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California Companies Lauded for Taking Innovative Measures to Reduce Pesticide Risk

Release Date: 12/01/2009
Contact Information: See below

U.S. EPA Recognizes Sustainable Winegrowing Practices

(12/1/2009 -- SAN FRANCISCO) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has presented awards to five members of the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) for their sustained excellence in integrated pest management (IPM).

“These awards demonstrate that innovative pest management practices really do work,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, “EPA is helping growers and other pesticide users make the transition to safer practices and thereby reduce pesticide risk to people and the environment.”

The awardees were:

· Central Coast Vineyard Team (Paso Robles, Calif.) for demonstrating continued progress in outreach and education for growers, and adopting a reduced-risk approach to vineyard management.

· Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission (Lodi, Calif.) for leading the development of a state-wide code of sustainable winegrowing practices in California.

· Glades Crop Care, Inc. (Jupiter, Fla.) for implementing IPM strategies that reduce pesticide use and risk, researching and testing lower risk pesticides, educating users on chemical safety, and providing outreach and education.

· IPM Institute of North America, Inc. (Madison, Wis.) for creating and marketing its innovative program for IPM certification for schools and pest control companies.

· U.S. Department of Defense Armed Forces Pest Management Board (Washington, D.C.) for its extraordinary level of commitment to IPM and outstanding efforts to prevent and manage disease vectors and pests.

The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program is a voluntary program that forms partnerships with pesticide users to reduce the potential health and environmental risks associated with pesticide use and implement pollution prevention strategies. The program fosters an EPA partnership for reducing risks posed by pesticide use to human health and the environment in both agricultural and urban settings. Established in 1994 with six charter members, PESP has grown to include almost 200 members.

More information about PESP: https://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/pesp/pesp-excellence.html

MEDIA CONTACTS:
EPA HQ, Dale Kemery, [email protected], 202-564-7839
Northern California: Mary Simms, [email protected], (415) 947-4270
Central California: Nahal Mogharabi, [email protected], (415) 947-4370,