Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

1. The committee continued the process it began in 2007 to develop regional IPM research and extension priorities. The Committee reviewed the 2007 priorities and added additional priority issues. Identifying regional priorities for research and extension activities can facilitate development of competitive grant proposals aimed at addressing these priorities. 2. Dr. Peg Redinbaugh spoke on her research related to emerging soybean viral diseases. This research was funded by a USDA-CSREES NC RIPM grant. 3. The North Central IPM Center (NCIPMC) has invested $100,000 in Turning Point Technology systems designed to allow audience surveys as part of PowerPoint presentations to assist our region in demonstrating the impact of IPM programming. The goal of this two-year pilot program is to demonstrate behavior change based on educational and training programs about IPM practices and pesticide usage. This effort is in response to the National Agricultural Statistics Services plan to reduce the number of Agricultural Chemical Usage Surveys as reported by Mark Miller during the National IPM ECOP/ESCOP meeting held in early October, 2007. Carol Pilcher, NCERA 201 member from Iowa State University, Bob Wright from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, (NCERA 201 Chair) and Ian MacRae from the University of Minnesota (NCERA 201 Chair elect) worked with representatives from the 12 North Central states to develop ten standard survey questions about IPM adoption that will be used at state, regional and national levels to aggregate IPM adoption and risk reduction data. This project is being conducted in collaboration with the north central regions state-based IPM Coordinators, Pesticide Safety Education Coordinators, Master Gardener Coordinators and members of the NCIPMC Evaluation Working Group. 6. Western bean cutworm national pest alert was published online at http://www.ncipmc.org/alerts/wbc.cfm This publication summarizes current knowledge from across the region about this insect pest of corn and dry beans, which has been greatly expanding its range since 2000, from the western corn belt into the eastern corn belt as far east as Ohio. There is a great deal of interest in this new pest, and a need for authoritative research-based information on monitoring and management options. The authors were Marlin Rice and Carol Pilcher (NCERA 201 member), Iowa State University.

Western bean cutworm national pest alert was published online at http://www.ncipmc.org/alerts/wbc.cfm This publication summarizes current knowledge from across the region about this insect pest of corn and dry beans, which has been greatly expanding its range since 2000, from the western corn belt into the eastern corn belt as far east as Ohio. There is a great deal of interest in this new pest, and a need for authoritative research-based information on monitoring and management options. The authors were Marlin Rice and Carol Pilcher (NCERA 201 member), Iowa State University. Field Crop Fungicides for the North Central United States: A regional publication was published in January 2008 with support from the North Central IPM Center. Historically fungicides have not been used much in the north central region on field crops, with the exception of sugarbeets and potatoes. With the increased commodity value of grain crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, and concern about the potential movement of soybean rust into the north central region, there is an increased need for educational materials on the use of fungicides on field crops. This publication provides an overview of fungicide use on fields crops in the north central region, including IPM strategies to avoid fungicide resistance.