Jump to a program year:

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Display only most recent year

2019 Program Year

RFA: NCIPMC Critical Issues Grants Program

Informing best management practices to reduce non-crop pesticide exposure for bees

Project Director: Rufus Isaacs
Funding Amount: $50,000

Animal pollinated crops are particularly important in the North Central region of the United States, which is home to a large and diverse agricultural landscape. These crops rely on pollination services provided by managed and wild bees to produce maximum yields. Michigan is the leading state in the nation for highbush blueberry production. This is achieved, in part, through investments in honey bees and bumble bees for pollination. Approximately 100 million pounds of blueberries are produced each year in Michigan, valued at $122 million. However, growers are facing increasing pest and disease pressures that have direct effects on crop yields, and some of which require management with pesticides during bloom when managed bees are most likely to be exposed to pesticides.
Beekeepers have had record colony losses over the past decade, and several Michigan bumble bee species have seen significant population declines. Exposure to pesticides has been implicated in declining bee health. In recent experiments, our lab found that for managed bees placed in blueberry (bumble bees) and cucumber fields (honey bees) for pollination services, more than 50% of bee collected pollen is from non-crop sources. Herbaceous flowering plants are of particular interest as they often grow in and around the crop, and therefore can be particularly susceptible to off-target pesticide deposition. While the majority of best management practices for mitigating pesticide risk to bees have focused on reducing toxic exposure while visiting the crop, the role of non-crop flowers within agricultural landscapes has received relatively less attention from researchers and educators.
Here, we will test two practical management strategies for minimizing pesticide exposure to bees at non-crop resources in and around agricultural fields. Drift reduction technology is an active field of study due to increasing concern about the impacts of non-target pesticide deposition. Air-induction spray nozzles have shown promising results for decreasing drift. They increase droplet size, decreasing the distance that the spray will travel. Weed control efforts, particularly mowing, have also been recommended to growers to reduce the chances of non-crop pesticide exposure in agricultural fields. Mowing has also shown promise for reducing pesticide exposure to bees in controlled field enclosures. However, these recommendations have not been explicitly tested within working farm settings.
We expect that the investigated strategies can be easily integrated into grower best management practices and increase crop yields via effective pest suppression, and increase pollination services due to improved bee health. This project will directly address concerns of pollinator health stakeholders in the region, and provide recommendations for mitigating risk across fruit production systems. Adoption of the outcomes will also improve relations between growers and beekeepers, two groups who sometimes struggle to resolve conflict over use of pesticides during bloom. Improvements in wild bee health will support a robust integrated pollination approach to specialty crop production.

IPM for soybean gall midge: understanding pest ecology and identifying management practices

Project Director: Anthony McMechan
Funding Amount: $50,000

In June of 2018, entomologists in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota received reports of soybean fields with visible signs of dead or dying plants associated with soybean gall midge. Surveys initiated in these states and neighboring Minnesota found that 65 counties had some presence of soybean gall midge. Fields with significant damage had clear signs of gradient of dead or dying plants that dissipated with distance from the field edge. Historically, this insect has been of little concern with its presence being linked to soybean plants that had been previously damaged by hail or infected by a plant pathogen. The sudden widespread detection of soybean gall midge and its association with damaged or dying plants is of great concern to growers. Soybean gall midge is being considered as a new species, therefore, no ecological information is available on this pest. With limited knowledge, growers are likely to resort to calendar insecticide spray applications in an attempt to reduce pest pressure. This proposal would track adult soybean gall midge activity during the spring to provide growers with knowledge on when management practices might be warranted. Adult activity cages would be accompanied by multiple small plot planting dates of soybeans to determine if such cultural strategies can be used to mitigate losses. Due to the rapid expansion of this pest, a concentrated effort will be made to communicate adult soybean gall midge activity and organize field days to create a dialogue for future research objectives to address clientele needs with this pest. The impacts of this research would be evident in the spring through a reduction in unnecessary insecticide applications. Establishing this early network of clientele and researchers would help direct future research efforts and identify sustainable practices for soybean gall midge.

RFA: North Central IPM Center Working Group Grants

2019 Great Lakes Urban Agriculture Working Group

Project Director: Jacqueline Kowalski
Funding Amount: $9,874

Urban agriculture continues to gain momentum particularly in Rust Belt cities where land re-use is a critical priority for city planners. Urban farms are developed and managed as either social (not-for-profit) or for-profit enterprises. Community gardens are also critical to re-greening strategies in the region and provide fresh produce to many who might not have adequate access. Urban farmers are often new and beginning farmers and inexperience and lack of knowledge of integrated pest management strategies which have led to decreased yields well as decreased potential profits. To address this problem, the Great Lakes Urban Agriculture IPM working group was formed in 2016 and is seeking renewal for the 2019 grant cycle. The approach of the working group will be to build upon our existing network and to complete the objectives of the formation of the 2019-2020 working group which are 1) to hold a regional meeting of University agriculture professionals and stakeholders in order to continue to grow an information sharing-network of urban agriculture professionals (Ohio, March 2019), 2) plan a monthly Working Group ZOOM check in meeting for the working group members and other interested stakeholders, 3) create three information fact sheets, and 4) build upon a series of information cards on pests of importance to serve the integrated pest management needs of urban gardeners (2 new cards focusing on incorporating pollinator habitat). The beneficiaries of the activities of this working group will be urban farmers and community programs that support urban farms and community gardeners. These activities will help meet the goals of improved understanding of current IPM issues across disciplines, increased/new IPM knowledge, increased adoption of IPM practices and improved economic impacts for urban farmers. The outcomes will also inform the research community of IPM research needs for urban farmers.

Further Develop a Collaborative Multi-State Extension Resource for Field Crops Extension

Project Director: Adam Sisson
Funding Amount: $10,000

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) was created to serve as infrastructure for field crop Extension outputs from diverse collaborators in the North Central Region and beyond. The CPN is a regional network of land-grant universities in the United States, and a closely related organization in Canada. The CPN has primarily involved plant pathologists and focused on field crop disease outputs. Outputs from the CPN thus far include 40 publications in the form of Extension bulletins and scouting guides on a variety of crop protection-related topics, with more in development. Nearly 100 specialists from more than 30 states have contributed thus far. The focus of this Working Group proposal is to further develop infrastructure for collection of disease loss estimate data for corn, soybean and wheat; increase participation of Extension specialists and administrative units in the Crop Protection Network while increasing IPM outputs; and increase engagement of farmers, agronomists, extension specialists and others with CPN IPM resources, concentrating on promotion through social media. Expansion of the CPN provides a “stage” where knowledge sharing or collaboration in extension efforts can be introduced, considered, or facilitated, and then leveraged across multiple crop-growing regions. This project directly benefits the North Central region by providing current and timely Extension material to aid in identification and management of existing and emerging problems, and provides information on issues lacking Extension material.

Great Lakes Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group FY19

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $13,482

Famers in the Great Lakes Region of the United States produce a diversity of crops. This region also supports abundant wildlife populations. As a result, crop damage by wildlife is common. However, information on how common and widespread crop damage is or the costs to farmers is lacking and resources for helping farmers address crop damage are highly varied. Wildlife IPM resources are generally under-used, often viewed as not effective, and for some types of wildlife damage, they simply do not exist. To improve communication across the region between relevant agencies and Universities, the Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group will bring together researchers, regulators, conservationists, educators, stakeholders, and resources from across the region at one annual symposium as well as 11 monthly for web-based meetings. We currently have 20 work group members representing faculty and staff at the following universities and agencies: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, USDA-APHIS, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. We hope to grow the group by adding 10 new members in 2019 who can contribute to and benefit from the group. The major goals of the of the working group include; improved understanding of agriculture-wildlife conflict resources and expertise across the region, increased collaboration between participants to address ag-wildlife conflicts, improved stakeholder communication, and increased adoption of mitigation practices by producers. These efforts address the NCIPMC priority for production agriculture IPM outreach and partnerships and training for Federal, State, County Agencies and Conservation Programs. The working group efforts also align with the NCERA222 Committee priority to network and collaborate with state, regional, and federal partners working on IPM-related issues.

Great Lakes Hop Working Group, 2019

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $14,994

The objective of this proposal is to continue to connect and expand the network of hop educators and researchers working in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. as well as Canada. These regions represent similar growing conditions that differ significantly from those in the primary production region in the Pacific Northwest. Current members include 66 representatives from twelve Universities and the Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs. The working group supports improved information exchange, knowledge sharing, and resource development that impacts growers in the region and beyond through a series meetings. The group also works to improve grower access to hop IPM education and resources with a special project to expand an on-line course developed in 2018. Primary group goals align well with the Center's regional priorities of; Improved information exchange and knowledge sharing, Improved understanding of current IPM issues; Increasing collaboration among diverse scientific communities; Increased adoption of IPM and; Improved economic and environmental impacts.

Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group

Project Director: Benjamin Phillips
Funding Amount: $19,908

Most Land Grant Universities in our North Central Region have undergone or are currently undergoing reorganization of their Extension services. Most have settled on an arrangement of regional Extension Educators, focusing on a topic area (i.e. sugar beets, dairy cattle, vegetables, fruit, etc.). Often, there is little overlap between these regions and Educators have trouble getting face time with their colleagues that share their focus. Further, vegetable growers early in their careers can learn much from networking with growers and Extension personnel in other regions, but are often at a loss of who to reach out to across state lines. Such connections can serve them throughout their careers by exposing them to how others adapt to challenges and explore new opportunities.


The Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group (GLVWG) is uniquely poised to connect educators with colleagues that have knowledge that can bridge these gaps. We propose to host a winter meeting for Extension professionals, supported by a listserv network. We also propose a summer grower exchange to forge lasting business and collegiate relationships among young or beginning vegetable growers across the Great Lakes region.

IPM4Bees Midwest Working Group

Project Director: Randall Cass
Funding Amount: $19,825

IPM4Bees Midwest Working Group
PD: O’Neal, Matthew, Iowa State University
Co-PD: Cass, Randall, Iowa State University
Collaborator: Wu-Smart, Judy, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Total Amount Requested: $19,825


Problem and Justification

Across the United States, beekeepers of all sizes (commercial, sideline, and backyard) experience annual colony losses at higher rates than previous decades (VanEngelsdorp, et al. 2008). For many beekeepers, colony losses will result in reduced income from honey production and, more significantly, pollination services. The scientific community understands higher rates of colony loss are the result of four major honey bee stressors: 1) pests and disease, 2) loss of habitat/poor forage availability, 3) pesticide exposure, and 4) negative effects that result from multiple stressors working synergistically (Goulson et al. 2015). These stressors are impacted by increased demand for crop production and directly relate to IPM.

