Imperial Valley Crop Story Bugged Reader

I would like to make a few clarifications regarding the economic situation in the Imperial Valley, referred to in DonnH. Walters’ article “Farming: California’s Green Economic Oasis” (Nov. 9).

The article labeled the Imperial Valley’s production of this year’s winter vegetables as “decimated” by the Strain B whitefly. This is not the case.

Farmers are a resilient bunch. They have met the challenge of the whitefly by changing practices, (undertaking) aggressive research into biological controls and implementation of integrated pest-management programs. As a result, the number of whiteflies has substantially decreased in 1992, and the crop damage this fall and winter will be virtually nothing compared to the fall of 1991.

The article also discussed the Employment Development Department’s method of determining unemployment figures for the Imperial Valley. It is interesting to note that workers, especially farm workers, can be eligible for unemployment benefits and can file for those benefits anywhere in the state.

Therefore, the unemployment figures cited for the Imperial Valley could experience some distortion because of our close proximity to the Mexican border. The actual numbers reported could well be accurate, but may not reflect the actual number of unemployed farm workers from the fields of Imperial County.

I would like to impress upon your readers that the crops in the Imperial Valley this winter are not decimated and, indeed, will be available in the supply and quality that consumers are used to seeing in the produce section of their local supermarket.

CHARLES L. SHREVES

Imperial, Calif.

The writer is general manager of the Imperial Irrigation District, which serves the Imperial Valley area.