Progress 09/18/23 to 02/14/25
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience is extensive, encompassing a wide range of individuals and organizations. Key groups include land-grant institutions (1862, 1890, and 1994), Steering Committee members, farmers, home gardeners, the general public, students, educators, scientists, technology users, USDA-NIFA, NGOs, federal and state agencies, commercial companies, SARE, IR-4, Extension, and regional and national pest management agencies. Furthermore, we include Regional Coordination Program staff, state IPM Coordinators, and university partners, instructors, and staff. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training and professional development efforts are listed under products as outputs from the funded projects. Workshops and staff trainings provided information and opportunities to expand awareness and knowledge of integrated pest management and ways to provide information in innovative ways to wider audiences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Result dissemination by funded projects is reported under products, including conference presentations, publications, and workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Better understand past and current activities to inform the steps necessary to broaden the impact of IPM. 1a) Needs assessment (100%) Needs Assessment using Qualtrics to understand better the IPM landscape and its current work in stakeholder areas survey was distributed nationwide to professionals in IPM. Survey distributed to roughly 642 people and had 151 responses, a 23.5% response rate. All data have been gathered and analyzed, and a manuscript was prepared. IPM professionals reported time and resources as barriers to reaching new stakeholders. Respondents recognized that meeting the needs of new stakeholders meant ensuring that the information shared is relevant to these stakeholders. In addition to the additional time needed to reach new stakeholders, there might also be personal professional development required to learn and understand information relevant to new stakeholders. The extra time to do this in a time-limited environment meant it often did not get accomplished. In addition, some respondents indicated a lack of desire personally or within their institutions to take the time necessary to meet the needs of new stakeholders. 1b) Relationship building with institutions and partners (50%) Increasing collaboration on IPM extension and research between all land-grant institutions is a goal of this project. The North Central IPM Center was the lead center for this proposal. It worked with the Northeastern, Southern, and Western Regional IPM Centers to promote and discuss funding opportunities with potential applicants. Co-Directors traveled to the First Americans Land-Grant Consortium (FALCON) conference in October 2023 and again in 2024 to network and learn more about connecting the work we are doing to 1994 LGIs and tribal colleges. They met with leaders at a tribal college in Montana to discuss future partnerships and opportunities in June 2024. Workshops on conducting a needs assessment and garden insect pests were presented to tribe members. Objective 2: Establish a base for the IPM centers and state IPM programs to jumpstart activities. 2a) Steering Committee (100%) A steering committee was formed to focus on advising the Regional IPM Centers directors on the goals and objectives of this project. Members of this committee were from all four regions, as well as 1994 Tribal Colleges and 1890 Land Grant Institutions. Committee members offered their expertise on the application and for proposal review. 2b) Training for IPM staff (0%) Trainings planned for the Regional IPM Center and state IPM personnel to help build a baseline understanding of effective activities were not held as of the termination of this award. Objective 3: Increase resources for IPM activities. Funding was supplemental to funds held by the regional centers and allowed a nationwide effort to increase resources available to those working on IPM issues. Total number of people reached through these funding efforts and work completed was more than 2,650. 3a) Fellowships - The fellowship request for applications received no interest. Funds were redistributed to the Grant funding line to allow for larger project awards. 3b) IPM Projects - Eight new grant projects funded through a competitive proposal process. A proposal review panel of IPM professionals selected proposals for funding. The total amount of funding awarded was $156,209. Projects supported as part of this objective: 1. Integrated Pest Management of Irrigation Ponds for Beginning Farmers in Connecticut - Developed IPM resources for irrigation pond management, reaching nearly 100 farmers with invasive plant management strategies. 2. Developing and Sharing Approaches to Improve Invasive Species Outreach - Midwest Invasive Plant Network enhanced accessibility of invasive species information through staff training and improved online resources, establishing accessibility standards for broader outreach. 