Non Technical Summary
This is an EIP proposal. We will address stakeholder-identified priorities using an integrated applied research and outreach approach to develop and deliver diverse and effective pest management strategies and technologies that fortify our regional food system and are economical to deploy, while also protecting public health, agricultural workers and the environment, a key priority of the National IPM Road Map. We will leverage new expertise in the areas of weed science and urban agriculture to promote proven and novel IPM approaches to existing and new audiences. We will partner with other state and federal agencies to provide regional pesticide applicator education tools and to leverage available financial assistance, making IPM adoption more economically sustainable. We will also address critical pest challenges, climate change issues, and develop strategies for successful implementation of habitat restoration systems that maximize conservation of pollinators and integrate with management of other components of agricultural systems through our applied research program.Priority areas addressed: IPM Implementation in Specialty Crops (83.8%), IPM for Pollinator Health (5%), IPM Education for Pesticide Applicators (10%), and Coordination (1.2%).Project goals:1. Provide outreach and education for MA specialty crop growers via technical assistance, educational presentations and meetings, podcasts, and "e-office hours."2.Applied and demonstration research to identify novel IPM approaches that directly address stakeholder-identified pest priorities in MA3.Partner to increase awareness of IPM practices, mitigation strategies, and financial assistance programs through collaboration and training-the-trainers (Urban Ag, MDAR, NRCS)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
216	1499	3020	50%
216	1110	3020	50%

Knowledge Area
216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1499 - Vegetables, general/other; 1110 - Apple;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
Goal 1: Increasing food system resilience byminimizing losses due to pests, mitigating impacts of climate change on pest and crop management, and maintaining pollinator health. These issues are critical to the economic sustainability of specialty crop production in MA.• Adapt the "Mentor Farm Program" for weed, pollinator health, and urban agriculture specialists• Provide IPM education for growers and pesticide applicators via one-on-one technical assistance and group education• Maintain Network for Weather Applications in MA--funding for this objective has been secured from our Extension administrative funds.• Update regional guides for growers and applicatorsGoal 2: Addressstakeholder-identified issues including pests of high concern (e.g., downy mildews, Cranberry scale, and fire blight) using a participatory research and demonstration approachTree fruit IPM: Monitor orchard pests; Manage grape disease; Demonstrate attract-and-kill strategiesVegetable IPM: Refine management of Cucurbit diseases; Improve management of Phytophthora blight in vegetable crops; Develop identification and management tools for high tunnel pests. Cranberry IPM: Study cranberry scale biology and management practices; Monitor cranberry black bug, blunt-nosed leafhopper and cranberry weevil populations; Identify emerging weeds issue and develop management recommendationsCross-commodity IPM: Evaluate UAS technology for scouting and application of pesticides and fertilizers; Establish pollinator habitat demonstrations; Evaluate emerging weed control strategies on fruit and vegetable farmsGoal 3: To foster development and adoption of IPM strategies for Specialty Crop Producersin MA by partneringwith other state and federal agencies (MA Department of Ag, NRCS, FSA, and RMA)• Partner with the new UMass Extension Urban Agriculture Program• Partner with NRCS to provide training for conservation planners in IPM practices and plans• Partner with MDAR to coordinate outreach and education relating to Endangered Species Act• Partner with the UMass Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to support IPM practitioners

Project Methods
Field scouting, pest monitoring, one-on-one technical assistance, site visits, IPM planning, pre-season interviews, post-season interviews, group eucation in-person and/or online, factsheets, newsletter articles, social media, and other media e.g.podcastsPre/post-surveys of knowledge, confidence, adoptionReplicated field trials