Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

NCERA 125 Meeting Minutes October 21-22, 2008 In attendance: Luis Cañas, George Heimpel, David Hogg, Louis Hesler, Richard Lankau, Jonathan Lundgren, J.P. Michaud, Matt ONeil, Deirdra Prischmann-Voldseth, Mike Seagraves, Kelley Tillman, Jen White, Robert Wright, Steve Yaninek (AA). I. Next meeting to be held in Manhattan, KS, Oct. 20-21, 2009. II. Election of new officers. Chair: J.P. Michaud Secretary: Jen White III. Discussion of reporting format, objectives, responsibilities of secretary. IV. Administrative Report, Steve Yaninek a. State of federal budget - outlook for 2009 (everything on hold until March) b. AFRI to replace NRI, NIFA to replace CSREES c. structure and distribution of regional IPM 3(d) funding to change, opportunity for public input. General consensus reached that a fully competitive formula would negatively affect continuity in IPM programs regionally. d. Bob Nowierskis (in absentia) presentation on changes to CSREES programs. e. Requirements for NCERA 125 program review include submission of updated Impact Statement (deadline Nov. 15, 3 completed annual reports, all required materials submitted by Sept. 15). Annual report due before Christmas. V. Miscellaneous Reports a. IOBC update (Jonathan L.) Education Development Program (ARS)  funding for biocontrol-related short courses, educational opportunities. b. IOBC symposiom at ESA national meeting (Tuesday evening) will honor Bob ONeil. 3rd IOBC symposium on arthropod biological control in New Zealand. c. First international Entomophagous Insects Conference will be held in Minneapolis, July 28-31, 2008). Aphidophaga 11 (IOBC international working group) will be held in Perugia, Italy, September 2010. Opportunities for organizing symposia relating aphid biocontrol (J.P. Michaud chair and contact). d. Midwest Biological Control Institute. Carabid short course held June 22-25, Oak Lake Field Station, SD (Instructors: Kirk Larsen, Jonathan Lundgren, Foster Purrington, Don Weber, Kip Will). 12 students from 9 states attended. Cost was $5000 ($350 per student). Impacts: provided students with new research tools, increased student awareness of carabid importance and diversity. Luis Canas offered to coordinate with Joy Landis to revamp the ENCERA Biological Control website to contain a listing of periodic course offerings and other current information. VI. North Central Branch Symposium. NCB meeting will be held in St. Louis, MO, March 15-18, 2009. Taking biocontrol to the people. Kelley volunteered to organize. Matt to assist. Suggestions for talks included examples of using biological control as an outreach tool for public education (various levels, kids to adults), Binodoxys releases, Monarch mark-and-release program, natural enemy enhancement through use of native plants and non-crop vegetation, biological control in conservatories and zoos, purple loosestrife natural enemy rearing and release program. Sue suggested possibility of organizing a biocontrol symposium at an Ecological Society of America meeting. Steve suggested a special program for free public access (one whole day) that includes the symposium to attract students and lay-people outside of entomology. Matt suggested we might use the branch meeting to recruit local educators or students to the cause of biocontrol. Discussion followed on challenges w/r/t how to effectively use biocontrol research projects in educational contexts. VII. International IPM Achievement Award. Aimed at individuals and/or teams that have made significant contributions toward implementing IPM, including growers and commodity groups. Kelley suggested that the group might annually nominate someone involved in supporting or conducting biocontrol. Suggested the NCSRP (soybean producers group) that contributed more than $1,000,000 for the Binodoxys release program. Proposal to nominate NCSRP for this award passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned 12:40 p.m., Oct. 22, 2008

Please open the attached Summary of Minutes file for NCERA125's full 2008 report.