ExcludeNet

Exclusion Netting That Effectively Protects Crops from Insects

With spotted wing drosophila (SWD) and other pests continuing to devastate fruit crops, why take chances? We’re your source for ExcludeNet, netting that effectively protects plantings from insects.

Berry Protection Solutions is part of The Berry Patch in Stephentown, New York. After losing 40% of our blueberry and 20% of our raspberry crops to SWD in 2012, we knew there had to be a solution. We pioneered the use of exclusion netting on commercial plantings to control insects—without pesticides.

SWD is an invasive pest, native to Southeast Asia, that has hit the berry industry hard throughout the world. Many growers pulled out plantings because of their inability to control the pest without multiple pesticide applications per season.

We have been using ExcludeNet on our blueberries for eight years and raspberries for five years. We are the pioneers of using this technology, and the experts on how to make the netting work for you. Your fruit will stay on the plant until it’s fully ripe, healthy, juice, and full of flavor—and your customers will notice.

 
 

For pricing and availability, email us at theberrypatchny@gmail.com.

Read more about Berry Patch owner Dale-Ila Riggs’s groundbreaking work.

What we supply:

At Berry Protection Solutions, you’ll find the ExcludeNet exclusion netting you need to protect your commercial crops. With advance notice, we can also provide:

  • Hail netting

  • Shade cloth

  • Side-wall netting

It’s best to have your netting up before your fruit starts to ripen. We’ve been following this schedule for years, and typically have no more than 1 or 2 small larvae in over 1,000 berries sampled.

But don’t be discouraged if you miss the optimal window! You can still protect your crops, and set yourself up for an even more successful season next year.

 
 

NETTING

 

The Berry Protection Solutions ExcludeNet netting  has great potential for berry growers of all sizes and berry crops.  It can also be used by vegetables growers that are attempting to grow insecticide-free crops.

AWARDS

Dale-Ila Riggs awarded "Farm Credit 100/ Top 100 Honorees" and "Excellence in IPM Award" from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYS IPM) at Cornell University.

 
 
“The system worked extremely well. In 2014, with the 80 gram netting, at most, only 0.53 percent infestation occurred in a 10 week harvest season. Unsprayed berries without exclusion netting had as high as a 60% infestation level in one sampling period alone. In 2015, using the 80 gram netting, at most, a 0.37% infestation was found over a 5 week harvest season. Sprayed berries without exclusion netting had as high as a 20% infestation level in an individual sampling period...

This system has great potential for small scale, organic, and no-spray blueberry growers and I believe the system can be used by raspberry growers as well.”
— Dale-Ila Riggs