The Western Integrated Pest Management Center
has a big territory and big responsibility. We're charged with promoting the
development, adoption and evaluation of integrated pest management in 13
large Western states and the Pacific Island Territories. Not only is it a huge
region geographically, it's also home to very diverse agricultural systems and
many specialty crops.
To help stay informed about pest-management
issues and IPM priorities throughout the region, we have an 11-member
advisory committee and five-member steering committee that gather once a year
to provide updates about the issue they see or face in their daily work. This
year, the committees met in Portland on March 9 and 10 and spent a long and
valuable day and a half sharing insights.
“Several specific issues raised included the importance of communicating IPM success stories, documenting the alignment of Center activities and goals, the importance of the information network in monitoring regulatory activity and providing balanced responses to requests for information in the Federal Register," explained Center Associate Director Matt Baur. "The group also discussed problems associated with invasive species and climate change, and the need for IPM to provide common-sense solutions to pest problems.”
The meeting is important for the Center as we set plans and priorities, and we'd like to thank all of the advisory and steering committee members who were able to attend:
“Several specific issues raised included the importance of communicating IPM success stories, documenting the alignment of Center activities and goals, the importance of the information network in monitoring regulatory activity and providing balanced responses to requests for information in the Federal Register," explained Center Associate Director Matt Baur. "The group also discussed problems associated with invasive species and climate change, and the need for IPM to provide common-sense solutions to pest problems.”
The meeting is important for the Center as we set plans and priorities, and we'd like to thank all of the advisory and steering committee members who were able to attend:
- Steve Ela, Partner and Operations Manager, Ela Family Farms,
Colorado
- Anil Shrestha, Professor of Weed Science, Department of Plant
Science, California State University, Fresno
- Doug Walsh, Professor and Entomologist, Department of
Entomology, Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and
Extension Center
- Ken Kamiya, Owner, Kamiya Papaya, Hawaii
- Ben Bowell, Organic Education Specialist, Oregon Tilth;
Organic Specialist, National Resource Conservation Service
- Herb Bolton, National Program Leader, Division of Plant
Systems-Protection, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Daniel Sonke, Manager, Agriculture Sustainability
Programs, Campbell Soup Company
- Andy Jensen, Manager, Northwest Potato Research
Commission
- Scott Ockey, Field Development Manager, Western U.S.,
Certis USA
- Rebecca (Becky) Sisco, Regional Field Coordinator,
Western Region IR-4
The
Center staff, co-directors and comment coordinators also attended.
