Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:Commercial grain and soybean growers, livestock producers, apple and grape growers, greenhouse and high tunnel operators, vegetable and berry growers, landscapers, pesticide applicators, Master Gardeners, home gardeners, and general public. Changes/Problems: No changes of note for program areas What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Agronomic Crops: IPM information is distributed through field days, winter meetings, blogs, websites, webinars, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, phone calls, emails and social media. Conference proceedings and meeting videos will be posted to our website. Specialty Crops-Tree Fruit/Grapes: IPM information is distributed through website, blog posts, factsheets, on-farm workshops, one-on-one consultations, and presentations at regional grower meetings. Information collected in surveys will remain confidential. Specialty Crops-Greenhouse/High Tunnel: IPM information is distributed through workshops, conferences, presentations, site visits, factsheets, websites, Facebook page and a listserv. Animal Agriculture: IPM information is distributed through workshops, on-farm visits, webinars, factsheets, guides. Communities: IPM information is delivered through the Master Gardener Course, Master Gardener Helpline, advanced training, newsletter, state reports, website, and emails. Pesticide Applicators: IPM information is distributed through newsletters, online courses, presentations, factsheets, website, emails, and phone calls. Pest Diagnostic Facilities: IPM information is distributed through sample diagnosis, website, meetings, presentations, webinars, newsletters, television, radio, press releases, factsheets, emails, and phone calls. Northeast Small Fruit and Vegetable IPM Working Group education/research priorities will be shared on the NE IPM center website. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Agronomic Crops: Two IPM field days highlighting pest scouting, pollinator protection, and weed management; two IPM winter conferences covering seed quality, seedborne diseases, variety selection, scouting, management of early season crop pests, weed management in no-till systems, and emerging threats (i.e. corn leafhopper); agronomic pest management demonstrations; continued see quality testing; pest management updates will be provided throughout the year through blog posts, social media, and newsletters; a VT soybean pest survey will be conducted and a Guide to Soybean Pests will be created for New England farmers; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Specialty Crops-Tree Fruit/Grapes: Six on-farm workshops demonstrating IPM practices; twenty-five IPM e-bulletins to fruit grower listservs; continued support of the NE Tree Fruit IPM Working Group; one IPM fact sheet; thirty one-on-one consultations; continued work with student interns and graduate students on IPM issues in fruit, coordinate VT state NEWA network; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Specialty Crops-Greenhouse/High Tunnel: Tristate Greenhouse IPM Workshop; regional High Tunnel Conference; High Tunnel Farm tour; two regional IPM factsheets; three High Tunnel newsletter IPM articles; ten IPM farm visits; continued work on IPM education materials and impact assessments with program Post Doc; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Animal Agriculture: Grazed pasture IPM fact sheet; dung beetle ID pocket guide; ten one-on-one grazed pasture IPM assessments with farmers; one livestock pasture walk; program Post Doc will continue to participate in program with one field day and one winter conference presentation; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Communities: Two online presentations (through webinars or annual conference) to train EMG volunteers on IPM; one vetted presentation package; one factsheet on IPM strategy; annual Master Gardener course and evaluation of impacts ; four Ask-an-EMG Information Stations at events in Vermont; Master Gardener Helpline service; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Pesticide Applicators: Two category-specific recertification meetings; one four-part online recertification webinar series; biannual newsletter publication; one annual new applicator certification training; continued new applicator on-demand online training; Master Gardener Course IPM module; two-credit pesticide applicator certification training undergraduate course; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation Pest Diagnostic Facilities: Finalize Northeast Veg Working Group priorities ranking, post on NE IPM Center website, assess regional impacts of meeting; four IPM articles for landscape industry; six press releases for the public; ten IPM presentations at grower meetings and public; contribute to regional and state veg and small fruit listservs; continued analysis of samples with IPM recommendations; Master Gardener Course pest diagnostic module; continued training of Post Doc and intern; continued reporting to NEERA and REEport, VT EIP team meetings to discuss impacts and evaluation

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Each facet of the VT EIP is increasing the adoption of IPM practices in a variety of crops and settings to reduce the amount of pesticides used and lower costs while protecting the environment and human health. Agronomic Field Days & Conferences participants have increased knowledge of IPM practices, including scouting and managing seedborne diseases. Up to 82% of orchards have changed management practices to improve timing, decrease pesticide use, and protect pollinators. "Adjusted my mowing of my orchard to account for pollinators." A Greenhouse/High Tunnel Post Doc learned how to scout for natural enemies and pests and gained impact assessment knowledge assisting with the Tristate Greenhouse IPM Workshop. On-farm Livestock IPM Pasture Walks are planned for 2025. 55% of Master Gardener Helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended and 67% reduced or avoided the use of pesticides, saving $303 per client on pesticide costs. Annual pesticide certification meeting participants are likely to use pesticides more safely and adopt IPM practices, "It is helpful to be reminded of simple steps that can make a big difference when working with pesticides." 