WDC19: Coordination of Integrated Pest Management Research and Extension/Educational Programs for the Western States & Pacific Basin Territories (f
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WDC19: Coordination of Integrated Pest Management Research and Extension/Educational Programs for the Western States & Pacific Basin Territories (f
Duration: 10/01/2010 to 09/30/2011
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
WERA-069 is an active and productive committee that functions as a coordination and vision-setting body for research and Extension IPM programs in the West. The committee has good relations and communications with the regional IPM Center and USDA NIFA IPM staff. Committee participants work together on numerous multi-state IPM activities and programs, e.g., School IPM, High Plains IPM website, Pacific Northwest IPM guides, weather driven pest models and regional pest advisories, noxious weed management, and water quality projects. This regional approach has an increasing importance as fewer Extension and research scientists are available in individual states due to budget cuts and shrinking pest management resources. Strength-building areas proposed for this next project cycle include:
**Expanding participation of western IPM researchers in the committee.
**Responding to changes in regional IPM Centers and potential gaps in regional IPM support and communication channels (e.g., regional IPM web site, coordination of PMSPs, etc.). (Note: USDA/NIFA is proposing to eliminate funding for the regional IPM Centers. If this occurs, it will be critical to establish another form of regional project coordination, grant administration and resources to maintain the numerous online resources presently found on the Western Regional IPM Center website. WERA- 069 could be a critical unit to help deal with reductions in regional IPM coordination in the West.)
**Expanding communication with and involvement of regional NPDN, NRCS, and state and EPA water quality staff.
**Enhancing regional coordination and collaboration on IPM grant opportunities through USDA and other agencies, e.g., AFRI, SCRI, RAMP, EIPM, and others. (WERA-069 will likely become more important as grant programs will require more multi-state participation.)
**Assuring that crop-based pest management strategic plans (PMSPs) are current for crops in the western region. These PMSPs are stakeholder based, drive both research and Extension projects, and are widely used by regulatory agencies at both the state and regional level to document needs and alternatives.
**Enhancing promotion of IPM in the region and nation through education and advocacy.
WERA-069 represents a diverse region geographically and bio-climatically, representing most of the worlds terrestrial biomes. Crop diversity is consequently high, as is the complex of pests that attack them. Throughout the region, IPM research and Extension programs surmount a high level of pest pressure against a background of other issues and concerns that they must consider and explicitly address. These background issues include pesticide fate and behavior, and the consequences for human and environmental health of off-target transport; impacts of pest management practices on water, air, and soil quality; increasing introductions of invasive species and pest-vectored human diseases, the highest levels of any of the USDA regions. Western IPM programs are addressing new audiences and stakeholders, from forestry, to the urban sector, schools, and homeowners. When serious issues connected to IPM occur, they tend to occur first and with greatest intensity in the western U.S., as a consequence of its vast area, extreme climates and international connections.
Recognizing the complexities of the challenge, IPM nationally is guided by a Roadmap, developed by the USDA CSREES (now NIFA) with input from many sources. This Roadmap has identified the analysis of health, environmental and economic impacts of IPM as a key priority. Impacts require aggregation of data at a state and regional level in order to contribute to a national policy, but no resources have been allocated for this important task. WERA-069 will continue to address this need as a key part of its activities. The national foci on biosecurity, food safety, and prevention of invasive species also require IPM faculty to coordinate with appropriate experts in these disciplines. WERA-069 proposes to focus on effective delivery of seamless IPM and pest diagnostics systems to minimize risks to agri-security and food safety, and to minimize risks associated with the introduction and spread of invasive species in the region.
Objectives
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Coordinate and facilitate IPM research and Extension in the western region through collaboration, networking, and development of research and Extension alliances. Facilitate alliances with all relevant agencies and entities, e.g., NPDN, APHIS, NRCS, water quality organizations, etc.
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Promote regional research and Extension IPM collaborations that will garner grant funding for IPM programs in the region. Schedule time during the annual meeting to discuss proposal ideas, and develop additional grant planning activities, e.g., teleconferences.
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Respond to potential upcoming changes to regional IPM Centers. If the regional IPM Centers are closed or reduced, WERA-069 will be a key leadership group to respond to regional IPM needs and host access to IPM resources, communication, and collaboration. If necessary, explore development of a regional IPM web site to replace the current IPM Center web site that will serve as a clearinghouse for IPM resources and provide links to state resources, and maintain valuable web-based resources such as Pest Management Strategic Plans currently found on the regional website.