First, controlling honey bee pests such as varroa mites and small hive beetles requires the implementation of apicultural IPM strategies. Varroa mites are especially injurious because they spread viruses between bees as they feed on them, quickly and dramatically weakening the overall health of the colony. The impact of this major pest is such that without mite management, colonies infested with Varroa mites tend to survive only 1-2 years (Le Conte et al. 2010). Moreover, in recent years the majority of colony losses reported by beekeepers (commercial sideline and backyard) are due to varroa (Seitz et al. 2016) IPM strategies for controlling pests in apiculture include cultural (apiary location and bee genetics), mechanical (traps, screened bottom boards, and breaks in brood cycles), and chemical approaches.

Second, implementing IPM practices in crop production may provide benefits to commercially managed honey bees contracted for pollination services. Benefits of “pollinator-friendly” IPM practices include the reduced use of pesticide applications, more timely use of highly selective or lower toxicity chemicals, and establishing habitat refuges for beneficial insect communities. These practices aim to reduce unintended non-target exposure or adverse effects from pesticides, mitigate further pollinator habitat loss, and improve ecosystem services.

IPM strategies for both apicultural and agricultural systems exist, however, little has been done to incorporate both sets of practices into one system. Coordinating timing of pesticide applications with honey bee management, for example, could greatly improve the health of bee colonies while maintaining crop productivity. Moreover, it may economically important for a farmer to conserve bees if they are growing a crop that requires insect pollination or may have increased yield with bee pollination. Coordinated IPM strategies could be further developed for specific cropping systems by connecting apicultural researchers with crop pest specialists.

Improved apicultural IPM and agricultural IPM programs will also benefit other pollinators, including wild bee species. Unlike honey bees, wild bees are either solitary or live in small colonies but are not typically bred commercially and populations are difficult to monitor and track. Unfortunately, wild bee populations are similarly in decline. In fact, from 2008 to 2013 there has been a 23% decrease in mean abundance of wild bee populations particularly in the mid-west region (Koh et al., 2016). Much of this decline was seen in areas where natural habitat had been converted into agriculture. Rapid and large-scale land use conversion to accommodate increasing demands for food and energy reduces available habitat and forage for bees, while simultaneously increasing the need for pollination services (Rashford et al., 2011; Wright and Wimberly, 2013; Lark et al., 2015; Koh et al., 2016; Otto et al., 2016). Wild bee decline is an increasingly important issue and since IPM strategies that benefit honey bees are relevant to also improving native bee health, both managed and wild bees will be considered in the development or improvement of IPM practices.

While the IPM practices discussed above overlap across states in the NCIPMC region and related extension work is offered in many of the states, there are few opportunities for researchers and extension agents to gather and share their work. A regional IPM4Bees Working Group is an opportunity to bring researchers and graduate students working in areas of bee health and crop pest management together and form a united response to IPM challenges through extension efforts. This collaborative group will also provide opportunities to improve our understanding of each system’s needs and challenges and foster discussions to better coordinate IPM strategies. As a result, best management practices for bee IPM in the region will be identified and institutions in the region will be equipped with standardized best practice recommendations to offer farmers and beekeepers in the Midwest.

This proposal addresses the NCIPMC priority concerned with the impact of IPM on pollinators and beneficials. Moreover, it aligns with the IPM goal to “minimize adverse environmental effects from pests and related management strategies,” from the IPM Roadmap.


Objectives and Anticipated Outcomes

The goal of establishing the IPM4Bees Working Group is to increase learning and collaboration as well as resources for researchers, extension agents, and other stakeholders that work in honey bees, native bees, and bee-related IPM. The primary areas of focus are pollinator-friendly agricultural IPM practices and IPM for honey bee pests.

This goal is supported by the project objectives.

Probable Duration

This proposal is for 12 months, with the primary outputs being completed by November 2019 and evaluation of outcomes completed in February 2020.


Resources, Expertise, and Leveraging

PD O’Neal is an applied entomologist who applies ecological principles to crop production, with a goal of preventing yield loss while delivering insect-derived ecosystem services (i.e. pest-suppression and pollination). To achieve these goals, he focuses on integrating pest management tools (insecticides, insect-resistant crops, biological control) and conservation practices that can complement each other. His short-term goals are to solve the immediate problems farmers have with insect pests that can significantly reduce crop productivity. To achieve these goals, his scholarship at ISU has explored how both pests and beneficial insects respond to various features of an agricultural landscape committed to annual crop production. This includes substantial work studying an invasive pest of soybean, the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines), first found in Iowa in 2000. This pest can reduce yield by as much as 40% when outbreaks are left untreated, and since its establishment in the US Midwest, insecticide use has increased 140%. In turn, the soybean aphid has become resistant to commonly used insecticides (i.e. pyrethroids). Complicating the management of insect pests, especially in flowering crops like soybeans, is the occurrence of pollinators, many of which are in decline within the US. With support from agribusiness and later the United Soybean Board (USB), O’Neal explored more basic questions regarding what community of pollinators reside in corn and soybean fields and what factors influence their abundance and diversity. As revealed in three peer-reviewed publications, O’Neal and his students tested various sampling protocols to account for pollinator diversity and abundance and showed that the pollinator community in these crops is comprised of at least 60 species of bees and flies, mostly wild, ground nesting bees. By studying the ecology of the target pest and the environment in which the crops are grown, there is the potential to integrate crop production with conservation practices that limit the pest’s potential to reach outbreak levels while also delivering other ecosystem services to the farm landscape. In this way, both an environmental and economically sustainable approach to managing pests can be developed.

Co-PD Cass is the first and only extension entomologist at Iowa State University focused solely on honey bee and native bee research and extension. His research and extension efforts focus primarily on a USDA/NIFA funded project that explores honey bee and native bee health in agricultural and prairie landscapes in Iowa. In addition to field research, Cass travels the state presenting his team’s findings to relevant stakeholders, including farmers, landowners, and beekeepers. In tandem with his extension presentations, he is conducting a state-wide survey to identify what “pollinator-friendly” practices, including IPM strategies and habitat restoration plans, farmers and landowners are interested in. The survey also targets beekeepers to identify their greatest challenges. Cass’ previous work includes extensive experience in Latin America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Chile) working with small farmers and beekeepers. In those positions he managed agricultural development programs, provided technical advising, and conducted comprehensive surveys with stakeholders. Additionally, as an employee of ISU Extension and Outreach, Cass has access to multiple services that will be instrumental in achieving IPM4Bees goals. The proposed extension videos will be filmed, edited, and produced at no extra cost with the assistance of the ISU IPM Communications office videographer, Brandon Kleinke. Similarly, Cass will work with the graphic designers from the Agriculture and Natural Resources Communications office to develop and print the proposed varroa mite IPM guide.

Collaborator Wu-Smart leads the University of Nebraska Lincoln pollinator health research program. Her program aims to better understand the underlying stressors in bee health and their interactions with environmental toxicants. Her research explores different ways to promote sustainability and resilience in pollinator ecosystems in agricultural, natural, and urban landscapes. She also engages in outreach and extension programs to educate about the importance of conservation and biodiversity and promote practices that support healthy bee communities in agroecosystems. She is currently developing the Great Plains Regional Master Beekeeping Training Program and will be able to deliver extension materials and opportunities through this program. She also serves in several working groups including the Honey Bee Health Coalition (member), ESA Pollinator Education Committee (Chair), Multi-State Committees (NC1173: Sustainable Solutions to Problems Affecting Bee Health (Chair), NE1501: Harnessing Chemical Ecology to Address Agricultural Pest and Pollinator Priorities (member)), and the American Association of Professional Apiculturists (vice-president) from which expertise and potential collaborators may be reached. Resources, projects, and other educational materials may also be leveraged from these groups and existing programs. Coordination with other working groups will also allow the IPM4Bees group reduce redundancy, maximize resources, and focus on emerging or region-specific needs and challenges. Collaborator Wu-Smart will assist in the organization of the symposium and the workshop as well as provide input and feedback for extension videos and guides.


Literature Cited
Goulson, D., Nicholls, E., Botias, C., & Rotheray, E., 2015. Bee declines driven by combined stress from parasites, pesticides, and lack of flowers. Science, 347(6229), N/a.
Koh, I., Lonsdorf, E.V., Williams, N.M., Brittain, C., Isaacs, R., Gibbs, J. and Ricketts, T.H., 2016. Modeling the status, trends, and impacts of wild bee abundance in the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(1), pp.140-145.
Lark, T.J., Salmon, J.M., and Gibbs, H.K. 2015. Cropland expansion outpaces agricultural and biofuel policies in the United States. Environmental Research Letters. 10(4), p. 044003.
Le Conte, Y., Ellis, M., & Ritter, W. (2010). Varroa mites and honey bee health: can Varroa explain part of the colony losses? Apidologie, 41, 353-363. doi:10.1051/apido/2010017
Rashford, B.S., Walker, J.A., and Bastian, C.T. 2011. Economics of grassland conversion to cropland in the prairie pothole region. Conservation Biology. 25(2), pp. 276-284.
Seitz, N., Traynor, K. S., vanEngelsdorp, D., Steinhauer, N., Rennich, K., et al., 2016 A national survey of managed honey bee 2014–2015 annual colony losses in the USA. Journal of Apicultural Research. 54 (4), pp.292–304.
Van Engelsdorp, D., Hayes Jr., J., Underwood, R.M., and Pettis, J. 2008. A survey of honey bee colony losses in the U.S., fall 2007 to spring 2008. PLOS ONE 3, e4071.
Wright, C.K., and Wimberly, M.C. 2013. Recent land use changes in the Western Corn Belt threatens grasslands and wetlands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 110(10), pp. 4134-4139.

Please see the proposal narrative document for more information including tables for Outputs, Milestones, and Evaluation Plans.

IPM4Bees Midwest Working Group

Project Director: Matthew O'Neal
Funding Amount: $19,825

IPM4Bees Midwest Working Group
PD: O’Neal, Matthew, Iowa State University
Co-PD: Cass, Randall, Iowa State University
Collaborator: Wu-Smart, Judy, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Total Amount Requested: $19,825


Problem and Justification

Across the United States, beekeepers of all sizes (commercial, sideline, and backyard) experience annual colony losses at higher rates than previous decades (VanEngelsdorp, et al. 2008). For many beekeepers, colony losses will result in reduced income from honey production and, more significantly, pollination services. The scientific community understands higher rates of colony loss are the result of four major honey bee stressors: 1) pests and disease, 2) loss of habitat/poor forage availability, 3) pesticide exposure, and 4) negative effects that result from multiple stressors working synergistically (Goulson et al. 2015). These stressors are impacted by increased demand for crop production and directly relate to IPM.

