Pest monitoring is an additional expense but one that pays dividends, orchard pest consultants said during a panel discussion at Washington State University’s Fruit School this winter. Consultant Torrey Hansen, who operates Cascade IPM based in Wenatchee, Washington, said he spends about 70 percent of his work time throughout the summer on monitoring. “It’s definitely the backbone of the service I provide. I don’t understand how anyone can operate without a monitoring program in place.” Dave Gleason, horticulturist with Kershaw Farms in Yakima, Washington, said that with older pest control products growers were able to spray at prescribed intervals without […]