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NE PMC On Target

Internal newsletter of the Northeastern Pest Management Center.

Issue 18, December 2002


In this Issue:

Northeast

National

International

About the Insider


Connecticut: Invasive Species Brochure

Tim Abbey, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, has finished a small brochure that lists commercially-grown invasive ornamental plants and some of the native, non-invasive alternatives. This publication was funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and was done for the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group. Members of the Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association helped select the native plants. The publication is available at www.caes.state.ct.us/SpecialFeatures/SpecialFeatures.htm or a hard copy can be obtained by contacting Mr. Abbey at Timothy.Abbey@po.state.ct.us or 860.687.4763.

Tim Abbey,
Connecticut Ag. Exp. Stn.

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Delaware: Advisory Committee Meeting Report

Delaware Susan Whitney The 2002 meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Mid-Atlantic Information Network for Pesticides and Alternative Strategies - DE was held on November 26. Whitney presented a slide show on Pesticide Registrations which emphasized the differences FQPA has made to registration procedures. Discussion on the relationship of the Delaware Network to the Mid-Atlantic Network and to the NE Center was held. Edith Lurvey, IR-4, gave a presentation on the IR-4 Minor Crop Program. A lively discussion on the problem with soybean mites in Delaware was held. Lurvey asked to be informed of needs in the state.

The "Pesticide Briefs" web page was discussed and suggestions for improvement were made (see below). Future commodities for Crop Profiles and Pest Management Strategic Plans were discussed: green peppers; carrots; cucumbers and pickles; greens; strawberries; cantaloupe and pumpkin; soybeans; and dry beans. Committee members pointed out that green pepper is not a Kid's Food, carrots may come back, and cucumbers may explode with the new processor. Whitney explained that USDA will not consider grant requests under Crops At Risk or RAMP unless the requesting state has completed a Pest Management Strategic Plan.

The Committee recommended:

The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held in November ‘03. Commodities for Crop Profiles and Pest Management Strategic Plans will be discussed. The Committee will assist in evaluation of the Information Network.

Susan Whitney,
Mid-Atlantic Information Network for Pesticides and Alternative Strategies - DE

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GO-IPM: Work Group Update

The group has received over 100 completed surveys on priorities for greenhouse / ornamental IPM in the region. The most came from Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York. They will continue to accept surveys until April, coveringr the period when many winter workshops where more surveys will be completed. They will compile the data and prepare a report before our next GO IPM meeting.

Also, a proposal was submitted from several GO IPM members to the Northeast IPM Grants Program. More on that later, if it's successful.

adapted from a report by Margaret Skinner, UVM
GO-IPM page

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Maine:

School IPM train-the-trainer and school staff training workshops were held in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire in November 2002 as part of an EPA-funded tri-state project. Approximately 35 people representing state agencies, cooperative extension and non-profit organizations that will provide IPM consultation services to schools received training in school IPM from Dr. Bobby Corrigan, chair of the National Pest Management Association’s School IPM Committee and internationally recognized expert in structural pest management. An additional 90 staff and administrators from Maine schools participated in a school IPM training workshop conducted by Dr. Corrigan. Two other components of the project are currently underway: development of a school IPM ‘tool-kit’ and school IPM demonstration programs in all three northern New England states.

Maine IPM Council: Thirteen members of newly established Maine IPM Council has been appointed representing stakeholders from a variety of agricultural and other interests. The new Council is charged with identifying priorities and funding sources for expanding and enhancing adoption of IPM across all sectors of pest management and pesticide use statewide.

Physical barrier for managing beetle pests in poultry: It took 79 tubes of latex caulk, 400 yards of plastic film and six people most of a day to apply it, but an experimental physical barrier for managing beetle pests was successfully installed in a Maine commercial poultry barn as part of a study led by Drs. Donald Rutz, Phillip Kauffman, and Keith Waldron from Cornell University and Kathy Murray with the Maine Department of Agriculture to investigate alternatives for managing beetle pests in commercial poultry production. The team plans to measure the effectiveness of the barrier and other means for managing lesser mealworm beetle populations in NY and ME as part of an 3-year NE IPM-funded project.

On-farm research workshop: A workshop focusing on on-farm research is being offered in Portsmouth, NH in February 2003. Contact Chris Reberg-Horton with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (207-581-2942) for more information.

