by Bill Duesing
A recent study found that many people think that all local food
is organic. Others assume that all CSAs
are organic, or that all the products at a farmers market are organic, or that
IPM and organic are the same. None of this is true. And there's lots of
confusion.
The Vegetable Management Guide for the New England Region
provides much useful information not only for anyone who grows vegetables, and
also for those who want to understand the differences between conventional, IPM
and organic methods and produce. (The color photos of pests and diseases
alone warrant a visit for anyone who grows vegetables or strawberries.)
The Guide is updated and published two years by the
Cooperative Extension Services in the six New England states. A comprehensive
guide for commercial vegetable growers, it is available free electronically or
as a hard copy for a fee. Click here for details.
The Guide is intended for use by both organic and
conventional growers. It provides
encouragement for conventional growers to use IPM practices, many of which can
also be used by organic growers.