3. Heritage Farmers in Kentucky: Making Connections with New Audiences - Initiated efforts to understand IPM needs of specialty crop farmers, developing pest management recommendations. 4. Healthy Urban Gardening - This project in Michigan successfully partnered with local organizations to deliver urban gardening and IPM education and outreach. 14 community members graduated with an MSU Extension certificate of completion. The project developed a 5-session curriculum and plans to create further resources for broader use, aiming for long-term impacts of improved community health through increased access to fresh produce and reduced pesticide use and reached 120 individuals. 5. Integrated Pest Management Beekeeping Education for Incarcerated Persons - The Bee Squad in Minnesota integrated IPM into beekeeping education at two prisons, impoving pest management knowledge and providing new skills. 6. Innovative Community Approaches to Integrated Pest Management in Low Access Areas - Established community-based pest management programs to enhance food security and sustainable farming practices through local leadership and collaboration 7. Development of a Novel 'Trap Solution' Using Extracts from Mustard Trap Crop Varieties for the Management of the Harlequin Bug on Crucifers - Explored mustard plant extracts as a natural control for harlequin bugs on collard greens, identifying potential attractant and repellant properties. 8. Integrated Pest Management and Training Opportunities at the Utah State Correctional Facility - Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District proposed an IPM program focused on mosquito management, incorporating education, licensing, and biological control methods for inmates and staff. 3c) Mini-grants - Three mini-grants were awarded for a total of $14,962. 1. Expanding access to cooperative extension services for specialty crop growers - Provided on-farm IPM consultations and diagnostic services to improve pest, water, and nutrient management. 2. Enhancing IPM through Targeted Workshops for Spanish-Speaking Farmers and Farm Employees in the Hudson Valley Region, New York - Developed Spanish-language IPM workshop materials focused on biocontrol methods to enhance knowledge and adoption, building a supportive network within the agricultural community. 3. Farming without borders: Empowering urban refugee and immigrant farmers through language-appropriate crop and pest management tools - Translated pest identification resources into Nepali and conducted hands-on IPM demonstrations for Bhutanese farmers.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Dingha, Beatrice, Ikponmwosa Egbon and Jackai Louis. 'Trap Solution' for the Management of the Harlequin Bug on Crucifers. 97th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. March 11, 2025.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Lamb, A., Leonberger, K., Gauthier, N., Taylor, J. Historical Farm Practices and Their Influence on Disease Management. Plant Pathology Fact Sheet. February 2025. https://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/sites/plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/PPFS-GEN-26.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Kurtz, L., Siegel-Miles, A., Wallace, V. Invasive Plant Triage for Habitat Managers in Connecticut. 2025. UConn Extension Fact Sheet.
https://doi.org/10.61899/ucext.v2.097.2025
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Progress 09/18/23 to 09/17/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this initiative includes a diverse range of individuals and organizations. This encompasses RCP staff, the DEIA Steering Committee, state IPM Coordinators, stakeholders, farmers, the general public, NGOs, end users, and underserved populations such as Tribal Nations and low-income individuals. Additionally, it involves land-grant university partners, USDA-NIFA, federal and state agencies, SARE/IR-4/eXtension, students, educators, university scientists, instructors, staff, and technology users including social media users, web readers, and podcast listeners. Changes/Problems:Initial funding distribution was challenging. The first RFA primarily attracted proposals from the North Central region, hindering our goal of national reach. To address this, we re-released the RFA to focus on other regions. Additionally, we modified the RFA language, replacing "DEIA" with "Equity and Accessibility" to broaden eligibility. