Duration: 10/01/2000 to 09/30/2005

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

issue
"Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has evolved from work initially focused on insect management to cooperative efforts that emphasize integration among all plant and animal protection disciplines. Our western regional IPM working group also evolved over the years. Initially, research was the focus with participants primarily representing faculty at land-grant universities. Currently, participants represent interdisciplinary scientists and extension educators at universities as well as researchers and decision-makers at USDA-ARS, USEPA and other public agencies involved in pest management.

This emphasis on interdisciplinary IPM systems reflects the diversity and complexity of western ecosystems, which range from high elevation deserts to tropical Pacific island maritime climates and include pest problems in rangelands and forests as well as more intensively managed dryland field crops, irrigated agriculture, and urban horticulture. Adding to this ecological complexity are potential adverse impacts of pesticides. After 25 years of public IPM programs in the U.S., pesticides remain a central part of pest control strategies in many crop production systems. Concerns remain about pesticide residues and food safety, costs of crop protection chemicals and long-term sustainability, groundwater contamination by agrichemicals and development of pesticide-resistant insects, pathogens and weeds. Potential regulatory loss of pesticides (especially due to implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act) further creates opportunities for IPM scientists to discover and deliver alternative pest management tactics that satisfy social, environmental, and economic goals.

Implementing pest management alternatives requires that we leverage the entire expertise and resources of IPM workers in the west. WCC-69 provides a framework by bringing together interdisciplinary IPM researchers and educators who explore common interests, insights and dilemmas while working toward the overall goal of planning regional research projects and designing improved educational activities. WCC-69 additionally provides a forum where information from other regional IPM working groups and USDA-CREES are described, reviewed, or shared among colleagues. Clearly, WCC-69 represents an opportunity for professionals to learn, coordinate, and implement integrated programs within common agroecological zones of the west."

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

"1) Annual meeting
Pest management issues, research needs, educational approaches, and novel applications within regional agroecosystems will be topics for discussion at the annual meeting among professionals from western region universities and public agencies. Program Leaders at USDA CREES will provide updates about national IPM initiatives, directions, and trends along with regional information pertinent to the west. The annual meeting provides a forum for state Extension IPM Coordinators to discuss issues, dilemmas, and successes.

2) Public IPM Symposium
WCC-69 will sponsor at least one public symposium 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 encouraged depending on venue. A listserve could enhance continuous inquiry following the event.

3) Western region IPM website
An established WRIPM website will communicate IPM research projects with links to public education and possible curriculum development for highschools."

Organization/Governance

Two Administrative Advisors representing both AES and CES will guide the coordinating committee and report to the western regional Deans and Directors. Because a primary objective of this committee is to foster interdisciplinary research and extension involving all pest-related sciences, officers and members request the Deans and Directors to sponsor at least two professionals to attend the annual meetings as voting members; anyone else may participate. Officers include a chair, vice-chair who records meeting minutes and maintains a current email list, and a past-chair. Elections occur toward the end of the annual meeting and are installed immediately.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

AZ, CA, CO, GU, MT, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions