Duration: 10/01/2016 to 09/30/2021

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

In the northeastern United States, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) encompasses a wide range of activities that reduce environmental, health and economic risk in agriculture, schools and other rural, urban and suburban settings. The twelve states in the Northeast share many IPM needs because the pests, commodities and urban and suburban settings are similar in adjoining states. Therefore, IPM research and extension programs improve efficiency by collaborating. With global and regional demands to keep food production sustainable, safe, economic, and socially acceptable, IPM plays an integral role in both commercial agricultural operations and non-crop situations to achieve the goal of risk reduction.

 

All states in the Northeast region have research and extension programs that address integrated pest management (IPM). These involve management of pests in a wide range of crop production and non-crop situations. Managers need economically effective and environmentally sound pest management methods. Particularly in our heavily populated region - with constant interaction among farmers, other producers and managers, community and environmental advocates, and the public at large - we must also heed the requirement for socially acceptable methods.

 

The diversity of stakeholders, pest management settings, and pest management method associated with each setting challenges the limited resources of each land grant college in the region. With few exceptions, human and fiscal resources available for IPM programs have remained static or declined recently. Thus our IPM programs throughout the region face similar challenges and have similar needs during a period of scarce resources. Cooperative approaches that improve efficiency, avoid duplication of effort, pool resources, and build teamwork are required. Since 1996 NEERA-1004 (formerly NEREAP-IPM and NEREC-IPM) has served as the regional coordinating body that promotes and facilitates these cooperative approaches. Through the leadership and organization provided by NEERA-1004, the Northeast Region has become recognized as a national leader in effective multistate IPM programming.

 

The stakeholder need for regional IPM coordination and collaboration is well documented in the priorities of multiple working groups (WG), including the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug IPM WG http://www.northeastipm.org/neipm/assets/File/Priorities/Priorities-BMSBIPMWG-2015.pdf, Northern New England Pollinator Habitat WG http://projects.ipmcenters.org/Northeastern/FundedProjects/ReportFiles/8675898_0000003.pdf, Cranberry Fruit Rot WG http://www.northeastipm.org/neipm/assets/File/Priorities/Priorities-Cranberry-Fruit-Rot-WG-2015.pdf; and the survey results of the New England Small Ruminant IPM WG http://www.northeastipm.org/neipm/assets/File/New-England-Small-Ruminant-Survey-Results-2013.pdf.

 

The NEERA 1004 group, consisting of members with a broad base of knowledge and expertise, helps to prioritize IPM research and extension projects based on stakeholder needs in the region. With the ongoing changes in federally allocated monies that support agricultural research in Land Grant Universities (LGUs), multi-state cooperation plays a vital role in maintaining strong and viable IPM projects in the region. In addition, shrinking university resources have caused the elimination of faculty lines and programming in many states—thereby increasing the need for cooperation and collaboration across state lines. The NEERA 1004 group, while maintaining close ties with the NE IPM Center at the advisory and functional level, continues to play the distinctive role of spearheading IPM efforts of the region and supporting a regional IPM vision.

 

The NEERA-1004 group has many accomplishments, including:

-Fostering the creation of numerous working groups that cross state lines and scientific disciplines to solve problems. A few examples include working groups on Spotted Wing Drosophila IPM, School IPM, The Scientific Coalition of Pest Exclusion, Livestock and Field Crop IPM, and Sustainable Landscapes. For a full listing see http://www.northeastipm.org/working-groups/.

 

-Increased understanding of the federal IPM funding process, and competiveness for these funds.

 

-Workshops and communications organized to foster understanding and collaboration on Pest and Weather Forecasting systems.

 

-Collaboration across all twelve states to seek funding for an undergraduate IPM training and mentoring program. *An AFRI proposal in 2015 was not funded, but participants are committed and continue to pursue funding.

 

-Development of a more comprehensive weed management approach for lima bean production.

 

-Multistate IPM for cucurbit virus in the Mid-Atlantic, with the University of Maryland as the lead.

 

-IPM for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in peppers in the Mid-Atlantic: a collaboration among Rutgers University, University of Delaware, University of Maryland and Virginia Tech.

 

We propose that the Northeast Directors approve the extension of NEERA 1004 for five more years. Not only will this group continue to foster IPM collaboration and communication amongst the twelve northeastern states, it is required for allocation of federal IPM funds to these states.

