speech. Nave said the commission, established in 1968, “was created because the industry had lost significant market share and wanted the ability to work together to regain it.”

In terms of market access and promotion abroad, she said, the commission augments the collective power of the industry. “Governments will work with industry organizations on behalf of the whole but generally will not work with individual companies.”

The table grape industry recently conducted a referendum among its 600 growers to decide whether to continue the commission for another five years, and results were expected to be announced early in March.

IPM, new chemistry

Another speaker at the Visalia seminar, Bill Peacock, Tulare County farm advisor, credited integrated pest management, the now-familiar IPM, and new chemistry for protecting the table grape industry.

During the past30 years, California grape growers have been challenged by introduction of a significant, new, insect or disease pests every three years, most recently the glassy-winged sharpshooter and the citrus peelminer.

Federal, state, and local governments, the industry, and the public will have to “put their best foot forward” to prevent additional pest introductions from outside the state, he said.

IPM practices originated from the University of California in the late 1950s, a time when the grape leafhopper had developed considerable resistance to the then new synthetic organic insecticides and serious biological upsets of spider mites and grape mealybug were appearing.

This set the stage for an effort by several UC specialists who launched intensive studies for the new practices integrating chemical, cultural, and biological controls. Subsequent financial support by the California