Managing Carrot Rust Fly In Search of Alternatives for a Tough Customer

The State of Washington is the number one producer of processing carrots in the United States and the fourth largest producer of fresh market carrots (Washington Agricultural Statistics Service 2001). This accounts for 33% of the processed carrots and almost 4% of the fresh carrots produced in the nation. Carrot production generated $29.8 million dollars for Washington State in 2000 (Sorensen 2000). The leading carrot-producing counties are Benton and Franklin in the eastern part of the state and Cowlitz and Skagit west of the Cascade Mountains. As of 2000 Washington had 5000 acres of processing carrots and 3000 acres of fresh market carrots (Sorensen 2000). Approximately 2% of the carrots grown in Washington were grown organically (Sorensen 2000).