1999 Annual Report for LNE99-127
Evaluating CORE Values Northeast: Determining the Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits of an IPM Apple Consumer Education and Market Development Project
Summary
Summary
For the past three years, Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet, a consumer education organization, has been working in partnership with progressive Northeast region apple growers to foster market opportunities for local and ecologically grown apples and apple products. In this next phase, we will undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the CVN project. This will be the first critical review of an eco-label , analyzing its goals, methodology and results. We will address the impact CVN has had upon environmental improvement in Northeast rural communities, the economic benefit received by CVN farmers, examine whether CVN is self-sustaining, and examine to what extent lessons learned by CVN can be applied to other eco-label and related efforts.
Objectives
1. Further develop a model knowledge-based, biointensive IPM certification program to accredit Northeast apple growers using biointensive IPM production methods on their farms.
2. Further establish a supportive market environment for certified fruit.
3. Identify and seek to address market and production barriers that could impede expansion of the CVN program and limit supply of quality fruit grown according to environmental standards.
4. Design, implement and evaluate a full-scale evaluation of the CVN project.
Approved March 1999.