Kathy Murray, Maine Dept. of Ag.
(Maine's School IPM Page)

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Maryland

2003 TURFGRASS IPM SHORT COURSE Sponsored by the Departments of Entomology, and Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture, the 2003 Turfgrass IPM Short Course will be held in the Plant Sciences Building at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland January 13-16, 2003

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS 4-DAY SHORT COURSE? Lawn Care and Landscape professionals Municipal and County Grounds professionals Public School Grounds professionals

LECTURE TOPICS: IPM Principles and Practices Program Implementation IPM and Pesticide Related Issues Monitoring Technology Turfgrass Selection Soil and Fertility Management Problems Diagnosing Non-Pest Related Problems Insect diagnostics and management Disease diagnostics and management Weed diagnostics and management

LABORATORY TOPICS Hands on Turfgrass Species Identification Turf Disease Diagnostic Software Hands on Turf Weed Identification Hands on Turf Insect (pest and beneficial) Identification

PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS We will be offering re-certification credits for the state of Maryland in the Turfgrass category. We are corresponding with VA and DC and hope to offer re-certification credits for VA and DC also.

REGISTRATION FORM http://www.pest.umd.edu/events/turf_registration.pdf

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Ms. Debbie Wilhoit Telephone: 301-405-3913 e-mail: dw34@umail.umd.edu

25th Annual Interstate Pest Management Conference January 29 and 30, 2003 at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum, Maryland

For more than two decades, the annual Interstate Pest Management Conference, held at the Maritime Institute of Technology, Linthicum, Maryland, has enjoyed a national reputation. Specializing in structural IPM outreach to industry, academia, and government, the Conference delivers new biological and technical information from the discipline's frontiers. Each year more than 600 participants choose the Interstate for comprehensive training on new technologies in structural integrated pest management. Recertification credits for Conference attendance are approved by 15 states.

Dr. Nancy L. Breisch, Chair of the Interstate for the past decade, and Dr. Barbara L. Thorne, Conference Director, both of the Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, design innovative Conference programs in conjunction with Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. Presentations from nationally recognized researchers and industry experts cover a diversity of topics, including insect, rodent, and bird pest management and treatment of sensitive facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and restaurants. The goal of the Interstate is to promote the use of quality integrated pest management, enabling the structural pest control industry to translate new biological information and cutting-edge technology into profitable business operations, thereby increasing public safety and satisfaction while substantially reducing pesticide use in and around structures. Since its inception, the Interstate has showcased the practical means of incorporating integrated pest management techniques into day-to-day business practices.

Sandy Sardanelli, UMD
Maryland IPM Program page

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New England

The 2002 New England Apple Crop Profile is online . This document is in the process of approval for the national crop profile database.

Glen Koehler, University of Maine, Orono
ProNewEngland page

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New York

School IPM survey:The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University recently released the results of a pest management practices survey of public school districts in New York State. Access the report online (PDF download).

Lynn Braband,
NY IPM Program

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West Virginia: Economic and Environmental Impacts of Insecticides Used for Apples

Margaret McDaniel; Alan R. Collins; John F. Baniecki; and M. Essam Dabaan.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been widely used in apple orchards to reduce the amount of insecticides applied. An important piece of information for IPM is the calculation of Economic Injury Levels (EIL). EIL involves determination of when the benefits of damage prevention exceed the environmental and economic costs of application. In this research, both the economic and environmental impacts of insecticides were computed for apples. This was accomplished by:

Data to calculate the environment costs were gathered from surveys. Mail surveys were sent to 130 apple growers in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Growers were selected from the mailing list of the West Virginia Horticultural Society. This survey instrument included questions about use of organophosphates and grower risk perceptions of organophosphate use. Growers also were asked about their willingness to sacrifice apple production and quality by avoiding the use of organophosphate chemicals. A separate mail survey also was sent to 17 industry personnel and experts in the apple industry. These experts were asked about their risk perception of organophosphates along with the use of organophosphates in their area.
Responses were received from 52 growers and 13 experts. These surveys were analyzed and a willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid the use of organophosphates was computed from the grower survey responses. WTP estimates were computed per organophosphate based upon grower use of chemicals. Two WTP estimates were derived:
(1) includes quality and quantity sacrifices from not using the organophosphate; and
(2) includes only quantity sacrifices from not using the organophosphate.
Per acre, (1) and (2) WTP estimates were: $93 and $13 for azinophos methyl; $9 and $7 for methyl parathion; $72 and $10 for dimethoate; $61 and $7 for chlopyrifos; $33 and $1 for malathion; $38 and $6 for phosmet; and $50 and $6 for esfenvalerate.
To compute the EIL and EEIL, the following formulas were used:
EIL = (IC+AC)/(V*DI*K)
Where:

M. Essam Dabaan
Mid-Atlantic Information Network for Pesticides & Alternative Strategies Program

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American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators

On September 18 AAPSE President Amy Brown published the organization’s progress report. Included in the report are updates on existing and new committees, AAPSE sanctioned presentations to EPA, and the Migrant Worker Interagency Commission, and recognition of outstanding contributions to the agency. The report is available at: http://aapse.ext.vt.edu/archives/02report_to_members09-02.pdf.

from the PSEP Quarterly, Fall 2002
Bill Hoffman
, USDA/CSREES PAS Program

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Butterflies and Bt Corn

Efforts of scientists at seven North American institutions and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture have produced "Butterflies and Bt Corn: Allowing Science to Guide Decisions," as both an attractive Web site and as a hardcopy publication explaining how a mushrooming controversy over colliding interests was resolved. The scientific and public furor was generated by a small, lab-based study in 1999 indicating that caterpillars suffered when forced to feed on Asclepias spp. (milkweed) leaves heavily dusted with Bt-corn pollen, thereby triggering concerns about Bt crops. Attendees at a subsequent workshop on the topic conclusively agreed that credible, science-based facts were needed before any decisions could be made. An international group of some 30 researchers published five papers which, in sum, presented factual evidence that, under actual field conditions, the likelihood of monarch caterpillars being exposed to damaging levels of Bt-corn pollen was low. The Web site is http://www.ars.usda.gov/sites/monarch/ A limited number of copies of the publication are available from: R.L. Hellmich, USDA-ARS Corn Insect and Crop Genetic Research Unit, 110 Genetics Lab, c/o In-sectary, Ames, IA 50011, USA. E-mail: <RHellmich@iastate.edu>.

from the PSEP Quarterly, Fall 2002
Bill Hoffman
, USDA/CSREES PAS Program

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Crop Profiles Posted

Now available on all Pest Management Centers sites:

Wilfred Burr,
USDA Office of Pest Management Policy

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CSREES News

The CSREES Plant Sciences Update is now available online in a downloadable PDF format: http://www.reeusda.gov/1700/whatnew/newsinfo.htm. CSREES has used the Plant Sciences Update document to brief land-grant university and government partners for quite some time with a “do not distribute” message. Persistent requests for this type of this information that could be duplicated and shared with colleagues led CSREES to produce a duplication approved format. The current vision for the Plant Sciences Update is not a newsletter, but a single dynamic document that will be updated regularly. The current issue has articles on the $43.5 million recently awarded to states for agricultural homeland security, e-grant information, and a new chemical use data Web site.

The new and improved Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension (CSREES) Pest-Managers e-mail distribution list is now up and running. The purpose of this distribution list is to share information about CSREES’ pest management programs, including Requests for Applications and newsletters. The list has been expanded to include a broader cross-section of those involved with IPM research and extension programs. The Pest-Managers list now includes those involved with the Pesticide Safety and Education Program (PSEP), Pest Management Centers, the Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM), and the Minor Crop Pest Management Program (IR-4). In addition, applicants and others associated with CSREES’ Plant and Animal Systems competitive grants programs and other interested parties have been added. If there are others who are interested in being added to the distribution list, please have them contact us with their names and e-mail addresses so that we may add them. If you have an e-mail address change, please contact Rashele Maclin (rmaclin@reeusda.gov) so we can update.

from the PSEP Quarterly, Fall 2002
Bill Hoffman
, USDA/CSREES PAS Program

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EPA

EPA Seeks Comments on Endangered Species Protection Program Implementation

The EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs is requesting comments on the implementation of its Endangered Species Protection Program. This program may be of interest to pesticide users, and farmers. The comment period for this notice is 90 days.

The Notice can be viewed at the following site: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-SPECIES/2002/December/Day-02/e30463.htm

As materials that will further explain the Federal Register Notice are developed, they will be passed on to the group.

Audrey E. Moore,
USEPA Region 2

Office of Pesticide Programs Update

What's New on the OPP Web Page as of Dec. 5, 2002:

(12/02) Pesticide Product Information System (PPIS) updated December 2, 2002
(11/14) Registration Division Work Plan for the Registration of Conventional Pesticide
(11/01) Pesticide Product Label System (PPLS) updated November 1, 2002.