First, controlling honey bee pests such as varroa mites and small hive beetles requires the implementation of apicultural IPM strategies. Varroa mites are especially injurious because they spread viruses between bees as they feed on them, quickly and dramatically weakening the overall health of the colony. The impact of this major pest is such that without mite management, colonies infested with Varroa mites tend to survive only 1-2 years (Le Conte et al. 2010). Moreover, in recent years the majority of colony losses reported by beekeepers (commercial sideline and backyard) are due to varroa (Seitz et al. 2016) IPM strategies for controlling pests in apiculture include cultural (apiary location and bee genetics), mechanical (traps, screened bottom boards, and breaks in brood cycles), and chemical approaches.

Second, implementing IPM practices in crop production may provide benefits to commercially managed honey bees contracted for pollination services. Benefits of “pollinator-friendly” IPM practices include the reduced use of pesticide applications, more timely use of highly selective or lower toxicity chemicals, and establishing habitat refuges for beneficial insect communities. These practices aim to reduce unintended non-target exposure or adverse effects from pesticides, mitigate further pollinator habitat loss, and improve ecosystem services.

IPM strategies for both apicultural and agricultural systems exist, however, little has been done to incorporate both sets of practices into one system. Coordinating timing of pesticide applications with honey bee management, for example, could greatly improve the health of bee colonies while maintaining crop productivity. Moreover, it may economically important for a farmer to conserve bees if they are growing a crop that requires insect pollination or may have increased yield with bee pollination. Coordinated IPM strategies could be further developed for specific cropping systems by connecting apicultural researchers with crop pest specialists.

Improved apicultural IPM and agricultural IPM programs will also benefit other pollinators, including wild bee species. Unlike honey bees, wild bees are either solitary or live in small colonies but are not typically bred commercially and populations are difficult to monitor and track. Unfortunately, wild bee populations are similarly in decline. In fact, from 2008 to 2013 there has been a 23% decrease in mean abundance of wild bee populations particularly in the mid-west region (Koh et al., 2016). Much of this decline was seen in areas where natural habitat had been converted into agriculture. Rapid and large-scale land use conversion to accommodate increasing demands for food and energy reduces available habitat and forage for bees, while simultaneously increasing the need for pollination services (Rashford et al., 2011; Wright and Wimberly, 2013; Lark et al., 2015; Koh et al., 2016; Otto et al., 2016). Wild bee decline is an increasingly important issue and since IPM strategies that benefit honey bees are relevant to also improving native bee health, both managed and wild bees will be considered in the development or improvement of IPM practices.

While the IPM practices discussed above overlap across states in the NCIPMC region and related extension work is offered in many of the states, there are few opportunities for researchers and extension agents to gather and share their work. A regional IPM4Bees Working Group is an opportunity to bring researchers and graduate students working in areas of bee health and crop pest management together and form a united response to IPM challenges through extension efforts. This collaborative group will also provide opportunities to improve our understanding of each system’s needs and challenges and foster discussions to better coordinate IPM strategies. As a result, best management practices for bee IPM in the region will be identified and institutions in the region will be equipped with standardized best practice recommendations to offer farmers and beekeepers in the Midwest.

This proposal addresses the NCIPMC priority concerned with the impact of IPM on pollinators and beneficials. Moreover, it aligns with the IPM goal to “minimize adverse environmental effects from pests and related management strategies,” from the IPM Roadmap.


Objectives and Anticipated Outcomes

The goal of establishing the IPM4Bees Working Group is to increase learning and collaboration as well as resources for researchers, extension agents, and other stakeholders that work in honey bees, native bees, and bee-related IPM. The primary areas of focus are pollinator-friendly agricultural IPM practices and IPM for honey bee pests.

This goal is supported by the project objectives.

Probable Duration

This proposal is for 12 months, with the primary outputs being completed by November 2019 and evaluation of outcomes completed in February 2020.


Resources, Expertise, and Leveraging

PD O’Neal is an applied entomologist who applies ecological principles to crop production, with a goal of preventing yield loss while delivering insect-derived ecosystem services (i.e. pest-suppression and pollination). To achieve these goals, he focuses on integrating pest management tools (insecticides, insect-resistant crops, biological control) and conservation practices that can complement each other. His short-term goals are to solve the immediate problems farmers have with insect pests that can significantly reduce crop productivity. To achieve these goals, his scholarship at ISU has explored how both pests and beneficial insects respond to various features of an agricultural landscape committed to annual crop production. This includes substantial work studying an invasive pest of soybean, the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines), first found in Iowa in 2000. This pest can reduce yield by as much as 40% when outbreaks are left untreated, and since its establishment in the US Midwest, insecticide use has increased 140%. In turn, the soybean aphid has become resistant to commonly used insecticides (i.e. pyrethroids). Complicating the management of insect pests, especially in flowering crops like soybeans, is the occurrence of pollinators, many of which are in decline within the US. With support from agribusiness and later the United Soybean Board (USB), O’Neal explored more basic questions regarding what community of pollinators reside in corn and soybean fields and what factors influence their abundance and diversity. As revealed in three peer-reviewed publications, O’Neal and his students tested various sampling protocols to account for pollinator diversity and abundance and showed that the pollinator community in these crops is comprised of at least 60 species of bees and flies, mostly wild, ground nesting bees. By studying the ecology of the target pest and the environment in which the crops are grown, there is the potential to integrate crop production with conservation practices that limit the pest’s potential to reach outbreak levels while also delivering other ecosystem services to the farm landscape. In this way, both an environmental and economically sustainable approach to managing pests can be developed.

Co-PD Cass is the first and only extension entomologist at Iowa State University focused solely on honey bee and native bee research and extension. His research and extension efforts focus primarily on a USDA/NIFA funded project that explores honey bee and native bee health in agricultural and prairie landscapes in Iowa. In addition to field research, Cass travels the state presenting his team’s findings to relevant stakeholders, including farmers, landowners, and beekeepers. In tandem with his extension presentations, he is conducting a state-wide survey to identify what “pollinator-friendly” practices, including IPM strategies and habitat restoration plans, farmers and landowners are interested in. The survey also targets beekeepers to identify their greatest challenges. Cass’ previous work includes extensive experience in Latin America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Chile) working with small farmers and beekeepers. In those positions he managed agricultural development programs, provided technical advising, and conducted comprehensive surveys with stakeholders. Additionally, as an employee of ISU Extension and Outreach, Cass has access to multiple services that will be instrumental in achieving IPM4Bees goals. The proposed extension videos will be filmed, edited, and produced at no extra cost with the assistance of the ISU IPM Communications office videographer, Brandon Kleinke. Similarly, Cass will work with the graphic designers from the Agriculture and Natural Resources Communications office to develop and print the proposed varroa mite IPM guide.

Collaborator Wu-Smart leads the University of Nebraska Lincoln pollinator health research program. Her program aims to better understand the underlying stressors in bee health and their interactions with environmental toxicants. Her research explores different ways to promote sustainability and resilience in pollinator ecosystems in agricultural, natural, and urban landscapes. She also engages in outreach and extension programs to educate about the importance of conservation and biodiversity and promote practices that support healthy bee communities in agroecosystems. She is currently developing the Great Plains Regional Master Beekeeping Training Program and will be able to deliver extension materials and opportunities through this program. She also serves in several working groups including the Honey Bee Health Coalition (member), ESA Pollinator Education Committee (Chair), Multi-State Committees (NC1173: Sustainable Solutions to Problems Affecting Bee Health (Chair), NE1501: Harnessing Chemical Ecology to Address Agricultural Pest and Pollinator Priorities (member)), and the American Association of Professional Apiculturists (vice-president) from which expertise and potential collaborators may be reached. Resources, projects, and other educational materials may also be leveraged from these groups and existing programs. Coordination with other working groups will also allow the IPM4Bees group reduce redundancy, maximize resources, and focus on emerging or region-specific needs and challenges. Collaborator Wu-Smart will assist in the organization of the symposium and the workshop as well as provide input and feedback for extension videos and guides.


Literature Cited
Goulson, D., Nicholls, E., Botias, C., & Rotheray, E., 2015. Bee declines driven by combined stress from parasites, pesticides, and lack of flowers. Science, 347(6229), N/a.
Koh, I., Lonsdorf, E.V., Williams, N.M., Brittain, C., Isaacs, R., Gibbs, J. and Ricketts, T.H., 2016. Modeling the status, trends, and impacts of wild bee abundance in the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(1), pp.140-145.
Lark, T.J., Salmon, J.M., and Gibbs, H.K. 2015. Cropland expansion outpaces agricultural and biofuel policies in the United States. Environmental Research Letters. 10(4), p. 044003.
Le Conte, Y., Ellis, M., & Ritter, W. (2010). Varroa mites and honey bee health: can Varroa explain part of the colony losses? Apidologie, 41, 353-363. doi:10.1051/apido/2010017
Rashford, B.S., Walker, J.A., and Bastian, C.T. 2011. Economics of grassland conversion to cropland in the prairie pothole region. Conservation Biology. 25(2), pp. 276-284.
Seitz, N., Traynor, K. S., vanEngelsdorp, D., Steinhauer, N., Rennich, K., et al., 2016 A national survey of managed honey bee 2014–2015 annual colony losses in the USA. Journal of Apicultural Research. 54 (4), pp.292–304.
Van Engelsdorp, D., Hayes Jr., J., Underwood, R.M., and Pettis, J. 2008. A survey of honey bee colony losses in the U.S., fall 2007 to spring 2008. PLOS ONE 3, e4071.
Wright, C.K., and Wimberly, M.C. 2013. Recent land use changes in the Western Corn Belt threatens grasslands and wetlands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 110(10), pp. 4134-4139.

Please see the proposal narrative document for more information including tables for Outputs, Milestones, and Evaluation Plans.

Midwest Fruit Working Group: Integrated Pest Management

Project Director: Diana Cochran
Funding Amount: $17,136

For over 40 years the Midwest Fruit Workers have met annually in an unofficial capacity to provide commercial fruit growers with up-to-date integrated pest management (IPM) recommendations. Our IPM approach is to provide a spray schedule based on phenology, recommend reduced risk pesticides, and mitigate pesticide resistance by including the FRAC/IRAC/HRAC codes for every pesticide recommended. If a grower follows our recommendations, they will maximize the effectiveness of pesticide applications without jeopardizing fruit quality (yield, nutrition, profit), reduce human health risks, and mitigate pesticide resistance. If our proposal is successful, we will provide an affordable mobile-friendly guide ($15 print copy; FREE download), serve online and offline communities (i.e. Amish and Mennonites), and recommend integrated pest management practices that promote fruit stewardship.

