the codling moth.

"CAMP has been very successful," said Marcos Kogan, Professor of Entomology at Oregon State University. "The records provided by participating growers show that there has been up to 75% reduction in synthetic pesticide use. That translates into considerable savings to growers."

"CAMP is a great example of how sustainable agriculture can protect the environment and benefit the farmer's bottom line," said Neva Hassanein of the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. "Unfortunately, we haven't been able to track progress statewide because of the lack of reliable pesticide use data."

Thanks to the passage of a comprehensive pesticide tracking law signed by Governor Kitzhaber this month, Oregon will soon have basic information on pesticide use.

"The new pesticide tracking law will provide the data we need to document the changes on farms today," said Kogan. "You need baseline information so you can assess the impact of these new practices and programs. It will be important, however, to collect the information at a fairly detailed scale so that the data will be useful for improving pest management."

"Oregon lags behind other states in support for alternative farming practices," said Hassanein. "We're hopeful the new law can increase support for programs like CAMP by documenting the benefits of sustainable practices. This report calls for an investment in sustainable agriculture through education, research, and marketplace incentives."

"Fortunately, we can learn from the experience in other states in making this law work well for agriculture in Oregon," says Vinis. Tracking Progress describes how California has dovetailed its collection of pesticide use information with its promotion of sustainable agriculture. Researchers and farmers are now able to use data from the pesticide use reporting system to:

* establish baseline pesticide use information;

* identify cases where pests are becoming resistant to pesticides;

* target Integrated Pest Management programs to crops and regions where the greatest use of high-hazard pesticides occurs; and

* monitor progress toward reducing pesticides.

OPEN was a major force behind the creation of Oregon's new pesticide tracking law. OPEN was founded by the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP), the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC), and the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG).

The full report is available on NCAP's Web site in Adobe Portable Document (PDF) format at http://www.pesticide.org/FarmerReport.pdf [PDF 2.4MB]. Adobe's Acrobat Reader is needed to view this file. This free software can be downloaded via a link on NCAP's Information Services page.

The report is also available in HTML format at http://www.pesticide.org/FarmerRpt.html.

Paper copies of the report can also be obtained from NCAP at 541-344-5044.