AWARDS & ACCOLADES
The Berry Patch and Berry Protection Solutions owner Dale-Ila Riggs has been at the forefront of farm and grower education and advocacy for well over a decade. During the course of eight years of research, conducted in collaboration with Cornell University (funded in part by the Northeast SARE Farmer grant and the New York State legislature), she has proven that exclusion netting effectively prevents infestation of SWD in berries.
She has spoken at grower conferences from Maine to Minnesota, detailing her research results and success with netting protection over berry plantings.
Find out more about Dale-Ila’s work here.
Read Dale-Ila’s report on the first two years of her research here.
Excellence in IPM Award
Tireless Advocate Tackles Tiny Pest, Earns Excellence in IPM Award
“Dale-Ila Riggs, president of the New York Berry Growers Association, knew well the danger when SWD (aka spotted wing drosophila) blew into New York in 2012. This tiny new pest ravished millions of dollars worth of raspberries and blueberries. Now, for her leadership and resolve on behalf of an industry worth $15 million and growing, Riggs has received an Excellence in IPM award from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYS IPM) at Cornell University.”
Excellence in the Berry Patch
“Dale-Ila Riggs, president of the New York State Berry Growers Association, has amassed a lifetime of expertise in IPM and berry farming. Combine that with inventiveness, insatiable curiosity, and determination — tackling head-on what could be the berry growers’ worst pest ever — and it’s no surprise she earned a recent Excellence in IPM award.”
Dale-Ila Riggs Awarded Farm Credit 100 "Top 100 Honorees"
The Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives Honorees include leaders and visionaries from across the country. Selected by a distinguished panel of industry representatives, our honorees are creating the future of agriculture and rural America through their dedication and innovation.
To download the article link to www.farmcredit100.com