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?With funded awards just beginning work on their respective projects, we do not have results to disseminate as of yet. Results of those projects and of the Needs Assessment will be disseminated in the future through our interactive information networks that cross traditional, institutional, disciplinary, programmatic, and geographic boundaries to all regions of the U.S. This includes the state IPM coordinators, USDA NIFA program managers, and regional center communicators to disseminate to their stakeholders and content subscribers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Better understand past and current activities to inform future steps. First, the needs assessment will be concluded. The results of the needs assessment will be analyzed and reported to the larger Regional IPM community. Then, the regional centers should decide on next steps based on the results of the needs assessment. This process should be viewed as ongoing as the needs of the IPM community are compared to the available resources and abilities of the regional centers. These results will be used to create future plans to address the DEIA needs that the IPM professionals identified. Objective 2: Establish a base for the IPM centers and state IPM programs to jumpstart DEIA activities. Now that the DEIA steering committee has been formed and the results of the needs assessment will be concluded, the focus will pivot to creating plans and trainings centered on the needs identified. The expertise of the steering committee can be utilized for these plans and trainings, along with Dr. Hartmann and the regional center directors, based on the needs identified in the needs assessment. Objective 3: Increase resources for IPM-DEIA activities. Based on the available funds for both the DEIA grants and the mini-grants, we will re-release the associated RFAs to distribute these finds.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Better understand past and current activities to inform future steps. Obj. 1a: Conduct a needs assessment to identify DEIA gaps: Identify past and current projects/programs with underserved communities and areas for improvement. (50%) Dr. Hartmann conducted a Needs Assessment using Qualtrics to better understand the IPM landscape and its current work in diverse communities. This survey was distributed nationwide to professionals in IPM, including members of the regional centers, funded working groups and other grants, and state IPM professionals. In total, the survey was distributed to roughly 642 people and had 151 responses, representing a 23.5% response rate. Currently, all data has been gathered and needs to be analyzed by Dr. Hartmann. Results will be available soon. Obj. 1b: Relationship building with institutions and partners. (50%) Co-Directors Laura Iles and Katie Hartmann traveled to the First Americans Land-Grant Consortium (FALCON) conference in October 2023 to network and learn more about how to connect the work we are doing to 1994 LGIs and tribal colleges. Iles and Hartmann also met with leaders at Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer, MT to discuss future partnerships and opportunities in June 2024. Building relationships is an ongoing process. In the coming year, Dr. Hartmann will attend FALCON again and continue to contact representatives from 1890, 1994, and other underserved colleges and communities about further collaborations with IPM professionals. Objective 2: Establish a base for the IPM centers and state IPM programs to jumpstart DEIA activities. Obj. 2a: Identify a DEIA steering committee. (100%) A steering committee was formed to focus on advising the Regional IPM Centers directors on DEIA-specific goals. Members of this committee are from all four regions, as well as 1994 Tribal Colleges and 1890 Land Grant Institutions. Committee members have offered their expertise on the application and for proposal review. We expect this committee to continue to establish guidelines on prioritizing the future of our DEIA work. Obj. 2b: Develop DEIA training for IPM staff. (0%) Trainings will be conducted for Regional IPM Center and state IPM personnel to help build a baseline understanding of effective DEIA activities. These trainings will occur once the needs assessment data is complete to establish a baseline. Objective 3: Increase resources for IPM-DEIA activities. Obj. 3a. Fellowships: Develop an IPM-DEIA fellowship program for students and/or staff at 1890 Land Grant Institutions, 1994 Tribal Colleges, and Hispanic Serving Institutes. The fellowship request for applications received no interest. Funds were redistributed to the DEIA Grant funding line to allow for larger project awards. Obj. 3b. IPM-DEIA Projects: Fund IPM-DEIA projects focused on serving underserved communities. In March 2024, the North Central IPM Center funded four new DEIA grant projects. Due to most proposals submitted from the North Central region, the request for applications was reopened for more proposals as we wished to distribute funds equitably across the four regions of the U.S. In July 2024, four additional DEIA grant projects received funding, bringing the total amount of funding distributed to $156,209. Obj. 3c. Mini-grants: Develop an IPM-DEIA mini-grant program for groups or individuals working on DEIA issues. Three mini-grants have been awarded for a total of $14,962. These projects include on-site farm visits and consultations with Amish farmers in Missouri to implement and encourage IPM practices, English-Nepali translation of pest-specific materials for Bhutanese immigrant and refugee urban farmers in Ohio, and increasing IPM training and resources to Spanish-speaking farmers and employees in New York.
Publications
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