Using an Oregon Wine Board research grant, members of the OSU Integrated Plant Protection Center have developed a Pest Management Strategic Plan (PMSP) for Oregon wine grapes that will help the industry identify short and long-term pest management challenges, goals and strategies for success. The PMSP details current major pests and management practices and prioritizes a number of research, regulatory and educational needs and projects for the industry related to the major pests discussed. It is a unique document that captures stakeholder needs and priorities in a formally recognized process.
Last fall, the PMSP team of Joe DeFrancesco and Katie Murray put together an official workgroup for this project consisting of 29 growers, consultants, researchers and extension agents. In November and December, regional meetings were held in three wine regions: Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon and the Willamette Valley. The meetings were advertised with the help of OSU extension agent networks and were open to anyone interested in attending. There were 12 attendees in Eastern Oregon, nine in Southern Oregon and 28 in the Willamette Valley. These meetings successfully gathered initial information about major pests and needs specific to each region and this information was used to draft the PMSP document.
In February, 21 members of the official work group members, along with an additional five observers, worked together at a full-day session to refine the draft PMSP document. The document is now in its final stages and should be posted online at the Western IPM Center within the next several weeks. At that point, the document can be downloaded and shared widely within and beyond the industry as needed. Once finalized, the Oregon wine grape industry can begin to use the PMSP as a roadmap to address specific and targeted pest management issues identified by the PMSP process.
