Rapid urbanization around Contra Costa County apple orchardshas inspired a biologically integrated farming project tohelp growers reduce pesticide use. "Apples are the highest value agricultural crop in Contra Costa County," says Janet Caprile, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor and principal project investigator. "Most are grown near Brentwood, Oakley and Byron, which are among the fastest growing cities in the state. We're hoping to reduce the use of organophosphates and other broad spectrum, ecologically disruptive materials by 80 to 90 percent at the end of three years." The apple project is the newest Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) project, administered by the Davis- based UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP). A key component of the project is the use of mating disruption to reduce the numbers of codling moth, the most critical apple pest. If left unchecked, codling moth larvae, the proverbial "worm in the apple," can cause more than 80 percent fruit loss. The apple project will receive a total of $140,000 over three years, according to Max Stevenson of the sustainable ag program, coordinator of the BIFS grants. "If agriculture is to continue in the county, farming will have to improve the quality of life for urban neighbors, not degrade it," says Stevenson. "Reduced pesticide use in the apple BIFS project goes a long way toward that goal."