 

NEERA 1004 Mission Statement

The Northeast Region Technical Committee on IPM is responsible for improving communication and cooperation throughout the region between research and extension personnel working on IPM projects. The committee, comprising extension and research representatives from LGUs in each cooperating state, the EPA and USDA, also plans and promotes the development of multistate IPM research and extension programs, provides oversight on the evaluation and impact of IPM programs, and serves in an advisory capacity to the Northeastern IPM Center.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

NEERA 1004 brings together a dedicated group of scientists, educators, specialists, regulators, and administrators, representing various universities, disciplines and governmental agencies that share a common interest in IPM. The synergism and energy created through the critical thoughts and interactive efforts of this group has created significant advances in IPM in the region. The procedures and activities of this group are listed below.

 

-NEERA 1004 includes the IPM Coordinator from every Land-Grant institution and research representatives from about half of the region’s LGUs. Partner agencies EPA and SARE-Northeast participate actively. NEERA 1004 meets annually to discuss important issues, share experiences and plans, devise regional responses to national issues, and coordinate collaborative multi-state activities. Working groups confer throughout the year to develop action recommendations for NEERA 1004.

 

-Two NEERA 1004 officers (current chairperson and chairperson elect) serve on the National IPM Coordinating Committee (NIPMCC). Representatives of EPA and SARE-NE are active participants with NEERA 1004. The SARE-NE grants program technical review panel usually includes a representative from NEERA 1004.

 

-The past chair, current chair and chair elect of NEERA 1004 serve on the Advisory Council of the Northeastern IPM Center, and the current chair is also on the Steering Committee.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

Both NEERA 1004 and the Northeastern IPM Center will continue to develop a sound educational plan related to the IPM needs of the region and will shift their emphases on a need basis. Recent educational efforts on brown marmorated stink bug, spotted wing drosophila, soybean rust, etc., have demonstrated the synergism obtained through their collaborations. Efforts will also be geared towards web-based technologies such as webinars to bring IPM to a new level of effectiveness and collaboration. The rapidly growing organic sector, the increasing interest in Community Supported Agriculture and the growing non-traditional farming operations managed by women and immigrant minority populations will require more educational efforts to meet the needs of such operations.

           

NEERA 1004 plays a crucial role in educating the public about new invasive pests as they emerge. Our members, individually and in collaboration, increase public knowledge of pest biology and IPM prevention and management strategies. Since community IPM goals were added to the National IPM Roadmap and several funding sources, the Northeast has been able to capitalize on the urban and suburban IPM needs and expertise in our region. Educational efforts will be planned along with the Northeastern IPM Center to develop enterprises in urban areas where demands for fresh, locally and ecologically produced, high value products are on the rise.

           

Water protection, farm land preservation, sustainable forestry and enhancement of recreational areas all have IPM components. Underserved citizens are found in many places in the Northeast. They are mainly concentrated in the older parts of our cities. The buildings, schools, and neighborhoods in these parts of the cities suffer some of the most debilitating pest problems found in the region. Roaches, rats, and mice degrade the health and welfare of the residents who do not possess the means or knowledge to control them. IPM-based educational programs will continue to be developed in the region to meet their needs.

           

IPM requires knowledgeable practitioners, but is also enhanced by informed consumers. Consumers choosing IPM products are a powerful market incentive for practitioners to adopt more IPM in both agriculture and community settings. Consumer education from public outreach campaigns, social media, formal school instruction, and other avenues result in positive feedback to IPM practitioners. In addition, informed citizens will be more responsive in the political arena when issues of environmental protection and human health are considered.

Organization/Governance

NEERA 1004 includes the IPM Coordinator from each of the region’s twelve LGUs, and researchers from several LGUs. Representatives from EPA, SARE, the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA) and USDA-NIFA also participate. Working groups confer throughout the year to develop action recommendations for NEERA 1004. Two NEERA 1004 officers (current chairperson and chairperson elect) serve on the National IPM Committee. The past chair, current chair and chair elect of NEERA 1004 serve on the Advisory Council of the Northeastern IPM Center, and the current chair is also on the Steering Committee.

 

Duplication of effort will be minimized as a result of frequent communication, and synergistic collaboration will be optimized. Needs assessment, program development, implementation and evaluation for the region’s IPM programs will all reflect inputs from a broad range of stakeholders including consumers, environmentalists, producers, managers and other IPM users. IPM programs in the region will be networked with national IPM leadership, with Land Grant IPM partners from other regions, with other public agencies, with appropriate non-governmental organizations, and with private sector partners. Results from and products of IPM programs in the region will be made available to the NE IPM Center to provide access for all interested parties. Accountability and evaluation information about IPM programs in the region will be easily attainable by all interested parties.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, RI

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions