Thermal Pest Control - something new for the field

This news release just rolled across my inbox today. I had never heard of the concept before, but it sounds intriguing....


Dateline: Moraga, CA November 25, 2008: Today Lazo TPC Global, Inc., a California corporation in operation since January 2007, announced that it has begun commercial expansion of its patented technology, Thermal Pest Control. “With TPC, agriculture can finally grow many fruits and vegetables without applying pesticides during the growing season. TPC has proven effective at controlling insect and micro-organism based diseases in numerous grower trials,” stated Marty Fischer, the firm’s President and Chief Executive.

The process applies a high velocity stream of 100º Centigrade (212ºF) heated air onto the crop and surrounding microenvironment. “The effectiveness of the technology comes from briefly changing the microenvironment of the field, orchard or vineyard on a regular basis throughout the growing season,” continued Fischer. “This brief but dramatic change reduces the development of microorganisms, much like pasteurization which also depends on briefly applied 60ºC heat. The hot dry air blanket inhibits insects and insect development without using pesticides that can often damage plant health and reduce natural plant productivity. It’s not that TPC gets rid of all insects, it’s that the technology returns the field to a natural balance in which damaging infestations and diseases are less likely to occur,” continued Fischer. “With TPC the grower treats the plant on a regular basis and not just during infestations. This is a very different concept from the pesticide dependant grower methodology that has characterized agriculture over the last 50 years. TPC works very well in most, but not all, crop situations. There is still much testing needed in the years ahead.”

The technology was developed starting in 1999 by Florencio Lazo, a Chilean agricultural leader from Rosario, Chile, who is Chairman of the global company. Lazo realized that a stream of very hot air, applied for a fraction of a second to plants, does no damage to the plant. “That realization led to years of testing and hard work. My friends though I was crazy, but I knew that all major innovations defy common practice and are almost always met with skepticism,” said Lazo. He developed a machine with special aerodynamics. After several years of trial and error, he had developed the process and machine used today. The TPC patents were filed in 2002 and Lazo began convincing other growers to try his unique approach. “In 2003 a scientist, Robinson Vargas, from The Chilean Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), a government agency in Chile, helped me test TPC on five acres of my wine grapes. The INIA report, prepared by Vargas, concluded that TPC was as effective at reducing insect presence as pesticides. Vargas noted that the TPC treated vines looked healthier, greener and developed bigger leaves during the season.”

Lazo expanded the testing to growers in New Zealand and Chile and, according to Lazo “most of these growers were surprised at how well the growing method worked. Many of these early users today rely only on TPC to produce their crops. Two of the original growers became so convinced about the future of the technology that they are now involved in the TPC business” continued Lazo. One grower, Mike Lane, who has used TPC at his Hastings, New Zealand wine grape vineyard since 2004 is now Managing Director of Lazo TPC New Zealand, Ltd. Mario Geisse, who uses

TPC to produce Carmenere grapes at Casa Silva Winery in Chile since 2005, is involved along with his family as part of the management team of Lazo TPC in Brazil. In Chile, four wineries are now using the technology to grow wine grapes.

Fischer worked closely with Lazo from 1991 through 1997 when Fischer was Managing Director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association in North America. Lazo was on the committee that oversaw the global marketing of the Chilean fruit business and had been the founder and first President of the Chilean growers association, Fedefruta. The two met in Chile in late 2006 and decided to create Lazo TPC Global, Inc. to begin the international expansion of the business. “I was very skeptical about the technology until visiting growers who were using it and tasting the fruit that was being produced. I quickly became convinced that this was the future,” said Fischer. “Since then, we have expanded testing of the technology to many different crops in many countries, setting up the infrastructure of the business around the world and working with selected major growers. We are now prepared to expand beyond the testing phase and begin scaling the technology,” continued Fischer.

Currently the company has about 100 TPC machines placed with major growing organizations in the key growing areas around the world. Machines are in use or on order for Chile, New Zealand, the US, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico and Europe. Each machine can treat between 100 acres and 300 acres a season depending upon the type of crop being grown. “TPC has been effective with most crops such as wine, table and raisin grapes, peaches, plums, nectarine, cherries, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, tomatoes, lettuces, baby greens and other crops,” stated Fischer. “Not only are crops being produced with little or no pesticides, which is the critical issue, but growers frequently experience higher sugar levels, larger fruit, plants that operate at a higher level of photosynthesis, increased yields and earlier harvest dates. TPC allows growers to eliminate or greatly reduce pesticides thereby controlling insects and disease and that takes plant productivity to a higher level”.

Fischer went on to explain that growers are beginning to market the produce grown with TPC under a certification process with an umbrella identity that differentiates TPC produce as “certified, grown without pesticides”. Fischer stated, “TPC capabilities for eliminating or greatly reducing pesticide use in both conventional and organic produce should be embraced by all growers. The unknown is how fast growers, consumers and retailers will respond to this new possibility. Innovations this significant just take time to be implemented,” concluded Fischer. “It is really up to retailers around the world to demand this kind of cleaner produce on behalf of their customers. When they do, growers can now respond.”

Smells like deflation

Have you noticed the free fall in diesel prices charted in the Fresh Talk chart?Well, here in Kansas, we are paying in the $1.50 range for gas right now. The drop in energy prices should be a good thing, but some are worried. From a recent story on www.canada.com


Canadians, in fact, are seeing energy deflation every time they drive by a gas station. Just five months ago, pump prices in Canada shot past $1.35 per litre and were headed higher. Now, in many parts of the country, gas prices have fallen to 75 cents per litre or lower, and could drop even further.

Falling prices in just one product category, such as energy, are not necessarily a bad thing. And, in fact, many Canadian drivers might cheer dropping gas prices. But when prices across a broad range of categories such as housing, food, appliances and so on, start falling, economists and governments begin to worry. That's because consumers typically respond to a deflationary environment by holding off on some purchases in the expectations that prices will drop further and they will be able to get a better deal.

TK: Consumers may be tighter with their money when it comes to a new sofa, but my presumption is that food purchases won't be put off for "deflationary" worries on the part of consumers. Produce marketers will dodge a bullet on this issue, which is not to say retailers won't try to squeeze f.o.b. prices ever lower.