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Effectively capture IPM issues and concerns in the region and transmit them to appropriate regional and national agencies and organizations. Sponsor and support opportunities for stakeholder input on a regular basis. These activities can include, but arent limited to Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs).
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Increase awareness of, and communication between, IPM programs across the region through rotation of annual meetings among participating states, through provision of annual reports, and through annually conducted meetings with local agencies and stakeholders. The WERA-069 Chair is a member of the ESCOP/ECOP APLU Pest Management Strategies Subcommittee, and translates state reports in aggregate to the National IPM leadership, and the multiple relevant Federal agencies.
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Promote increased participation of IPM research and Extension in the western region by encouraging each states Deans and Directors to nominate both a research and Extension participant, and promote their participation in the annual meetings through contacts and inclusion of research and Extension-relevant discussions and activities.
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Facilitate the key national IPM Roadmap goal of quantifying IPM impact in the western region.
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Strengthen educational activities and products by selecting an annual meeting theme to promote greater attendance from the IPM community, host tours, invite key-note speakers, and coordinate with the western IPM Center to support development of working groups to address issues of interest.
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Promote IPM education and advocate for support in the region and nation by participating in appropriate committees and activities, and encouraging our IPM stakeholders to communicate their needs to appropriate state and federal agencies and programs.
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Conduct an IPM educational activity in the region such as a symposium, field tour or workshop. Coordinate educational efforts with the International IPM Symposia.
Procedures and Activities
WERA-69 will meet annually at an appropriate location in the western region to exchange ideas and discuss common problems related to coordination of IPM research, Extension and education activities in the region, and specifically to plan and carry out activities to address objectives 1-10.
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Annual reports and summaries of IPM programs, and impacts on a state-by-state basis, and merged into a regional report, posted on the NIMSS and Western IPM Center web sites.
- Publication of state and regional IPM impact program assessment analyses, supported by collaborative grants and programs, and region-wide engagement. State-specific annual IPM impact reports are required by the USDA NIFA Extension IPM (EIPM) Program. WERA-69 can take advantage of these annually prepared impact statistics to utilize for its annual report.
- Garnering of multi-state IPM research and Extension grant funds in the region as an outcome from collaborative grant-building activities supported by WERA-69.
- Submission of an annual summary of IPM issues, concerns, and questions to the Western Region IPM Center, USDA CSREES National IPM program staff, ESCOP/ECOP APLU Pest Management Strategies Subcommittee, and other relevant entities.
- Documentation of ongoing evaluation of needs for new or revised regional PMSPs and IPM resources (e.g., handbooks, web resources, etc.) through the annual WERA-69 reports and feedback to WIPMC and Deans and Directors.
- Conduct one IPM symposium, field tour or workshop in the region or in conjunction with the International IPM Symposium during the 5-year project cycle. The activity will expand participation beyond the WERA-069 membership. It may address specific learning needs (e.g. use of weather-based decision support tools, use of new diagnostic techniques; certified IPM school programs) or provide a professional development workshop for county agents.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
1. At each annual meeting, the committee will discuss, share and coordinate pest management issues, research needs, educational approaches, and novel applications within regional agro- and urban systems. Program Leaders for USDA NIFA, regional IPM Centers, regional grant programs, etc., will provide updates on national and regional IPM initiatives, directions, and trends. The annual meeting will provide a forum for state research and Extension liaisons to discuss issues, dilemmas, and successes. The annual report compiled from across the participating states will provide documentation of regional IPM deliverables and accomplishments during the past year.
2. WERA-069 will sponsor at least one (per 5-year project cycle) public symposium, field tour or workshop to foster interagency and regional linkages, dialogue, learning and information dissemination among IPM professionals with an emphasis on designing and implementing sustainable pest management systems. Stakeholder involvement will be strongly encouraged.
Organization/Governance
At least one Administrative Advisor (currently Tom Holtzer, AES) will guide the coordinating committee and report to the western region Deans and Directors. Because a primary objective of this committee is to foster interdisciplinary research and Extension involving pest-related sciences, officers and members request that Deans and Directors from each state sponsor at least two professionals to attend the annual meetings as voting members; additional state representatives are welcome to participate. Officers include a chair, vice-chair who records meeting minutes and maintains a current email list, and a past-chair. Election of a new vice-chair occurs at each annual meeting, and this new officer is installed immediately.