Midwest Grows Green Lawn & Land Forum Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

The IPM Institute of North America, a rapidly growing non-profit formed in 1998 to improve sustainability in agriculture and communities through market-based mechanisms based in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), respectfully requests support in the amount of $20,000 over one year from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center (NCIPM) to build upon successes of the Midwest Grows Green (MGG) Lawn & Land Forum. This 2017 and 2018 NCIPM funded working group intends to create an interconnected policymaking system to protect land, water, wildlife, and people by fostering peer-to-peer learning of best Integrated Pest Management and Natural Lawn Care practices, policies and practices at park districts, school districts, and local governments in the Midwest and nationwide.

Representatives from the University of Wisconsin (UW), Illinois Sports Turf Managers Association (ILSTMA), University of Chicago, University of Illinois Extension, University of Missouri, Natural Grass Advisory Group, Park Ridge Park District, North Shore Country Club, IL-IN Sea Grant, and University of Minnesota will participate in this Working Group by planning sessions, participating in working group calls, and reviewing Forum resources.

Midwest Grows Green Lawn & Land Forum Working Group

Project Director: Ryan Anderson
Funding Amount: $20,000

The IPM Institute of North America, a rapidly growing non-profit formed in 1998 to improve sustainability in agriculture and communities through market-based mechanisms based in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), respectfully requests support in the amount of $20,000 over one year from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center (NCIPM) to build upon successes of the Midwest Grows Green (MGG) Lawn & Land Forum. This 2017 and 2018 NCIPM funded working group intends to create an interconnected policymaking system to protect land, water, wildlife, and people by fostering peer-to-peer learning of best Integrated Pest Management and Natural Lawn Care practices, policies and practices at park districts, school districts, and local governments in the Midwest and nationwide.

Representatives from the University of Wisconsin (UW), Illinois Sports Turf Managers Association (ILSTMA), University of Chicago, University of Illinois Extension, University of Missouri, Natural Grass Advisory Group, Park Ridge Park District, North Shore Country Club, IL-IN Sea Grant, and University of Minnesota will participate in this Working Group by planning sessions, participating in working group calls, and reviewing Forum resources.

Organic and IPM Working Group: Educating to Achieve Food Stability

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $13,446

Organic and IPM proponents share many concerns and interests in improving impacts of food production on environmental and human health. Despite these common goals, IPM and organic leaders have few occasions to share thoughts, ideas and resources. The Organic and IPM working group’s goal is to synergize the efforts of these two communities by building partnerships, fostering dialogue between diverse stakeholders, exchanging information and knowledge, and collaboratively identifying and working towards shared priorities. We aim to achieve our goal by maintaining a curated and facilitated platform that encourages participation across disciplines, organizations and geographies. Funding for the Organic and IPM working group will enable us to host bimonthly webinar presentations with guest speakers, promote the webinars with eOrganic and Certified Crop Advisors, host an in-person meeting at MOSES Organic Farming Conference 2020 and maintain a website and listserv to share resources and information. Our outputs will support the North Central IPM Center’s goals of improving understanding of current and emerging IPM and organic management issues, as well as increasing collaboration among diverse stakeholders, scientists and professionals working to address priorities common to organic and IPM in the North Central region and nationally. If funded, our working group will continue its mission of strengthening the alliance between organic and IPM communities to promote adoption of IPM practices and enhance food stability and environmental stewardship in the North Central region and nationally.

Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP) Working Group Continuation

Project Director: Kurt Dreisilker
Funding Amount: $13,125

In March of 2018, The Morton Arboretum in partnership with the Midwest Invasive Plant Network received funding from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center to establish a working group to address invasive plant issues at public gardens and arboreta. This working group, now formed, is called the Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants Working Group (PGSIP Working Group). This name captures the desire of project participants for the public garden sector to lead on invasive plant issues and help prevent future invasions by tracking ornamental plants within their plant collections which are escaping cultivation on their grounds. These are often obscure species which are not widely recognized as invasive, not widely available within the nursery trade, and are not found on invasive species lists from region to region. However, spread from planting sites within the plant collections of public gardens is a possible indicator of a future invasive species. This proposal for PGSIP Working Group continuation and associated project work builds on the momentum of the last year. Our work will continue to engage constituents in the public garden sector on this issue, provide guidance to gardens that are just in the beginning stages of engaging on this issue, and will build a database and communication platform that public gardens and arboreta in the U.S. and Canada can use to share information about plant species spreading from cultivation.

Public Tick IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $10,000

Ticks and the diseases they vector pose a major public health concern to people, pets and livestock in the North Central region. In 2016, Lyme disease was the most commonly reported vector-borne disease and the number of counties in the Northeastern and Midwestern states with a high incidence continues to grow. With ten tick-borne diseases and six species of ticks already firmly established in the North Central region, collaboration on a regional and national level is needed to adequately address the health problems that tick-borne diseases are causing.

The Public Tick IPM Working Group seeks to organize and expand the network reducing the risk of exposure to infected ticks by collaborating on Integrated Tick Management (ITM) related activities, exchanging knowledge and sharing resources effectively. To meet this goal, the working groups shares and critically reviews information on ITM, creates fact sheets such as the Tick Pest Alert and strategizes on activities and needed investments.

The Public Tick Working Group will work towards this goal in 2018-2019 by hosting regular conference calls with experts, sharing news and opportunities through a listserv and keeping updated stakeholder priorities on its webpage. The group will also host the first annual Tick Academy to provide a comprehensive education on the biology and management of ticks for researchers, pest-management professionals, public health officials and other stakeholders.

Pulse Crops Working Group - 2019

Project Director: Julie Pasche
Funding Amount: $19,957

Pulse crops (dry edible pea, lentil, chickpea and dry bean) are healthful food choices that are also vital components of cropping systems in semi-arid regions in the North Central (NC) US. They are high-value crops that require no additional nitrogen fertilization and provide a nitrogen credit to the following crop due to biological nitrogen fixation. Pulse crops require little moisture, and are well suited to reduced tillage systems. The addition of pulse crops into traditional wheat-fallow cropping systems has been an economic boon to rural communities. However, including these crops into rotations has led to new and challenging disease and pests problems. Chickpea requires frequent scouting and multiple fungicide applications for the control of Ascochyta blight, a devastating foliar fungal disease of this crop. Pea and lentils face challenges from root rot pathogens that build up in the soil and significantly reduce yield if long rotations are not implemented. All of these challenges, and many others, have been addressed collaboratively by the Pulse Crop Working Group members who also work closely with industry stakeholders and government regulators. The approach has been to 1) meet biannually to share and coordinate IPM research and outreach 2) meet annually with grower stakeholders to effectively target IPM research and outreach and 3) produce IPM educational materials for growers and stakeholders. PCWG members have been extremely successful in obtaining funds to support collaborative research and outreach. In 2018, 16 collaborative grants were funded totaling over $4.3 million. Additionally, nine peer reviewed articles and four extension publications were collectively produced in 2018. The PCWG has developed fourth field-ready diagnostic card set produced over the last few years. These grower-friendly, pocket-sized card sets with large color photographs card sets are printed on water and bend-proof fabric. Approximately 4,000 cards sets for field pea and dry bean diseases as well as insect pests of peas, lentils and chickpeas have been distributed worldwide in three languages. Among North Dakota growers surveyed, 96% favored the development of a similar series for lentil disease identification which will be available in January 2019. The approach in FY2019 – FY2020 will be to continue these efforts by conducting two researcher meetings, one coordinated stakeholder – researcher meeting, produce new IPM outreach educational materials based on grower needs and complete the revised Compendium of Pea Diseases and Pests. Furthermore, an evaluation specialist will work with researchers to assist in the development of surveys and evaluation materials so that PCWG members can better measure outputs of educational efforts. We expect these efforts to result in new collaborative grants to support research efforts, the development of new IPM management strategies through research and greater adoption of IPM approaches among growers. The end result of this work will be more efficient and sustainable disease and pest management in pulse crops, resulting in increased economic sustainability of rural communities in the NC US.

Sunflower Pathology Working Group

Project Director: Samuel Markell
Funding Amount: $20,000

THE PROBLEM. Approximately 85-90% of the 2.0 M acres of sunflower planted annually in the U.S. are in the North Central States. According the National Sunflower Association, diseases are the most significant biological yield-limiting factor for sunflower production. Despite this, few pathologists work on sunflower and limited reference and Extension literature on sunflower diseases exist. Consequently, disease identification is challenging for growers and a near-total lack of IPM recommendations has resulted in a ‘spray and pray’ approach to disease management.
OUR APPROACH To address these problems, the Sunflower Pathology Working Group (SPWG) was established in 2013 with the specific mission of increasing IPM awareness by creating new academic reference and Extension materials. Our approach is deliberate, with stakeholder surveys and focus groups playing a crucial role. All activities are consistent with the mission of the North-Central IPM Center and designed to increase knowledge among stakeholders and collaboration among professionals, ultimately leading to positive economic and environmental impacts by limiting needless fungicide applications.
Major outputs to date include a Feature Article in the APS journal Plant Disease (in press), a ‘Diagnostic Guide’ in the APS journal Plant Health Progress (2018), an APS ‘Plant Disease Lesson’ (2018), a disease identification article in the National Sunflower Association Sunflower Magazine (2018), a press release and two associated newspaper articles (2018), the first American Phytopathological Society (APS) Compendium of Sunflower Diseases (2016), a 20-disease diagnostic card set (2015, rev. 2017), two disease chapters in major monographs/books (2015, 2018), a diagnostic card-deck (2016), additional manuscripts (Extension and academic) that are in various pre-publication stages (2019) and over a dozen funded grant proposals.
Four/seven members are from North Central states (consistent with the RFP). We have recruited experts from overseas to actively support the mission of the working group, including Sue Thompson (USQ, UQ) and Malcolm Ryley (UQ, AAPS fellow).
ANTICIPATED IMPACT. We believe the impacts of this material is very high, and use history as a guide. Additionally, we make a very concerted effort to publicly credit the NCIPM center for support. As very recent examples of credit and impact, the SPWG was highlighted in a press release by the University of Nebraska on 11/15/18; within days it was picked up by Crop Watch (published 11/15/18), on 11/18/18 will be published in Scottsbluff Star Herald (est. readership 20,000), anticipated to be published in Nebraska Farmer, and Bob Harveson had conducted three media interviews with local radio stations in Western Nebraska. Nationally, a section of the Plant Disease Feature article highlighted the role of the SPWG. Nationally and internationally, usage of the Extension material (diagnostic cards) is documented by a Chinese translation, and reproduction under ‘common use’ by at least one company. Similarly, Sunflower Compendium sales are at 353, very high for a small acreage field crop, and printings paid for by corporate partners.

