In the 1980's research was conducted in Michigan apple orchards that surveyed mite species composition. These data show that different management practices produce different compositions of mite species. Data analysis allowed for development of a model based on these apple data that projects agricultural sustainability of a Michigan tree fruit orchard system. The resultant index employs mites as indicators of agricultural sustainability. Using the value that the index generates, we are able to rate an orchard on a scale from highly disrupted to highly sustainable.