Challenges to Sustainability in Florida Dr. Norm Leppla UF/IFAS - IPM Florida SYSCO 2008 Sustainable Ag/IPM Conference & Farm Tour

 1845 Florida 27 th state (pop. 100,000)  1896 First train arrived in Miami  1898 Spanish American War  1910 Citrus canker in Florida  1918 WWI land boom  1929 Great Depression  1945 WWII military & industrial industrial development development Florida Agriculture: Historical Affects

History of Host Agricultural Organizations  1964 IFAS established (UF 1862)  1970 EPA established  1972 Glades Crop Care founded  1998 IPM Institute of North America formed  2001 IPM Florida established  2003 Southern Region IPM Center funded  2004 SYSCO Sustainable Ag/IPM Program

Florida Agricultural Statistics  Population ~10 million (1980), ~19 million (2007)  Number of principal farmers & farms ~ 44 thousand  Average farm size 244 acres  Average age of farmers ~57  Female principal farmers ~20 %  Land Area ~ 54 thousand mi 2  Land in farms 10,000,000 acres (15 thousand mi 2 )  Vegetables 181,600 acres

Sales of Florida Vegetables Vegetables, melons, potatoes ~1 billion sales Millions

Change: Good for someoneelse!

Growth of Miami 1896 in Lobby Pool Room~400 people incorporate Miami 1896 in Lobby Pool Room ~400 people incorporate Miami Miami-Dade County Population ~2.3 million

Miami- Dade Everglades Limited Land for Vegetables Lake Okeechobee

Principle areas- winter fresh vegetables Millions of citrus trees by county <1 <100,000

Potential Threats to Vegetable Production & Marketing Food borne illnesses  Food borne illnesses  Land availability and use  Labor and immigration  Water quality and quantity  Higher operating costs (fuel)  New plant pests and diseases

Potential Threats to Vegetable Production & Marketing  Loss of pesticides  Offshore competition  Damaging weather  Population Growth  Environmentalism  Government “assistance”

Opportunities for Sustainable Vegetable Production  Research innovations  Extension delivery  Rapid information exchange  Weather forecasting  Education and training

Opportunities for Sustainable Vegetable Production  Cooperative marketing  Local markets  Novel products  Grower associations  Government “assistance”  Food safety partnerships

Sustainability of Agriculture  Economic profitability  Environmental health  Social and economic well-being

Agricultural Sustainability Through IPM Sustainability Sustainability Cultural Methods Cultural Methods Biological Control Biological Control Chemical Control Chemical Control Physical Methods Physical Methods

Non-Sustainable Weed Control- Leppla Residence

REDUCE RISK… Pest outbreaks & disease epidemics Environmental contamination Human health hazards Pest mgmt. costs IPM System INCREASE… Reliability Sustainability Cultural Methods Biological Control Chem

What is IPM?  IPM is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information and available pest control methods….  to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means….  with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment.

 Scouting  Diagnosis  Thresholds  Management  Evaluation IPM Actions

 Biological knowledge  Monitoring and inspection  Act to control pests when necessary  Choose least-risk options  Long-term, preventative practices  Evaluation and records  Pesticide management  Continual improvement Generic IPM Program

Evaluating IPM Practices

Eco-labeling Components Chain of Custody Standards Certification Marketing 3 rd Party Auditor Education & Outreach Eco-Label

Eco-labels

Eco-labeling Costs and Benefits EVALUATION EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE IMPLEMENTATION SAVE $ ON PRODUCTION HIGHER VALUE COMMODITY LIABILITY PROTECTION ENVIRON. STEWARDSHIP

Shared Goal: for on-farm production, post-harvest handling and processing, distribution, retail and food-service operations-- to provide the safest possible fresh fruits and vegetables to consumers-- through wise, consistent, scientific and industry-wide best practices (Citrus and Vegetable Magazine)