2018 Program Year

RFA: NCIPMC Working Group Grant

Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $20,000

Famers in the Great Lakes Region of the United States produce a diversity of crops. This region also supports abundant wildlife populations. As a result, crop damage by wildlife is common. However, information on how common and widespread crop damage is or the costs to farmers is lacking and resources for helping farmers address crop damage are highly varied. Wildlife IPM resources are generally under-used, often viewed as not effective, and for some types of wildlife damage they simply do not exist. To improve communication across the region between relevant agencies and Universities, the Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group will bring together researchers, regulators, conservationists, educators, stakeholders, and resources from across the region. We currently have cooperative commitments from faculty and staff at the following universities and agencies: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, USDA-APHIS and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The major goals of the of the working group include; improved understanding of agriculture-wildlife conflict resources and expertise across the region, increased collaboration between participants to address ag-wildlife conflicts, improved stakeholder communication, and increased adoption of mitigation practices by producers. These efforts address the NCIPMC priority for production agriculture IPM outreach and partnerships and training for Federal, State, County Agencies and Conservation Programs. The working group efforts also align with the NCERA222 Committee priority to network and collaborate with state, regional, and federal partners working on IPM-related issues.

Further Develop a Collaborative Multi-State Extension Resource for Field Crops Extension

Project Director: Daren Mueller
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) was created to serve as infrastructure for field crop Extension outputs from diverse collaborators in the North Central Region and beyond. The CPN is a regional network of land-grant universities in the United States, and closely related organizations in Canada. The CPN has primarily involved plant pathologists and focused on field crop disease outputs. Because successful crop protection and production involves much more than disease management, we have started to involve scientists from other disciplines such as entomology, weed science, and agronomy, as well as more scientists and Extension specialists in plant pathology. Outputs from the CPN thus far include 29 publications in the form of Extension bulletins and scouting guides on a variety of crop protection-related topics, with more in development. The focus of this Working Group proposal is to expand the CPN by continuing to recruit scientists from other disciplines, increase outreach through improved web presence, and engage with scientific societies, IPM centers, and regulatory entities to discuss partnerships. Expansion of the CPN provides a “stage” where knowledge sharing or collaboration in extension efforts can be introduced, considered, or facilitated, and then leveraged across multiple crop-growing regions. This project directly benefits the North Central region by providing current and timely Extension material to aid in identification and management of existing and emerging problems, and provides information on issues lacking Extension information.

Great Lakes Hop Working Group 2018

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $20,000

Famers in the Great Lakes Region of the United States produce a diversity of crops. This region also supports abundant wildlife populations. As a result, crop damage by wildlife is common. However, information on how common and widespread crop damage is or the costs to farmers is lacking and resources for helping farmers address crop damage are highly varied. Wildlife IPM resources are generally under-used, often viewed as not effective, and for some types of wildlife damage they simply do not exist. To improve communication across the region between relevant agencies and Universities, the Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group will bring together researchers, regulators, conservationists, educators, stakeholders, and resources from across the region. We currently have cooperative commitments from faculty and staff at the following universities and agencies: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, USDA-APHIS and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The major goals of the of the working group include; improved understanding of agriculture-wildlife conflict resources and expertise across the region, increased collaboration between participants to address ag-wildlife conflicts, improved stakeholder communication, and increased adoption of mitigation practices by producers. These efforts address the NCIPMC priority for production agriculture IPM outreach and partnerships and training for Federal, State, County Agencies and Conservation Programs. The working group efforts also align with the NCERA222 Committee priority to network and collaborate with state, regional, and federal partners working on IPM-related issues.

Great Lakes Urban Agriculture IPM Working Group 2018

Project Director: Jacqueline Kowalski
Funding Amount: $18,682

Interest in urban agriculture continues to gain momentum particularly in Rust Belt cities where land re-use is a critical priority for city planners. Urban farms are developed and managed as either social (not-for-profit) or for-profit enterprises. Urban farmers are often new and beginning farmers and inexperience and lack of knowledge of integrated pest management strategies which have led to decreased yields well as decreased potential profits. To address this problem a Great Lakes Urban Agriculture IPM working group was formed in 2016 and is seeking renewal for the 2018 grant cycle The objectives of the formation of the 2018-19 working group will be 1) to hold a regional meeting of University agriculture professionals and stakeholders in order to continue to grow an information sharing-network of urban agriculture professionals (Detroit, April 2017) 2) create two YouTube videos focusing on IPM strategies for urban gardens geared which will be uploaded to the North Central IPM Center YouTube channel and 3) build upon a series of information cards on pests of importance to serve the integrated pest management needs of urban gardeners(6 new). The beneficiaries of activities of this working group will be urban farmers and community programs that support urban farms and community gardeners. These activities will help meet the goals of improved understanding of current IPM issues across disciplines, increased/new IPM knowledge, increased adoption of IPM practices and improved economic impacts for urban farmers. The outcomes will also inform the research community of IPM research needs for urban farmers.

Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group Continuation

Project Director: Benjamin Phillips
Funding Amount: $20,000

As a continuing Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group (GLVWG), we greatly value our opportunities to meet in person to collaborate on projects and share updates and lessons from our regions. Therefore, we propose another meeting on February 27-28, 2018, in Grand Rapids, MI. At this meeting, our international membership will provide a full day and one half day of research and extension stories to bring back to our respective regions. The outcomes of this meeting are to continue to develop professional extension workers to help professional vegetable growers, establish the 2019 GLVWG leaders and roles, introduce a new listserv and web workspace, and to collaborate on a new Integrated Pest Management web application.
Many of the states in our Working Group are collaborators on the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide. Both editors, and clientele have expressed interest in an improved digital platform of this guide. Therefore, we aim to create an interactive database for Midwest and Great Lakes vegetable growers to support science-based pesticide use decisions with objective recommendations for safety, legality, and efficacy. The online database and search tool will contain an annually updated list of registered pesticides and cultural recommendations from the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide, with timely inclusions of emergency Section 18 labels, and 24(c) special local needs labels as they are approved. The data framework will be designed to display the information online in a format that is friendly to all devices and computers, and also to output a typeset document for the printed guide.

Midwest Grows Green Lawn and Land Forum Working Group

Project Director: Ryan Anderson
Funding Amount: $20,000

Midwest Pesticide Action Center (MPAC), a Midwest based organization focused solely on reducing the health risks and environmental impacts of pesticides by advancing safer alternatives in urban residential areas, respectfully requests support in the amount of $20,000 over one year from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center (NCIPM) to build upon 2017 successes of the Midwest Grows Green (MGG) Lawn & Land Forum. This 2017 NCIPM funded working group intends to create an interconnected policymaking system to protect land, water, wildlife, and people by fostering peer-to-peer learning of best Integrated Pest Management and Natural Lawn Care practices, policies and practices at park districts, school districts, and local governments in the Midwest and nationwide. After establishing itself as a go-to hub of IPM and NLC information for more than a 100 large turf managers in 2017, the MGG Lawn and Land Forum wants to scale its successes and drive policy improvement in the Midwest by achieving the following three measurable objectives: (1) Increase the Forum’s reach by achieving more than 200 downloads of its resources in 2018, (2) Initiate a minimum of 10 in-person or phone meetings with local authorities regarding the implementation of IPM or NLC, and (3) implement or assist five local authorities with the implementation of IPM or NLC policies or action plans. Representatives from the University of Wisconsin (UW), Illinois Sports Turf Managers Association (ILSTMA), University of Chicago, University of Illinois Extension, University of Missouri, IL-IN Sea Grant, and University of Minnesota will participate in this Working Group by planning sessions, participating in working group calls, and reviewing Forum resources.

North Central School IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Students spend a major part of their time in school areas, including classrooms, gymnasiums and auditoriums. A school environment with pest and pesticide hazards can have a profound effect on students’ and school employees’ health in the short- and long-term. IPM in schools reduces pesticide use, residues and toxicity, and lowers the number of pest complaints. It is crucial that districts are informed about IPM practices and know how to train all staff involved in making a school’s pest management program effective. The goal of the North Central School IPM Working Group is to make schools healthier places with fewer pests and pesticides by facilitating the development and adoption of IPM solutions.

The working group aims to achieve its goal by focusing on five objectives in 2018 – 2019. The group will collaborate with school employee organizations and associations in the region to increase adoption of the free Stop School Pests training program. The group will reach out to school districts in the region and work with stakeholders in Michigan, where school IPM training is required, to increase adoption of Stop School Pests training. School IPM resources, strategies and information will be shared in regular conference calls for the North Central School IPM Working Group and the National School IPM Joint Steering and Advisory Committee. News from both groups and other school IPM sources will be circulated in a monthly newsletter to a national network of school IPM parties.

Northern Plains IPM Guide Working Group

Project Director: Emmanuel Byamukama
Funding Amount: $19,958

The Northern Plains IPM Guide Working Group serves as a voice to promote integrated pest management practices in the Northern Plains region. This is done by bringing together Agricultural Professionals in the Northern Plains Region to provide an IPM Guide as one stop resource for IPM information on field crops and urban and home pests and diseases identification and management. Currently the group has jointly developed several fact sheets on pests and diseases of row crops, and urban and home pests and diseases. The focus for this request will be further expansion of the online resource for our growers, crop consultants and agronomists. This working group will work together to publish corn diseases and wheat arthropod pests chapters. Provision of readily accessible information with diagnosis guides and management recommendation will lead to adoption of IPM practices, namely scouting and following thresholds. Practicing cultural management options that limit the reliance on pesticides and only applying pesticides when warranted.

Organic and IPM Working Group: Moving Towards Truly Sustainable Agriculture

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Organic and IPM proponents share many concerns and interest in improving impacts of food production on environmental and human health. Despite these common goals, IPM and organic leaders have few occasions to share thoughts, ideas and resources. The Organic and IPM working group’s goal is to synergize the efforts of these two communities by building partnerships, fostering dialogue between diverse stakeholders, exchanging information and knowledge, and collaboratively identifying and working towards shared priorities. We aim to achieve our goal by maintaining a curated and facilitated platform that encourages participation across disciplines, organizations and geographies. Renewed funding for the Organic and IPM working group will enable us to host monthly conference calls and an in-person meeting, maintain a website to share resources, continue efforts to publish a special issue of Biological Control, publish a fact sheet on regenerative, resilient agriculture, and begin an economic analysis project on the barriers to bio-intensive IPM adoption. Our outputs will support the North Central IPM Center’s goals of improving understanding of current and emerging IPM and organic management issues, as well as increasing collaboration among diverse stakeholders, scientists and professionals working to address priorities common to organic and IPM in the North Central region and nationally. If funded, our working group will continue its mission of strengthening the alliance between organic and IPM communities to promote adoption of IPM practices and enhance food security in the North Central region and nationally.

