SERA-IEG 3 Annual Meeting
March 18-20, 2002
Portsmouth, VA
Participants (in order of sign-up): Clayton Hollier, LSU AgCenter; Anthony Keinath, Clemson University; Mike Linker, North Carolina State University; Tom Fuchs, Texas A&M University; Clarence Collison, Mississippi State University; Bill Hoffman, CSREES; Ames Herbert, Virginia Tech University; Gus Lorenz, University of Arkansas; John McVay, Auburn University; David Boethel, LSU AgCenter; Michael Fitzner, CSREES; Ron Stinner, North Carolina State University; Russ Mizell, University of Florida; Harold Coble, USDA; Norm Leppla, University of Florida; Pat Bolin, Oklahoma State University; Gerrit Cuperus, Oklahoma State University; Jonathon Edelson, Oklahoma State University; Goeff Zehnder, Clemson University; Paul Guillebeau, University of Georgia; Fred Knapp, University of Kentucky; Bonnie Ownley, University of Tennessee; Karen Vail, University of Tennessee.
Introductions/Local Arrangements: Gus Lorenz and Ames Herbert.
Tribute to Gerritt: Mike Linker. Mike presented a plaque to Gerritt for his many years of service to the southern region group and for his outstanding leadership for many of those years.
Administrative Advisor Comments: David Boethel. David’s comments emphasized two items to the group. The first item, was that the minutes of the 2002 meeting must be posted on the website within 60 days. Secondly, that the IPM facilitator issue was on the agenda for the next director’s meeting.
National Level Update: Mike Fitzner and Harold Coble. Mike introduced Bill Hoffman, newly hired Plant Section Program Specialist. Bill will be working in the communications and web-based reporting system areas. Bill presented some of his ideas and plans for the position.
CSREES is reorganizing. The four goals of the reorganization are to: improve customer service; clarify roles and responsibilities and assure promotion potential for staff Agency-wide; consolidate management and clarify entry points of the organization and align the agency’s structure and goals.
Budget proposals were discussed. Items of interest (in millions of dollars): Regional Pest Management Centers, $4.531 (unchanged); CAR, $1.497 (unchanged); FQPA/RAMP, $4.889 (unchanged); Methyl Bromide Transition Program, $2.498 (unchanged); Farm Safety, $0 (down 100% from $5.3); Pest Management $10.759 (unchanged); Sustainable Agriculture, $3.8 (down 20%); IR-4, $10.5 (unchanged); PMAP, $1.6 (unchanged).
National Road Map for Pest Management: Harold Coble. A draft of the “road map” was given for discussion. It included both vision and mission statements along with impact areas, research priorities, implementation priorities and measurement goals. The vision: “Wide scale adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) will result in more economically viable, environmentally compatible, socially responsible and sustainable crop production systems for the United States by 2010.”
Impact areas for the Road Map include: pest management for plant and animal systems; pest management for natural resource environments, recreational and right-of-way; and pest management for residential and institutional facilities.
The Road Map measurement goals were: develop baseline data at the beginning of new programs; create specific metrics with a relevant timeframe for measurement of accomplishments; provide templates and documents as potential measurement tools and engage individuals and organizations that have measurement expertise early enough in the program and project development.
The next step in the Road Map process is to move from generalizations to specifics.
IPM Reporting Issues: Bill Hoffman. Bill discussed program development, program promotion and program evaluation. He emphasized that program development includes all levels of government (federal and state), partners (ex., university administrators) and stakeholders. Program promotion is crucial. It includes addressing, educating and re-educating (not letting them forget). Promotion also includes communicating program possibilities.
The current reporting process was discussed. A review of the numbers collected and the ambiguities were discussed. It was determined that indicators would be the same for the next reporting, but more explanation would be in order to define what is needed.
National IPM Meeting. A national IPM meeting has been set for Indianapolis, IN for April, 2003. It was agreed that the 2003 SERA-IEG 3 meeting would be held in conjunction with the Indianapolis meeting.
Update on IPM Centers: Russ Mizell. Russ discussed several aspects of the centers. The regional centers were established to respond quickly to information needs in both public and private sectors. They also help USDA and its partner institutions identify, prioritize and coordinate national pest management research, extension and education programs.
The Southern Region Pest Management Center is comprised of 13 states and Puerto Rico. Its website is linked through: www.pmcenters.org.
