Oct 20, 2025American Pistachio Growers secures $1 million grant for regional pest management program
American Pistachio Growers (APG) has received a $1 million grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to tackle navel orangeworm, the most damaging pest in the state’s tree nut industry. The project will be carried out in partnership with Washington State University, University of California (UC) Riverside, UC Cooperative Extension, USDA Agricultural Research Service and regional nut industry partners.
The initiative will pilot a Decision Aid System that combines real-time trap data, weather models and crop development information to help growers make more precise pest control decisions.
“This project moves us beyond the farm gate,” said Joe Coelho, director of sustainability and member outreach for APG. “For the first time, growers across commodities will have access to shared regional data and communication tools that allow them to anticipate pest pressure before it hits their fields and ultimately make precise, timely treatment decisions.”
The system will track regional flight trends of navel orangeworm and match them with crop-specific growth stages to improve forecasting and reduce pest populations. Project leaders expect the initiative to lower pesticide use, reduce aflatoxin risk and improve nut quality.
Dr. Houston Wilson, a professor at UC Riverside, said, “Regional coordination is essential to long-term pest reduction, especially for highly mobile insects like the navel orangeworm, and this project will now put those ideas into practice at scale.”
American Pistachio Growers will coordinate grower participation and outreach, with Carlee Branco, grant programs administrator, leading on-farm data collection and engagement.
Coelho added, “This is a major milestone for sustainable pest management and demonstrates APG’s leadership in advancing research that directly benefits growers.”
The Regional IPM for Navel Orangeworm Project is expected to launch in early 2026, starting in pilot regions of West Fresno County and Modesto. The program is designed to serve as a scalable model for statewide expansion. Growers who are interested in participating can contact Carlee Branco at cbranco@americanpistachios.org.