Public Tick IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Ticks and the diseases they vector pose a major public health concern to people, pets and livestock in the North Central region and other parts of the United States. In 2015 Lyme disease was the most commonly reported vector-borne disease. The number of counties with a high incidence of Lyme disease is growing in the Northeastern and Midwestern states. With eight tick-borne diseases and five species of ticks already firmly established in the North Central region, this area needs urgent attention to adequately address the health problems that tick-borne diseases are causing with an integrated approach.
The goal of the Working Group is to organize and expand the network that works to reduce the risk of exposure to infected ticks by collaborating on Integrated Tick Management (ITM) related activities, exchanging knowledge and sharing resources effectively. To meet this goal, the working groups shares and critically reviews information on ITM, creates fact sheets such as the Tick Pest Alert and strategizes on activities and needed investments.
The Public Tick Working Group will work towards this goal in 2018-2019 by creating a fact sheet for pest management professionals that provides basic information about ITM tools, providing information and support to mosquito control districts and provide information to policy makers at Capitol Hill as part of a Tick Summit at the 9th International IPM Symposium. The working group hosts regular conference calls with experts, shares news and opportunities through a listserv and keeps updated stakeholder priorities on its webpage.

Pulse Crops Working Group - 2018

Project Director: Julie Pasche
Funding Amount: $19,435

Peas and lentils have become essential to economic crop sustainability in semi-arid regions of the Northern Great Plains, evidenced by exponential acreage increases. Due to this success, growers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming are beginning to plant pulse crops. Both new and experienced growers face disease and insect pest management challenges. The Pulse Crops Working Group (PCWG) is well poised to address pest threats to pulse crop production. Since 2013, we have published a diagnostic guide on Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi causing Fusarium root rot on field pea, field durable Pea and Bean Disease Diagnostic cards and work on Pulse Crop Insect Diagnostic cards is almost complete. Since the last proposal, the PCWG members have been awarded 14 collaborative grants totaling $749,749, published 4 refereed and 5 extension/trade articles. The Pea Disease Diagnostic cards have been met with great enthusiasm; 90% of responding growers indicated their ability to identify diseases improved as a result of using the cards and 100% of growers surveyed indicated they would benefit from lentil disease diagnostic cards. Our objectives for FY2018 are to; continue to foster collaborative relationships in the pulse industry to better organize and develop IPM solutions for growers through face-to-face meetings and virtual interaction on our Basecamp site; continue work on the Pea Compendium with the goal of publishing in 2020 and; increase the ability of growers, consultants and others in the industry to better identify foliar and root diseases through the production of Lentil Disease Diagnostic cards.

Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group

Project Director: Iris Caldwell
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group formed in 2015 to engage diverse stakeholders from across different industry sectors, leverage knowledge and resources to improve management practices in rights-of-way, and promote pollinator habitats and healthy ecosystems through education, collaboration, data collection and management, and metrics and target development. The working group addresses crucial needs identified by utility and transportation organizations, government agencies, and conservation groups to create and enhance habitat, reverse declining pollinator populations, and shape standards of practice for rights-of-way and other managed landscapes going forward.

In support of these outcomes, the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago will continue its facilitation and coordination activities, including organizing a peer-to-peer exchange workshop in Fall 2018 and developing an online web interface for the geospatial habitat database that maps habitat areas managed by rights-of-way organizations.

Sunflower Pathology Working Group:2018

Project Director: Samuel Markell
Funding Amount: $20,000

Approximately 85-90% of the 2.0 M acres of sunflower planted annually in the U.S. are in the North Central States. According the National Sunflower Association, diseases are the most significant biological yield-limiting factor for sunflower production. Despite this, few pathologists work on sunflower and very limited reference and Extension literature on sunflower diseases exist. Consequently, disease identification is challenging for growers and a near-total lack of IPM recommendations has resulted in a ‘spray and pray’ approach to disease management. To address these problems, the SPWG was established in 2013 with the specific mission of increasing IPM awareness by creating new academic reference and Extension materials. Major outputs include the first APS Sunflower Compendium (2016), a 20-disease diagnostic card set (2015), two disease chapters in major monographs/books (2015, 2017), a diagnostic card-deck (2016), many research and Extension manuscripts (2015-2017) and five additional manuscripts (research, feature and diagnostic guides) that are in various pre-publication stages (2017-2018). In 2018-2019, we propose to compose two additional Plant Health Progress Diagnostic Guides and publish an Ibook. We will assess impacts with a follow-up survey and feedback at stakeholder meetings. Proposed activities are consistent with the mission of the North-Central IPM Center and designed to increase knowledge among stakeholders and collaboration among professionals, ultimately leading to positive economic and environmental impacts by limiting needless fungicide applications. Membership of the SPWG is consistent with geographic specificity in the RFP; 4/6 of the members are from north central states.

The Food Narrative Project-North Central Region

Project Director: Larry Gut
Funding Amount: $19,988

The Food Narrative Project—North Central Region Working Group is part of a national collaboration among IPM scientists, NGOs including IPM Voice and Red Tomato, and social scientists at FrameWorks Institute. WG members advise and inform development of evidence-based framing strategies leading to a new food narrative that advances public understanding of IPM and other sustainable farming practices. The focus of this proposal is to engage significant participation of scientists, farm and food leaders from the North Central region as members and Communication Partners, who will inform and use the results in their own work.

Despite concerted efforts by IPM scientists and educators to explain IPM to policymakers and the public, IPM is often missing from the public narrative about farming practices and sustainable agriculture and the general public does not have a good understanding of the benefits of IPM. This is especially true in a communications environment that is frequently polarized and oversimplified, where complex issues are reduced to simplistic either/or choices.

Narratives and framing are powerful communication tools. Changing the narrative is a necessary part of, and often precedes, the change of a system, a policy, or practices. To reach more people more effectively, IPM practitioners and organizations need a sophisticated approach to communications that applies cognition science, linguistics and framing to food and agriculture. A more effective conversation--one that engages farmers and the public with land grant scientists, cooperative extension, and industry--can help expand adoption of IPM and a wide range of sustainable practices.

Working Group for Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants

Project Director: Kurt Dreisilker
Funding Amount: $19,867

The Morton Arboretum and the Midwest Invasive Plant Network will establish a working group that will focus on utilizing the knowledge and resources of public gardens to reduce future introductions of ornamental invasive plant species. The working group expands on the recommendations of previous discussions between public gardens on this subject. The Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP) Working Group will perform critical exploratory work and constituency engagement. The long-term goal of PGSIP is to build a formalized program and technology platform for the sharing of data on plants escaping cultivation collected by public gardens and arboreta staff at their sites across the United States and Canada. This information will be used by public gardens and by other stakeholders to issue early warnings about high-risk species before they are widely naturalized and recognized as invasive, with the expectation that informed business leaders and consumers will not integrate high-risk species into the commercial plant trade. By preventing ornamental plants from becoming invasive, we can avoid substantial future ecosystem impacts and costs of treatment.

2017 Program Year

RFA: NCIPMC FY17 Critical Issues Grants Program

A Community-Based Approach to Integrated Pest-Resistance Management Affecting Corn and Soybean: Case Studies for the North Central Region

Project Director: Steven Bradbury
Funding Amount: $49,857

Based on the recent adoption of a statewide Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan, this project will pilot four new community-based pest-resistance management projects that target western corn rootworm in northeast Iowa, soybean aphid in northwest Iowa, waterhemp in central Iowa, and palmer amaranth in north-central Iowa. This diverse selection of projects represents a wide range of agricultural practices, and immediate management is critical as resistant pests affecting corn and soybean have been observed or are anticipated in Iowa. The pilots are the first to incorporate community-based management, which is necessary for mobile pests, and will play a critical role in advancing long-term, effective pest-resistance management in the state. The pilot projects will examine pertinent questions to understand local pest pressures and management challenges. Community groups with strong leadership will be formed to establish resistance management plans that account for uncertainties and best options identified through research. Immediate outcomes include community awareness and attitudes that reflect a sense of urgency to proactively manage resistance development, and, by the end of the Year 2, the formation of communities and initial implementation of practices followed by dissemination throughout the state and North Central Region. Long-term outcomes include changes in crop management and agribusiness practices, such as improved resistance management decision-making, use of diverse pest management techniques, and land rent leases with pest-resistance management plans. This will minimize new cases of resistance evolution and lead to sustainable pest management and reduced economic impact of pests on farming profits.

Bee Integrated Demonstration Project: Pragmatic Beekeeping, Forage, and Farming Practices

Project Director: Mike Smith
Funding Amount: $48,758

Honey bees support approximately one-third of the food we eat and more than $15 billion a year in U.S. agriculture; the North Central Region is the summer home to 40% of all U.S. honey bee colonies. Broad consensus has emerged that primary risk factors associated with the current high rates of honey bee colony loss are honey bee pests and diseases, poor nutrition, and crop pest controls.
Multi-factor problems require multi-factor solutions. The Bee Integrated Demonstration Project is a one-of-a-kind effort that will leverage existing research and package together effective programs and best practices into a common project and agricultural landscape to improve bee health. Bee Integrated will bring together beekeepers and farmers in the upper Midwest to demonstrate how a portfolio of best practices can be used together to reduce colony mortality, improve honey production, decrease varroa mite loads, increase quality bee forage, promote IPM practices for crop pest control, and advance collaboration among beekeepers and farmers. Conservation Technology Information Center will serve as project manager, working with diverse members of the Honey Bee Health Coalition, Bee Informed Partnership, and Honey Bee and Monarch Butterfly Partnership.
Desired Outcomes:
The project will address all of the desired outcomes of the North Central IPM Center’s Critical Issues Grant Program and will specifically demonstrate and evaluate the capacity of established tools, best practices and IPM approaches to function as an integrated system that improves honey bee health in agricultural environments.

Bt Resistance Screening to Inform IPM for Western Bean Cutworm

Project Director: Julie Peterson
Funding Amount: $49,995

The western bean cutworm (WBC) is a destructive pest that causes severe yield loss and introduces secondary fungal infections in corn and dry beans. Although WBC infestations have historically been limited to the western Corn Belt, recent range expansion has positioned this pest as a threat to most of the North Central Region and beyond, with economic losses occurring in Great Lakes states, Ontario and Mexico. Current management tactics rely heavily upon transgenic Bt technology and/or the use of economic thresholds and insecticide applications. Stakeholders and extension professionals in multiple states have reported field failures of Cry1F (one of only two Bt proteins targeting WBC). Therefore, we propose the following objectives:
1) Expand Cry1F resistance screening beyond Nebraska and Kansas to include additional states (Michigan, Ohio, New York) to inform IPM practices across the region. Methods: Construct and deliver collection “kits” that include walk-in cages, black lights, oviposition cages, and egg collecting and shipping supplies, conduct trainings for each collaborator in their home state, and determine susceptibility of WBC populations to Cry1F proteins using lab bioassays.
2) Bring together WBC knowledge and experts to discuss and share findings and provide a training opportunity for those working in regions of the country that have not yet had intense/prolonged experience with WBC. Methods: Conduct a 1-day International WBC Symposium where current research, IPM knowledge, and extension tools for WBC management (WBC Speed Scout App, degree-day model) can be shared and record WBC Symposium to provide access to wide audiences not in attendance.

