Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/57720
Easier access to MRLs G Visit the DAS Web site. by Melissa Hansen rowers using Washington State University's online Decision Aid System this season will be able to consider pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs) of top foreign markets when they make their crop protection chemical decisions. In recent years, producing fruit for export markets has become more complicated because pesticide registration and setting of residue tolerances is done on an individual country basis and not universally. This has made it a chal- lenge for growers to stay on top of MRLs in foreign markets. Several years ago, the Northwest Horticultural Council developed a comprehensive database to track pesticide regis- trations and MRLs of Codex, the United States, and foreign countries. Though Codex was created by the Food and Agricul- ture Organization and the World Health Organization to pro- vide international standards and guidelines relating to foods, many countries adopt their own, more stringent standards. The Hort Council's database, publicly available on their Web site, has been incorporated with computer model output on WSU's DAS program. The DAS program uses weather and envi- ronmental data to provide growers with real-time pest informa- tion, such as stage of development based on growing degree-days, and includes a mini spray guide to help choose appropriate pesticides. MRLs for top export markets will be part of the DAS mini spray guide. Links to the full MRL database for all foreign markets will be part of the DAS Web page and the full WSU spray guide. Dr. Michael Willett of the Hort Council said the MRL interface with DAS will be very useful to growers when they are looking at the WSU spray guide list of recom- mended chemicals. "Grow- ers will be able to know if there is an issue with certain chemicals in export mar- kets at the time they are making crop protection decisions." Ute Chambers, DAS manager and educator, said that in the near future, they hope to have the MRL information available through smart- phones, allowing growers to access information in the field. The DAS program is free but requires users to register. To see the full MRL database, visit www.nwhort.org/ExportManual.html. To learn about DAS, go to http://das.wsu.edu. • Orchard-Rite® Wind Machines • www.orchard-rite.com "I believe the best investment you can make in your orchard is the money you spend on frost protection." ® "We believe in Orchard-Rite® wind machines because they have delivered excellent protection and depend able service. We tried a different brand of machine a while back and found that the coverage and reliability was not what we had experienced with our Orchard-Rite® machines. Since then, we have purchased only Orchard- Rite® machines." Scott McDougall Vice President, McDougall & Sons 36 MARCH 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER Cascade Wind Machine Service 1615 W. Ahtanum • Yakima, WA 98903 509-457-9196 3766 Iroquois Lane • Wenatchee, WA 98801 509-662-2753 Sales: Virgil Anders, ext 114 enatchee, W Sales: Dana Morgan, ext 215 Dave Harmening, ext 214 For your nearest representative: www.orchard-rite.com "Orchard-Rite's Auto-Start option has become quite valuable to us. It reduces the likelihood of machines being started 20 minutes late due to a sudden drop of temperature that was missed by the frost protection staff." Bob Murphy Orchard Foreman McDougall & Sons are now adding this option to every new Orchard-Rite® machine they purchase, and have begun retrofitting this equipment to their machines in cold and isolated areas. www.goodfruit.com