§ 148-c. Fruit pest management. Within the integrated pest management program there shall be established a fruit pest management program. Such program shall be conducted in such a manner to achieve the following objectives:

1. establish current pesticide use patterns and the economics of pest management for the major fruit crops in New York;

2. investigate alternative pest management tactics (e.g., biological and cultural control, plant resistance) and determine how to integrate these tactics with chemical control and horticultural practices;

3. develop practical monitoring techniques, economic thresholds, and forecasting methods for pests of fruit crops;

4. develop research and grower demonstration sites where integrated pest management technologies can be evaluated as an integral part of the overall fruit production system; and

5. provide the fruit industry with training, information, and educational materials on the implementation of integrated pest management utilizing traditional as well as new communication channels (e.g. computer-based information delivery systems).