Provide Online IPM Training for Schools

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $25,000

The IPM Institute of North America proposes to develop a website to house a free school IPM training curriculum for public and tribal-school staff. Schools regularly face pest problems and children are extremely vulnerable to pests and pesticide exposure due to their developing bodies and habits. Integrated Pest Management has been proven to significantly improve health in schools by reducing human exposure to pesticides and pests. This project builds on recently created training modules for nine different school-IPM roles for custodians, school nurses, facility managers, administrators, foodservice staff, landscape and grounds staff, teachers, and maintenance staff. Upon successful completion of the training modules, participants will have the option to take an exam and receive a certificate of completion. These modules were developed by a national team of IPM experts. This project will make the training available to a wider audience and allow us to thoroughly test the website to assure it meets the needs of school staff. The development of this website will help increase awareness and adoption of IPM, while reducing pest complaints and pesticide use. The specialized IPM training aligns with the North Central IPM Center’s priorities to increase adoption of IPM practices, improve information exchange and knowledge sharing. IPM in schools has been proven to have positive economic, environmental and human-health impact, and is directly attributed to the success of school IPM programs, another priority for the North Central IPM Center.

RFA: NCIPMC FY17 Working Group RFA

Further Develop a Collaborative Multi-State Extension Resource for Field Crops Extension

Project Director: Daren Mueller
Funding Amount: $20,000

A new organization called the Crop Protection Network (CPN) was created to serve as infrastructure for field crop Extension outputs from a diverse set of collaborators in the North Central Region and beyond. The CPN consists of a regional network of land-grant universities in the United States, and closely related organizations in Canada. To date, our group has primarily involved plant pathologists and focused on field crop disease outputs. Because successful crop protection and production involves so much more than disease management, we would like to involve scientists from other disciplines such as entomology, weed science, and agronomy, as well as more scientists and Extension specialists in plant pathology. Outputs from the CPN thus far include 24 publications in the form of Extension bulletins and scouting guides on a variety of crop protection-related topics. The focus of this Working Group proposal is to expand the CPN by recruiting scientists from other disciplines and engage with scientific societies, IPM centers and regulatory entities to discuss partnerships. Expansion of the CPN will provide a “stage” where knowledge sharing or collaboration in extension efforts can be introduced, considered, or facilitated, and then be leveraged across multiple crop-growing regions. This project has a direct benefit to the North Central region by providing current and timely Extension material to aid in the identification and management of existing and emerging problems, and provides information on issues lacking Extension information.

Great Lakes Fruit IPM Working Group

Project Director: Julianna Wilson
Funding Amount: $19,992

The Great Lakes Fruit IPM Working Group (GLFW) serves two main functions: 1) to provide multiple means for fruit researchers, extension educators, and consultants from public or private institutions to share their expertise, experiences, challenges, and solutions for sustainable fruit production in the Great Lakes region; and 2) to produce extension/outreach materials that are specific to the needs of fruit growers across the region. The first function is addressed in several ways: through an annual meeting, through a group website, and through a listserv. The annual meeting consists of 1.5 days of around 30 presentations on research results or extension programming successes/challenges, plus a Keynote Speaker, and a full day field tour of local fruit related research, commercial, and educational venues. A business meeting is also conducted to discuss and evaluate working group activities. The local hosts and location rotate among Michigan, New York, and Ontario (Michigan will host the 2017 meeting), though participants include members from other North Central and Northeast region states. The website provides meeting archives, and the listserv is used extensively by members to discuss regional fruit crop issues, diagnoses, and announcements. The new extension/outreach project will be to produce set of diagnostic cards for apple maturity and storage disorders.

Great Lakes Hop Working Group 2017

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $19,992

The objective of this proposal is to continue to build the network of hop educators and researchers working in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. as well as Canada. These regions represent similar hop growing conditions that diverge substantially from the conditions in the major production regions of the Pacific Northwest. Members include: Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, University of Vermont, Cornell University, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State, Virginia Tech, Iowa State, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The GLHWG will convene for a two-day conference focused on research and Extension reporting and project development. The major goals of the of the GLHWG include; Supporting improved information exchange and knowledge sharing within the NCIPM Great Lakes Hop Working Group and beyond through scholarship, and ; Increasing collaboration in addressing IPM challenges for hop producers through improved needs assessment and grant development.

Great Lakes Urban Agriculture IPM Working Group 2017

Project Director: Jacqueline Kowalski
Funding Amount: $5,993

Interest in urban agriculture continues to gain traction particularly in Rust Belt cities where land re-use is a critical priority for city planners. Urban farms are developed and managed as either social (not-for-profit) or for-profit enterprises. Urban farmers are often new and beginning farmers, may be non-English speakers or from an otherwise historically underserved population, without experience in agricultural pest management. Inexperience and lack of knowledge of integrated pest management strategies have led to decreased yields and well as decreased potential profits. To address this problem a Great Lakes Urban Agriculture working group was formed in 2016 and is seeking renewal for the 2017 grant cycle The objectives of the formation of the 2017-18 working group will be 1) to hold a regional meeting of University agriculture professionals and stakeholders in order to develop an information sharing-network of urban agriculture professionals, 2) Analyze data generated from 2016 survey/needs assessment and create a peer–reviewed publication, and 3) create a series of information cards on topics of importance to serve the integrated pest management needs of this new population of farmers. The beneficiaries of activities of this working group will be urban farmers and community programs that support urban farms. These activities will help meet the goals of improved understanding of current IPM issues across disciplines, increased /new IPM knowledge, increased adoption of IPM practices and improved economic impacts for urban farmers. The outcomes of this working group will also inform the research community of IPM research needs for urban farmers.

Improving the IPM Capacity of Certified Crop Advisers

Project Director: Peter werts
Funding Amount: $10,427

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and IPM Institute of North America propose to continue our IPM and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) working group to provide continuing-education articles for the ASA’s Crops & Soils magazine, with the goal of improving IPM knowledge, skills and abilities of certified crop advisors (CCA) working in agronomic crops in the North Central region. The ASA continues to receive requests for current and cutting-edge IPM information and resources to include in their publication. Our articles will provide information on IPM practices to the magazine’s readership of 13,000 CCAs, as well as 3,000 additional members of ASA. These resources will improve CCA’s the ability to assist agricultural producers facing new and emerging pest-management challenges in the North Central region. Our proposal addresses priorities identified by the North Central IPM Center and National IPM Roadmap by increasing adoption, information exchange and knowledge sharing of IPM practices through the collaboration of scientific and extension communities. In press for the winter 2016/2017 issues are our recently completed article on the new Worker Protection Standards. Our goal is to develop an additional four articles and a webinar covering topics such as the role of IPM in plant incorporated protectants in agronomic crops, herbicide-resistance management, and to the role of pollinator conservation in pest management.

Midwest Grows Green Lawn & Land Forum: Improving Turfgrass IPM policy and practice to protect land, water, wildlife, and people.

Project Director: Ryan Anderson
Funding Amount: $19,996

Midwest Pesticide Action Center (MPAC), a Midwest based organization focused solely on reducing the health risks and environmental impacts of pesticides by advancing safer alternatives in urban residential areas, respectfully requests support in the amount of $20,000 over one year from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center (NCIPM) to support our recently established turf grass Working Group. The Midwest Grows Green (MGG) Lawn & Land Forum is a working group using a bottom-up meets top-down behavior and policy change approach. Ultimately, this project intends to create an interconnected policymaking system to protect land, water, wildlife, and people by scaling the educational outreach successes of MPAC’s Midwest Grows Green natural lawn care initiative. The system aims to achieve improved outdoor Integrated Pest Management policies and practices at park districts, school districts, and local governments in the Midwest and nationwide. Representatives from the University of Wisconsin (UW), Illinois Sports Turf Managers Association (ILSTMA), University of Chicago, University of Minnesota, and University of Illinois Extension will participate in this Working Group to create informative and engaging activities for the community of large turf managers in the Midwest and beyond.

North Central Nursery Integrated Pest Management Working Group

Project Director: Robert Schutzki
Funding Amount: $9,027

Given the diversity of species, production environments and intended purposes of the crops, interrelationships and collaboration among public and private sector groups related to nursery crop production is paramount for economic stability and sustainable use of resources. Biotic and abiotic problems, production management practices, and environmental issues of climate, weather, and soils/media significantly influence the sustainability of nursery production systems within the North Central region. The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group (NCNIPMWG) facilitates research, educational programming and technological exchanges for the economic and environmental benefit of the nursery industry. The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group brings together researchers, educators, industry, governmental agencies and associations to foster relationships, exchange ideas, identify issues, establish priorities and generate IPM solutions and desirable outcomes for the benefit of producers. The NCNIPMWG focus includes: 1) Continue to solicit membership from the region and promote the Working Group activities through State Nursery and Landscape Associations and State Extension Programs. 2) Conduct an annual conference with regional participation to discuss current IPM issues, challenges, relevant management practices and current IPM efforts. The 2017 annual conference will be held in Illinois; 3) Develop a Crop Profile for Nursery Crops (container and field) produced in the region to identifying current practice, gaps/voids in pest management and establish priorities for future efforts. The information generated from the Crop Profile will be used to aid in setting Working Group priorities and in the development of the Pest Management Strategic Plan for Container and Field-Produced Nursery Crops.

North Central School IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Students spend a major part of each day in school – and an unhealthy school environment with risks from pests and pesticides directly contributes to health problems such as asthma. IPM in schools reduces pesticide use, residues and toxicity, and lowers the number of pest complaints and pest-related asthmagens. It is crucial that school districts are informed about IPM practices and know how to successfully train all staff involved in making a school’s pest management program successful. The goal of the North Central School IPM Working Group is to make schools healthier places with fewer pests and pesticides by facilitating the development and adoption of IPM solutions.
The Working Group aims to achieve its goal by focusing on four objectives in the 2017 – 2018 funding period. First, by making a standardized IPM training available online to school districts to help meet the need for certified professional development opportunities in IPM and collaborate with other organizations to promote the training among their constituents in the north-central region. Second, by coordinating regular conference calls with the North Central School IPM Working Group and the National School IPM Working Group Joint Steering and Advisory Committee to align on available information and resources. Third, by highlighting IPM in schools in the news by circulating a monthly newsletter to over 5,473 individuals. And fourth, by updating their stakeholder priorities to assure alignment among all collaborators to reduce duplication of efforts.