The center objectives include: a) establishment and management of a multi-state information network to provide crop profiles, pest management strategic plans and response to FQPA risk assessment; b) serve as an information source on pest management practices, problems and issues for commodities in the region by reviewing documents related to crop production and providing FQPA-related information to public and private sectors.
The regional center has a steering committee and cooperators from each state. A majority, if not all, of the cooperators seem to have a PIAP background. Concern was expressed that the center’s program may be more geared to the old PIAP program rather than toward IPM. Additional concern was expressed that the steering committee and the SERA-IEG 3 group needed to have some communication. Thus, Jonathan Edelson moved that the steering committee be invited to the SERA-IEG3 meeting each year. Ames Herbert seconded. The motion passed. In addition, Jonathan Edelson moved that the P. I./state cooperators be invited and encouraged to attend the SERA-IEG3 meeting. Karen Vail seconded. The motion passed.
IPM Facilitator for the Southeast Region: Ames Herbert and Russ Mizell. Mike Fitzner has agreed to fund one-half of the facilitator position for two (2) years with the University of Florida agreeing to fund the other one-half of the position from the overhead of the Southern Region Pest Management Center.
A job description was discussed that included: responsibility for collecting summary reports at the end of projects, handling and coordinating review of projects, coordinating grant facilitation, coordinating with other entities such as sustainable agriculture and water quality, attending the “fall” meeting, grants management (SRIPM Program), facilitating SERA-IEG3 meeting, public relations for the region, collecting success stories and maintaining the website.
SRIPM Grants Summary: Fred Knapp. Fred has been named as the interim grants manager. Copies of the guidelines for preparation and submission of pre- and full-proposals for the grant can be obtained from Fred at the University of Kentucky.
The director’s IPM ten-member review committee reviewed 34 pre-proposals (22 research, 6 extension, 6 joint). Of those 11 were funded (8 research, 2 extension and 1 joint). Comprehensive reviews of the proposals were sent to the project PIs.
There was a lively discussion on the merits of pre-proposals versus letters-of-intent for SRIPM grants. The SERA-IEG3 group recommends the use of pre-proposals.
RFP Revisions for 2002-2003 Cycle: Goeff Zehnder. Geoff Zehnder proposed a revision to the SRIPM RFP to allow single state proposals in the Research-Extension category. The group unanimously approved a wording change to indicate that single state projects will be considered in addition to multi-state projects. The revision also eliminates a requirement for letters of intent in the Research-Extension category, and stipulates that pre-proposals are required, as is the case with the other categories. The group also approved insertion of a sentence under "Multi-Regional Cooperation" to indicate that proposals with PIs at institutions outside the Southern Region will be considered if the lead PI is from a Southern Region institution. Finally, the group approved insertion of a new section (V, after "Multi-Regional Cooperation") that
instructs PIs of previously submitted proposals to check the "Resubmission"
box on the Proposal Cover Page Form, and to provide a one-page summary
responding to previous review panel comments.
The group also approved a suggestion to continue to support an "RFP
Committee" comprised of three SERA-IEG-IPM members. The members will serve
three-year terms with one new member voted on the committee and the senior
member rotated off each year. The current committee members are Jim
Schreffler and Geoff Zehnder. Tom Fuchs nominated Jim Starr (Texas A&M) to
serve as the new member beginning in 2002; the nomination was unanimously
approved by the group.
Election of New Secretary and 2003 Meeting Location: Gus Lorenz. Pat Bolin was selected as the secretary for the group for the 2003 meeting. Ames Herbert assumes the role of chair and Clayton Hollier becomes the chair-elect. Further the SERA-IEG3 group decided to meet with the National IPM Meeting in Indianapolis. We will meet on Monday, April 7, 2003. A meeting room has been arranged for our session.
Update of a SRIPM Project: Ames Herbert. Ames gave a report on a project that had been funded by the SRIPM directors. It dealt with the use of plant canopy analyzers in soybeans.
Local Project IPM Report: Barren Keeling. Ms. Keeling reported on a weather-based advisory system for peanut diseases.
State Reports. Each state IPM coordinator gave a short report highlighting IPM efforts in their state.
Respectfully submitted,
Clayton A. Hollier
LSU AgCenter
Secretary