New York:
IPM-Labelled Vegetables

Growers, packer and retailer partner to promote vegetables grown using Integrated Pest Management.
Posted Nov. 21, 1996

For the complete version of this document with graphics, see the Cornell University IPM page


A partnership of vegetable growers, a food processor, a supermarket chain and the New York IPM Program is working to promote Integrated Pest Management in upstate New York.

Canned Vegetables Sport an IPM Label

Wegmans, an important supermarket chain in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, started marketing IPM-labelled canned vegetables during the week of November 11. The supermarket had promoted fresh IPM produce during the 1996 season, but last week's appearance of canned peas and corn with a prominent IPM label was a first.

A Successful Partnership

All of this is the result of a four-way partnership among vegetable growers, Wegmans, Comstock Michigan Foods, and Cornell University. Responsibilities of the partners include:

The New York IPM Program drafted the first set of IPM elements (guidelines) from research knowledge and cooperative extension experience.
 
The growers have worked with the three partners to define important elements of IPM for each crop and set standards for qualification.

The growers use these guidelines during crop production and document their use.

Comstock Michigan Foods packs the product and certifies that the crop is grown according to the elements (guidelines).
Wegmans markets the product under its own label and uses the IPM logo under a non-exclusive license with the Cornell Research Foundation.

Marketing Promotes Consumer Awareness of IPM

Labels and other marketing materials provide consumer education about IPM. The whole kernel corn label, for instance, states:

"You'll feel doubly good about our delicious canned corn -- it was grown using Integrated Pest Management, IPM for short. Through IPM, corn growers over time have used 50% less pesticide by taking other steps to reduce pest damage. Your purchase supports the efforts of growers who truly care about the environment. Remember, your satisfaction is always guaranteed with Wegmans brand products".


The weekly newspaper insert also promotes not only the particular products but also the IPM concept in general:


For more information

For more information about Wegmans IPM labeling, contact:
Bill Poole of Wegmans in Rochester, NY
Tom Facer of Comstock Michigan Fruit in Pittsford, NY
Curt Petzoldt, Vegetable IPM Coordinator for the New York IPM Program at Cornell University

Related Programs

Similar efforts are underway elsewhere: In Massachusetts, the Partners with Nature program identifies growers of strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, potatoes, cole crops, peppers, pumpkins and winter squash.

CORE Values Northeast is a partnership between 29 apple growers in 7 states and Mothers and Others For a Liveable Planet promoting IPM-grown apples.

Stemilt is a fruit grower's cooperative in Washington State with over 200 growers that has developed a set of IPM-like practices called Responsible Choice. When growers achieve a points requirement in this system, fruit is labelled with a ladybug sticker.

The Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association and the World Wildlife Fund are working together on a similar effort. A panda bear sticker may be used to identify qualifying produce.

About this Page

New York: IPM-Labelled Vegetables

originally posted November 19, 1996

The Northeast IPM site is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension and Land Grant University IPM programs of the Northeast (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia) and by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Developed and managed by James R. VanKirk, Facilitator for Northeast IPM Activities.

Technical management: Cheryl TenEyck, NY IPM Program
Design assistance: Karen English-Loeb, NY IPM Program