Public Issues Food Production Project Plans FY09 Sustainable Tree Fruit Production and Marketing
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Project Plans FY09Sustainable Tree Fruit Production and MarketingProject Leader: Jon Clements Participating Staff:
Participating Faculty:
Project Year: 2009 Brief DescriptionFruit farms and orchards add significantly to the quality of life in Massachusetts and New England. The most obvious contribution is to open space through their scenic and historic vistas, while regular consumption of fruits leads to better human health. In addition, lands surrounding agricultural production provide buffer zones for ecosystem management, often providing important open space for native species of plants and animals and corridors for their movement or expansion. For fruit farms in Massachusetts to maintain their economic viability and environmental sustainability, farmers must continually strive to improve production efficiency, expand species diversity, explore marketing opportunities, understand farm ecology, and evaluate profitability. The UMass Extension Sustainable Tree Fruit Production and Marketing Project provides ready access to current research information on new and alternative species and varieties, advanced horticultural management techniques, marketing and business management strategies, pest-ecology, and pest-management procedures. Research programs in the physiological management of vegetative growth, fruit growth, and post-harvest changes can give farmers important tools necessary to increase production efficiency while enhancing fruit quality. Important studies of pest ecology and control techniques provide approaches to pest management that optimize pest control, reduce chemical use and increase fruit quality. A successful partnership between Massachusetts fruit producers and UMass Extension will foster a more secure, diverse and healthful food supply for the Commonwealth. Activities
Inputs: Time and Effort
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