NE PMC Insider
Internal newsletter of the Northeastern Pest Management Center.
Issue 7, January 2002
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NE PMC InsiderInternal newsletter of the Northeastern Pest Management Center. Issue 7, January 2002 |
Northeast
We're refining plans for the NE PMC annual meeting. It will be held at the Maritime Institute near Baltimore-Washington International Airport on March 12 - 14. Tentative schedule is as follows:
3/12 (Evening): Steering Committee
3/13 (All or most of the day): Advisory Council
3/14 Information Network Project Leaders
3/14 Workshop: How to do Pest Management Strategic Plans
All of the Information Network Projects have submitted progress reports, and these are currently under review by the Steering Committee. Usually the Insider includes updates from a few of the Information Network Projects, but in light of the holidays and the recent submissions of these formal reports, we did not push for a January update. We will do our best to make information from the progress reports available online soon.
The Maine State Legislature has just convened it's 120th session and one of the proposals it will consider is aimed at promoting higher levels of IPM adoption among pesticide users through the establishment an IPM Council. If passed as proposed, the Council will be comprised of stakeholders representing broad interests ranging from natural resource conservation to community IPM to agriculture and forestry. This group, to be administered jointly by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Pest Management Office, will be charged with identifying IPM priorities and goals for promoting and expanding IPM adoption in Maine. The proposal also seeks to establish a fund to support on-farm IPM demonstration projects in Maine.
Kathy Murray, PhD
IPM Entomologist
ME Dept of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources
The Maine Board of Pesticides Control is considering a proposal put forth by the Maine Toxics Action Coalition (MTAC) to further regulate the use of pesticides in schools. The Board has convened a stakeholder group to craft new regulations which, if adopted as proposed by MTAC, will require universal parental notification of planned pesticide applications, limits on certain classes of pesticides, and written IPM plans for all public schools. Current regulations require a license for all pesticide applications in and on school properties (except those for emergency stinging insect control) and posting of outdoor pesticide applications.
Kathy Murray, PhD
IPM Entomologist
ME Dept of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources
Massachusetts state funding for IPM for the coming year was originally slated for $364,900. This amount went to MA Dept. of Food & Agriculture, but as in years past $250,000 was specifically earmarked for UMass to support the IPM Program. The Governor has now deleted the $250k earmarked for UMass IPM. That leaves the program dependent on its Smith-Lever 3(d) IPM funds. There has been discussion about Mass. Food & Ag. providing the remaining $114,900 to continue support of the School IPM program, but that has not occurred yet.
The latest on news from Bill Coli is that the school project will be funded, although nothing else will. At least this means that 2 planned layoffs will not need to be implemented. It also appears that one other potential layoff (of the cranberry IPM Specialist) will be prevented at least for the rest of this FY, by virtue of some other soft funding provided by the industry. Details of this have as yet not been finalized.
The New York Community IPM Program previously was funded through a "member item" at $350,000. New York IPM had anticipated similar funding (and was even hoping for an increase) for the NY FY 2001, which began in April 2001. The NY government did not pass a budget until after Sept. 11, and the budget does not include any $ for community IPM. A "recall" has been issued for unspent funds in the minigrants program, and Cornell administration has helped to cover costs for staff during calendar year 2001. Director Mike Hoffmann and other staff are exploring all viable options to maintain the program.
TopThe Pennsylvania State Board of Education and the Regulatory Review Commission unanimously adopted proposed academic standards in three subject areas (Science, Technology and Environment and Ecology) recently, including Integrated Pest Management, or IPM.
complete press release.....
Penn State is taking strides to demonstrate its commitment to the environment through its revised Environmental Strategy program.TopThe University's Environmental Strategy contains several objectives, including efficient use and conservation of energy, water and other resources; minimizing solid waste production; and practicing environmentally responsible campus design and planning principles by incorporating Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
complete press release.....
The newsletter is online and includes these articles:
IPM Personalities: Tom Garretson
Economic Value of Bt Corn to be Determined
School IPM
IPM Part of IAQ Guidelines
IPM Success Story: New Microscopes for Cooperative Extension
Exciting Additions to the PA IPM Web Site
New Sustainable Agriculture Publication
GAO IPM Evaluation
Useful Web Sites and Information
Coming Events
The NEREAP-IPM annual meeting will be held at the Hotel Viking in Newport, RI on Feb. 26 (1 p.m.) through Feb. 28 (noon). We have a single room rate of $77 per night blocked out until January 27. Details to follow.
Insider is sent to NE PMC Advisory Council members; NE PMC Information Network project leaders; NE PMC IPM Commodity Working Group members; IPM Coordinators in the Northeast; subscribers to PMC-L. Email Jim or Liz to offer submissions or suggest changes.
Jim VanKirk, Coordinator 315-787-2378 jrv1@cornell.edu
topJohn Ayers, Director 814-865-7776 (voice) email
Liz Thomas, Information Specialist 315-787-2626 egt3@cornell.edu
This page created January 2, 2002
Centers for Pest Management are sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture
This page developed and managed by Jim VanKirk, NE PMC Coordinator