USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants Awarded to Western States and Projects

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture just announced the recipients of its Crop Protection and Pest Management program grants, which included awards for regional IPM coordination, applied research and development grants, and extension implementation programs.

We're happy to report that the Western IPM Center was successful in our application to continue providing IPM coordination for the Western Region. Here are the other award winners from the West:

Applied Research and Development Program

• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $250,000—This Extension-led ARDP project will pro-actively address significant threats of whitefly resistance to several key selective insecticides in a multi-crop system.
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $124,998—This ARDP Extension-led project addresses two research priorities and three extension priorities. Pest problems and unnecessary pesticide exposure due to outdated and ineffective pest management practices in elder/disable housing facilities pose risks to the residents' health.

• University of California, Davis, Calif., $249,997—This project will determine if the intra-row intelligent cultivator allows development of improved weed management programs in vegetable crops through reduced labor and/or herbicide use; Introduce and demonstrate new precision intra-row cultivation technologies to growers and allied industry, and work with growers to integrate this type of cultivation system into their production scheme; Deliver the results of the intelligent cultivator evaluation to the vegetable producers through field days, extension meetings, publications and websites.

• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $240,845—his project will develop new weather forecasting decision support tools that can extend the forecast horizon used by agricultural producers in planning multiple management activities, especially those involving crops and pests, that are affected by the weather.

Extension Implementation Program

• University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, $170,000—This project will reduce the rate of pest establishment in Alaska's farms and ranches. It will increase the training and work time of existing pest scouts; enhance category specific and on-line integrated pest management (IPM) training courses for pesticide applicators; and organize data and reports on pests into one clearinghouse resource that can be used to track pests and notify land managers when important agricultural pests are identified.

• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $286,000—This project will implement and evaluate high-impact integrated pest management (IPM) programs consistent with stakeholder-identified priorities in the following emphasis areas: IPM Implementation for Agronomic Crops, IPM Implementation for Specialty Crops, IPM Training and Implementation in Schools, and IPM Education for Pesticide Applicators.

• University of California, Davis, Calif., $285,000—This project will reduce the negative impacts of toxic pesticides on environmental quality and human health; help clients more effectively and economically manage pests; and increase the resilience and long-term sustainability of integrated pest management programs.

• Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., $92,000—This project will increase awareness of the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM); improving access to technical materials; improving communication, internally and with stakeholders, regarding IPM activities; and collaborate with neighboring states and perform as a team.

• University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam, $32,500—This project will promote early detection, identification, and education regarding integrated pest management (IPM) as a means of reducing losses to diseases, pests, and weeds.

• University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, $274,300—This project will conduct on-site integrated pest management (IPM) training and hands-on workshops; design and implement an IPM curriculum for Master Gardeners; convene IPM In-Service Professional Development workshops for Extension faculty; publish manuals and fact sheets; and create on-line IPM decision aids and mobile device IPM apps.

• Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., $140,000—This project will develop and deliver information on IPM practices in Montana and provide readily available, up-to-date pest management information to stakeholders.

• University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, $128,300—This project will increase awareness and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) practices in urban, agricultural and recreational areas to result in greater use of preventative measures and more appropriate use and disposal of pest management products to minimize nonpoint source pollution of Nevada waterways and protect the health of Nevada residents.

• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $190,000—This grant will assist in the implementation of IRM practices for specialty and agronomic crops, as well as training and implementation of these practices in schools.
• Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $105,000—This grant will help increase sustainable IPM practices in specialty crops, communities, and schools for economic benefits, protection of human and environmental health, and promotion of ecosystem services.

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $155,000—This grant will assist IMP EIP with increasing IPM implementation among agricultural and urban pest management practitioners, disseminating sound, science-based recommendations; utilizing traditional and emerging methodologies.

• University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., $66,850—This grant will assist the University of Wyoming’s National Integrated Pest Management Roadmap through partial funding of an IPM Coordinator position, extension events, and training programs.