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Integrated Pest Management Symposium/Workshop

The Fourth National Integrated Pest Management Symposium/Workshop will be held April 8-10, 2003 at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, IN. The theme of the symposium is “Building Alliances for the Future of IPM.” The symposium is an exciting opportunity to learn about the latest developments in agricultural and urban IPM and to share your IPM experiences with others. It will include more than 60 breakout sessions (workshop, debate, and presentation formats) encompassing almost all aspects of IPM, as well as plenary speakers talking about their experiences in building alliances. In addition, several IPM-related organizations are convening their meetings before or after the symposium, making this a full week of IPM in Indianapolis. More information is available at http://nautilus.outreach.uiuc.edu/conted/conference.asp?ID=244.

almost common knowledge!

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Methyl Bromide Phaseout Brochure

The brochure “Phase-out of Methyl Bromide – Application Deadlines for Critical Use” is available online through the Western Region Integrated Pest Management Center. Available at http://www.wrpmc.ucdavis.edu/NewsAlerts/methylbromide.pdf, the brochure contains: Facts about methyl bromide use in the United States, The methyl bromide Critical Use Exemption Process for 2003 Applicants, and A list of bullet points that methyl bromide users need to know.

from the PSEP Quarterly, Fall 2002
Bill Hoffman
, USDA/CSREES PAS Program

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NRCS and IPM

IPM Coordinators should be aware of the opportunities presented by increases in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding to assist in the implementation of IPM on farms. Under the recently approved Farm Bill, NRCS funding possibilities for reimbursing farmers for the practice of IPM have greatly increased. Many of IPM staff are familiar with EQIP - EQIP funding has increased to $6.1 billion. Other NRCS programs with many more billions of dollars can also reimburse farmers for the practice of IPM.

In New York we have met with our state NRCS staff. They have received an "IPM standard" called 595 from the federal NRCS group. Each state NRCS can then modify the 595 standard to meet their particular needs. NRCS staff will be looking for expertise in IPM - an area in which they do not have extensive staff expertise. They recognize landgrant IPM programs as the prime source of expertise in IPM to help them refine the 595 standard and "set the bar" for grower reimbursement.

While offering such expertise may expend IPM resources, there may also be opportunities within each state to request funding from state agencies in order to ensure access by the state's farmers to the potentially large amounts of money being offered for the practice of IPM. There may be opportunities to have NRCS reimburse farmers for the purchase of needed IPM infrastructure or scouting services depending on the particular priorities set in states. There may be opportunities for IPM programs to qualify as technical service providers.

There will be a session at the National IPM Symposium on this topic organized by John Vickery.

Curt Petzoldt,
NY IPM Program

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State Items from the PSEP Fall Quarterly

We've plagarized (with permission) several items above from the PSEP Fall Quarterly. Several state-specific updates also appear in the quarterly:

from the PSEP Quarterly, Fall 2002
Bill Hoffman
, USDA/CSREES PAS Program


Who gets this:

Access to this page is not restricted. Email Jim or Liz to offer submissions or suggest changes.


Contact us:

Jim VanKirk, Coordinator 315-787-2378 jrv1@cornell.edu

John Ayers, Director 814-865-7776 (voice) email

Liz Thomas, Information Specialist 315-787-2626 egt3@cornell.edu

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Links:

On Target / Insider archive

NE PMC home page

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Organization of the NEPMC On Target

NEPMC On Target is "new and improved" version of the for NEPMC Insider. So continuing subscribers don't have to update links, we'll keep the same url. A web page with the address http://nepmc.org/insider/current.html always holds the most recent issue.

Each issue will also continue to have its own unique location at http://nepmc.org/insider/mmmyyyy.html, where "mmm" is 3 letter abbreviation for the month and "yyyy" is four digit year designation.

A list of links to all issues can be found at http://neipmc.org/news_ontargetarchiveindex.cfm


Northeastern IPM Center logo

NE PMC On Target

Centers for Pest Management are sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture

This page developed and managed by Jim VanKirk, NE PMC Coordinator

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The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center fosters the development and adoption of IPM, a science-based approach to managing pests in ways that generate economic, environmental, and human health benefits. We work in partnership with stakeholders from agricultural, urban, and rural settings to identify and address regional priorities for research, education, and outreach.