93% of Plant Diagnostic Clinic clients implemented recommended IPM strategies and 76% reduced their the use of pesticides, saving $453 per client on pesticide costs. Please see the following accomplishments for more details. Objective 1. Promote New IPM Tools and Tactics for Established Practitioners Agronomic Field Days and Winter Conferences: - 91% increased knowledge of IPM topics - 84% intend to adopt IPM practices - 47% intend to adopt a cultural practice such as rotation, resistant varieties, row spacing, planting date etc. - 43% plan to start scouting their crops - 19% plan to start testing seed quality - 29% intend to purchase only certified seed - 29% plan to adopt a new seed treatment practice such as steam, biologicals, or ozone Seed Quality Testing: - 100% increased knowledge of IPM topics - 100% intend to adopt IPM practices - 50% intend to adopt a cultural practice such as rotation, resistant varieties, row spacing, etc. - 20% intend to purchase only certified seed - 25% plan to adopt a new seed treatment practice such as steam, biologicals, or ozone - 100% planned to use a testing service to evaluate seed quality Agronomic Extension Outreach Education Outputs: - Two webinar attendees mentioned it was "the best neonic presentation heard to date!" Tree Fruit/Grape Workshops: • Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Assoc. Annual Meeting - 79-93% knowledge of Plant Growth Regulators, Apple Disease Management, Bitter Pit Management, New and Emerging Diseases of Tree Fruit - 73% to adopt at least one new IPM practice - 18-82% changed an IPM management practice in 2024 to improve timing, decrease pesticide use, protect pollinators (crop load management, pest/groundcover management) - "This talk plus help from pest tracking project helped me learn better to identify pests" - "Hope to use NEWA for better planning and application of pest management" • Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting - 100% knowledge of Pest ID and IPM, Minimizing pesticide risk to pollinators - 67% likely to implement a new IPM practice - "Learned more about timing in pest control" Northeast Tree Fruit IPM Working Group: - "The Northeast Tree Fruit IPM Working Group has been the single most important networking opportunity in my work year for over 30 years. I have passed that learning onto growers in Maine and around New England and eastern Canada." Tree Fruit/Grape Extension Outreach Education Outputs: • New England Fruit Consortium webinar series - 191 pesticide credits administered @1 credit each (100 individuals) - 96-98% knowledge of alternative weed management strategies, bitter rot management strategies, apple scab management strategies Greenhouse/High Tunnel Winter Conferences: • Tristate Greenhouse IPM Workshop - 1.4 point increase in knowledge - 79% likely to adopt a new IPM practice including id biocontrol agents and pests, release of natural enemies, scouting, and sanitation Master Gardener Advanced Training: • UVM Extension Master Gardener Annual Conference - 75% to change the way they talk about/educate the public about lawn management - 57% to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices for lawn care - 67% very likely to select lawn or ground cover species best for your landscape conditions - 57% to identify lawn pests for improved management - "The presentation gave me a more informed perspective on lawn care" - "Lawns are the place where people can make positive changes for increasing biodiversit." Pesticide Applicator Recertification Meetings, Online Courses: • Pest Management Professionals Meeting - 94-100% knowledge about Labels, Drift, Spill Control; Occasional Invaders; Green Pest Control; Mosquitoes & Ticks; Bait Box BMPs - 98% to apply and use pesticides more safely - 94% to adopt at least one new IPM practice - "More knowledge to inform customers about limitations of and more importantly does not mean no toxic effect with green products" - "Doing more exclusion work to stay away from chemicals and pesticides" • Agricultural Pesticide Applicator Meeting - 97-98% knowledge about Pesticide Handling Practices; Pesticide Toxicity and Personal Risks; Label Precautionary Statements - 93% to apply and use pesticides more safely - 76% likely to adopt at least one new IPM practice - 162 VT pesticide credits administered @2-4 credits each, 10 NY pesticide credits administered @4.5 credits each (129 individuals) - "It was an excellent refresher about interpreting the label, proper mixing and loading, and PPE" - "I can now explain to the public why they can always find 'effects' of various pesticides, due to the mandatory testing for registration" • 4 VT online course pesticide credits administered @1 credit each (4 individuals) Pesticide Applicator Extension Outreach Education Outputs: • The Pesticide Applicator newsletter - 470 pesticide credits administered @1 credit each (235 individuals) - 89% use pesticides more safely - 44% adopted at least one new IPM practice - "It makes me think about the pesticides I'm using, is it best, is it the most efficient, what's the environmental impact" - "We have minimized our use of toxic chemicals; not only a cost savings but less chemical and less disease resistance" Northeast Vegetable IPM Working Group: - 100% reported gaining new knowledge Objective 2. Increase IPM Awareness and Adoption for New Audiences Master Gardener Helpline: - 85% helped to identify pest problem - 82% received information on IPM strategies - 55% implemented recommended IPM strategies - 67% reduced or avoided pesticides - $303 average per client estimated cost savings by reducing pesticide use Pesticide Applicator Certification Meetings, Online Courses: • Initial Pesticide Certification Meeting - 77% pass rate (in-state average 64%) - 90% prepared to take the exam following the review session - 100% to apply and use pesticides more safely - 93% to adopt at least one new IPM practice - 95% to adopt at least one new IPM practice to protect pollinators - "A relatively complex topic made very accessible" - "This program solidified knowledge I had already read to help retain it for testing" • Online study courses - 80-100% prepared to take the exam - 92-100% to apply and use pesticides more safely - 92-100% to adopt at least one new IPM practice - "Great little study guide!" Plant Diagnostic Clinic Diagnostics: - 93% implemented recommended IPM strategies - 76% reduced or avoided pesticides - $453 average per client estimated cost savings by reducing pesticide use Objective 3. Develop the Next Generation of IPM Scientists and Educators - Impact assessments pending

Publications