What is Eco?

Eco means grown on family farms; by stewards of land, water and wildlife; using natural methods and minimal spray; closing the distance from farm to table. Ecological farming covers a spectrum of environmental and conservation practices including organic, biodynamic, and advanced integrated pest management (IPM).

IPM growers encourage and rely on naturally-occurring controls such as ladybugs, spiders, wasps, bacteria, and predatory mites. They must have a deep knowledge of farm and crop ecology to succeed. Such methods are often more labor-intensive than standard practices such as routine spraying. However, in some cases IPM can also reduce overall costs. Eco Apple^TM and our pilot Eco Stone Fruit (peaches, nectarines, and apricots) program are examples of Red Tomato networks of ecological orchards that use the strictest IPM standards possible to grow and market top quality regional fruit. Below are some frequently asked questions about our eco programs. Please let us know if you have one to add!

Many Red Tomato growers are pioneers of IPM, which means they focus on preventing pest infestations before they happen, monitoring crops closely, and treating pests only as needed. Because IPM offers a certain amount of flexibility to tailor the farm plan to each farms' individual microclimate and eco system, we've found that this version of eco is the most adaptable to growing conditions in the Northeast.

What is Eco at Red Tomato?

Our Eco programs are unique partnerships between farmers, scientists, and nonprofits, developed and managed by Red Tomato.

Eco fruit is grown using advanced IPM ecological farming methods on family farms in the northeastern United States. By meeting strict requirements for orchard care and pest monitoring, Eco farmers aim to reduce the use of high toxicity pesticides, contribute to a bountiful supply of quality, local foods, and improve farmworker safety, soil and water resources, wildlife habitat and biodiversity. See the Eco Apple^TM Protocol and Grower Self-Assessment, the Eco Apple^TM Quick Guide, and the Eco Stone Fruit Protocol to learn more about the specific practices used.

Our Eco programs also contribute to farm stability and farmland preservation in the region by developing markets for locally grown produce and rebuilding the infrastructure needed to get local fruit to buyers in the region. 

Eco farms are certified and inspected by the IPM Institute of North America
Thorough tracking and reporting by each orchard along with on-site orchard visits by the staff of the IPM Institute of America verifies that each farmer has followed our rigorous Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols. Our Eco protocols are developed in partnership with farmers, scientists and other agricultural professionals, and is designed and tested by scientists at regional universities.

Are all Red Tomato products Eco certified?

We currently certify fruit under our Eco Apple program and a pilot Eco Stone Fruit program. A comprehensive certification program based on eco practices is a multi-faceted, collaborative process that takes several years to develop. Our Eco Apple program began in 2004. A pilot program for Eco Stone Fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots) is in process, involving scientists from UMass and University of Connecticut and four orchards in our network: Lyman Orchards, Rogers Orchard, Blue Hill Orchards and Truncali Orchards.  We are currently beginning to explore eco programs for several other crop clusters, including tomatoes and lettuce.

How is Eco fruit different from regular fruit?
Eco farmers use advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control insect pests, weeds and diseases in their orchards. They rely primarily on the least-toxic and natural methods such as biological controls, along with extensive monitoring of trees, pests and environmental conditions. Conventional chemical pesticides are used only in limited, very targeted circumstances. These practices can be more expensive and labor-intensive, and require more monitoring, than conventional programs. Any producer may incorporate  IPM practices on their farm, but Eco growers use ONLY the strict practices outlined in our written protocols.

How is Eco fruit different from certified organic fruit?
Eco fruit guidelines are not the same as organic, but many of the methods used by Eco growers and organic growers are the same. Certified organic producers are regulated by strict USDA National Organic Program standards that apply to apple all producers nationally and even worldwide. They allow the use of some pesticides and substances, and prohibit the use of many others. Both eco and organic growers use Integrated Pest Management methods in their orchards. Eco fruit farmers use an advanced IPM protocol for pest control that is specifically designed for fruit production in the northeastern United States.

Some Red Tomato growers do grow organic fruit. But it is extremely tough to raise organic fruit in commercial quantity and quality in the northeastern United States, due to pests specific to this climate. Organic-approved pesticides for these pests and diseases must be applied frequently and in large quantity to be effective here; and some, such as sulfur, can have detrimental ecological impacts if used in the quantities required for commercial production in the northeast. For those situations, Eco fruit producers choose the least toxic, minimal-impact methods based on what is best for the orchard ecosystem.

Do Eco growers use Organophosphates (OPs) on their fruit?

Eco Apple:

Eco Apple producers have been working steadily to eliminate OPs, and no OPs have been applied to Eco Apple fruit for several years. The Eco Apple protocol prohibits all use of OPs on the fruit itself.  Since 2008, only one specific OP, chlorpyrifos, is allowed in restricted use for a specific pest, early in the year, to tree trunks only, and only as a last resort. (Chlorpyrifos is sold as Lorsban and several other generic brands.) The protocol is reviewed annually.  Since 2009, Eco Apple growers have been successful growing without the use of any chlorpyrifos whatsoever.

Stone Fruit (peaches, nectarines):

Only one OP is allowed in our initial Eco Stone Fruit protocol-- in the category “Use with Restrictions.” It is chlorpyrifos (sold as Lorsban and several other generic brands) and is only permitted for control of greater peachtree borer (GPTB) and lesser peachtree borer (LPTB).  It is limited to one trunk application per year, after harvest. Because this is done after harvest, there would be no pesticide residue on the fruit.  The protocol is reviewed annually.

How are Eco farmers rebuilding diverse, earth-friendly local agriculture in the northeast U.S.?
Most of the apples and stone fruit now sold in the United States are grown in Western states or imported from overseas. Red Tomato's Eco fruits are sold primarily in the region where they are grown. That's important to consumers who are concerned about pesticide use but also want food produced closer to home. Because the northeast is one of the best places in the world for growing apples, some Eco Apples are also shipped to apple lovers in other regions of the U.S. Regional fruit growers, like most family farmers, face challenging pressures in a competitive market. Our Eco programs are an example of one way to rebuild a strong local, agriculture in the Northeast.