Organic and IPM Working Group: Strengthening the Alliance

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Organic and IPM proponents share many concerns and interest in improving impacts of food production on environmental and human health. Despite these common goals, IPM and organic leaders have few occasions to share thoughts, ideas and resources. The Organic and IPM Working group’s goal is to synergize the efforts of these two communities by building partnerships, fostering dialogue between diverse stakeholders, exchanging information and knowledge, and collaboratively identifying and working towards shared priorities. We aim to achieve our goal by maintaining a curated and facilitated platform that encourages participation across disciplines, organizations and geographies. Renewed funding for the Organic and IPM Working Group will enable us to host monthly conference calls, one in-person meeting, maintain a website to share resources, interact with policy makers in federal agencies and publish a special issue of Biological Control. The group’s outputs will support the North Central IPM Center’s goals of improving understanding of current and emerging IPM and organic management issues, as well as increasing collaboration among diverse stakeholders, scientists and professionals working to address priorities common to organic and IPM in the North Central region and nationally. If funded, the Organic and IPM Working Group will continue its mission of strengthening the alliance between organic and IPM communities to promote adoption of IPM practices and enhance food security in the North Central region and nationally.

Public Tick IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Ticks and tick-borne diseases a major public health concern and emerging pests in the states of the north-central region as well as in other parts of the United States. Eleven of the seventeen tick-borne pathogens in the U.S. are known to infect humans and the number of counties with a high incidence of Lyme disease is growing in the Northeastern and Midwestern states. With eight tick-borne diseases and five species of ticks already firmly established in the north-central region, this area needs urgent attention to adequately address the health problems that tick-borne diseases are causing with an integrated approach.
The goal of the Working Group is to expand the network that can impact reducing the risk of exposure to infected ticks and the potential of diseases. To meet this goal, the Working Group collaborates on best integrated tick-management practices, strategizes on activities and needed investments, exchanges knowledge and shares resources efficiently.
The Public Tick Working Group will work towards this goal in 2017-2018 by educating policy makers about tick-borne diseases costs and needed investments during a visit to Capitol Hill as part of a Tick Mini Symposium, and by developing educational materials focusing on policy maker information needs. Further, the Working Group will identify new areas where tick-borne diseases are gaining a foothold and distribute information to key contacts in those areas. The Working Group hosts regular conference calls with guest speakers, shares news and opportunities through a listserv and plans to update its stakeholder priorities.

Pulse Crops Working Group - 2017

Project Director: Julie Pasche
Funding Amount: $19,649

The Pulse Crops Working Group (PCWG) has been successful in the past at producing relevant outputs and outcomes in advancing IPM objectives for pulse crops. The definition of a pulse crop varies across the world, but we have focused on the main pulse crops produced in the US, field peas, lentils, chickpeas and dry edible beans. The overall objective of the PCWG is creating and disseminating IPM-related materials to producers and other industry stakeholders. Some of our most recent outputs include the production of field pea and dry bean (currently in print) disease diagnostic cards. The field pea cards were completed earlier this year and a total of 800 cards were printed. After dissemination in ND, SD, NE, WA and MT only about 200 cards remain, and many of these are reserved for winter grower meetings. The PCWG will continue the process of revising the Compendium of Field Pea Diseases and Pests published by APS Press. The Compendium serves as a resource to all in the industry and is horribly outdated. This document is often the first resource when growers, agronomists and others in the industry are making a diagnosis; the first step in formulating as IPM-based management system. This will serve as a great benefit to the field pea industry. The PCWG has traditionally focused on pathology; however, this year, the group has incorporated a specific entomological objective based on the needs of the industry. The incorporation of insect pests will greatly enhance the impact of the PCWG.

Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group

Project Director: Iris Caldwell
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group formed in early 2015 as a forum for industry to collaborate and exchange information and best practices related to pollinator habitat along transportation and utility rights-of-way. The working group addresses crucial needs identified by industry, government agencies, and conservation organizations in light of severe declines in populations of pollinating insect species. The Energy Resources Center (ERC) at the University of Illinois-Chicago proposes to continue facilitation and coordination activities associated with the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group, including organizing a face-to-face working group meeting, hosting educational webinars, and developing an online membership directory to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Sunflower Pathology Working Group

Project Director: Samuel Markell
Funding Amount: $20,000

Approximately 85-90% of the 2.0 M acres of sunflower planted annually in the U.S. are in the North Central States. According the National Sunflower Association, diseases are the most significant biological yield-limiting factor for sunflower production. Despite this, few pathologists work on sunflower and very limited reference and Extension literature on sunflower diseases exist. Consequently, disease identification is challenging for growers and a near-total lack of IPM recommendations has resulted in a ‘spray and pray’ approach to disease management. To address these problems, the SPWG was established in 2013 with the specific mission of increasing IPM awareness by creating new academic reference and Extension materials. Major outputs include the first APS Sunflower Compendium (2016), a 20-disease diagnostic card set (2015), two disease chapters in major monographs/books (2015, 2016), a diagnostic card-deck (2016), many funded grants, Extension and research articles. In 2016, the SPWG expanded membership to include Australia sunflower pathologist Sue Thompson (University of South Queensland). In 2017-2018, we propose to compose Plant Health Progress Diagnostic Guides, publish a feature article and began composition of an interactive ‘ibook’. We will assess impacts with follow-up surveys and feedback at stakeholder meetings. Proposed activities are consistent with the mission of the North-Central IPM Center and designed to increase knowledge among stakeholders and collaboration among professionals, ultimately leading to positive economic and environmental impacts by limiting needless fungicide applications. Membership of the SPWG is consistent with geographic specificity in the RFP; 4/6 of the members are from north central states.

2016 Program Year

RFA: NCIPMC Working Group RFA

Great Lakes Fruit IPM Working Group

Project Director: Julianna Wilson
Funding Amount: $19,842

The Great Lakes Fruit IPM Working Group provides multiple means for fruit researchers, extension educators, and consultants from public or private institutions to share their expertise, experiences, challenges, and solutions for sustainable fruit production in the Great Lakes region. They produce extension/outreach materials that are specific to the needs of their grower clientele. The annual meeting consists of 1.5 days of presentations on research results or extension programming successes/challenges, and a full day field tour of local fruit-related research, commercial, and educational venues. The host group and location rotates among Michigan, New York, and Ontario (which will host the 2016 meeting), though participants include members from other states. A website provides meeting archives, and a listserv is used widely by members to discuss regional fruit crop issues and announcements. The group will undertake two extension/outreach projects in 2016-17: to create a new Beginner IPM Guide for Stone Fruit, and to convert the Blueberry Pocket Guide into a web-based search tool.

Great Lakes Hop Working Group: Development of a regional collaborative to support sustainable hop production

Project Director: Erin Lizotte
Funding Amount: $20,000

The objective of this proposal is to create a network of hop educators and researchers working in the Midwest and Eastern United States as well as Canada. These regions represent similar hop growing conditions that diverge substantially from the conditions in the major hop production regions of the Pacific Northwest. The lack of available information for emerging hop producing regions necessitates the development of a formal greater Great Lakes Region Hop Working Group (GLHWG) to support hop production. Members will include, but are not limited to the following institutions: Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, University of Vermont, Cornell University, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State, Virginia Tech, Iowa State, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAFRA). The GLHWG and key stakeholders will convene for a two-day conference that will focus on research and Extension reporting, resource sharing, needs prioritization, project development and funding efforts. The major goals of the GLHWG include; improved understanding of IPM-related issues across regions, increased collaboration between participants to address IPM-related, and increased adoption of IPM practices by hop producers. No formal projects are planned for the inaugural meeting but new projects are expected to develop based on the meeting.

Great Lakes Urban Agriculture IPM Working Group

Project Director: Jacqueline Kowalski
Funding Amount: $19,608

Interest in urban agriculture continues to gain traction particularly in Rust Belt cities where land re-use is a critical priority for city planners. Urban farms are developed and managed as either social (not-for-profit) or for-profit enterprises. Urban farmers are often new and beginning farmers, may be non-English speakers or from an otherwise historically underserved population, without experience in agricultural pest management. Inexperience and lack of knowledge of integrated pest management strategies have led to decreased yields aswell as decreased potential profits. To address this problem a Great Lakes Urban Agriculture working group will be formed. The objectives of the formation of this new working group will be 1) to hold a regional meeting of University agriculture professionals and stakeholders in order to develop an information sharing-network of agriculture personnel who work closely with urban farmers 2) to develop an IPM needs assessment for urban farmers and 3) develop and offer an IPM webinar series geared toward urban farmers and other stakeholders in order to serve the integrated pest management needs of this new population of farmers. The beneficiaries of activities of this working group will be urban farmers and community programs that support urban farms. These activities will help meet the goals of improved understanding of current IPM issues across disciplines, increased /new IPM knowledge, increased adoption of IPM practices and improved economic impacts for urban farmers. The outcomes of this working group will also inform the research community of IPM research needs for urban farmers.

Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group

Project Director: Angela Orshinsky
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group (GLVeg WG) benefits from a broad spectrum of expertise in specialized areas of vegetable IPM. The WG provides a forum for building research collaborations, diagnosing problems and providing IPM-based recommendations to growers, and assessing stakeholder needs. These functions are primarily achieved via an email listserv, webinars, and an annual meeting. The group has also established Twitter and Facebook accounts to deliver pest and management alerts to stakeholders. Recent accomplishments of the GLVeg WG include two 4.5 hour cucurbit and sweet corn IPM grower workshops and a "Season Extension IPM Mangagement Techniques" guide for vegetable production (available on-line in 2016). The continuation of this working group is vital to the continued collaboration of vegetable experts across the region. In this applicatin, we propose continuation of the listserve, Twitter, annual meeting, and the and a webinar series ("Emerging Issues and Technologies in Vegetable Production") targeted at commercial growers and early career IPM specialists.

IC SCOPE: Improving IPM by Promoting Pest Prevention through Exclusion in Industrial and Commercial Food Handling Facilities, Phase 2

Project Director: Stephen Kells
Funding Amount: $20,000

In industrial and commercial (IC) food handling facilities, insect and rodent infestations become chronic, because the pests utilize structural faults in buildings to gain entry, disperse among suitable habitats and seek refuge from control measures. Infestations result in significant disruptions and economic losses. Research on pest exclusion (PE) practices will greatly improve IPM practices in these buildings.

Last year, the Scientific Coalition on Pest Exclusion (SCOPE) developed critical background information and priorities for improving PE measures. This working group was composed of research, extension, and industry personnel who shared their knowledge with several companies that are dependent upon effective food safety programs. For Phase 2, the group is charged with initiating work on these priorities.

The SCOPE working group will produce methods and curricula to support adoption of PE as a whole-systems approach to IPM. To help achieve this outcome, we have proposed the following objectives and activities for this year:

1. Finalizing and validating the assessment protocol to evaluate exclusion issues and pest activity on IC properties
2. Conducting a series of PE assessments, and developing a database to maintain information
3. Constructing the information platform to be used for disseminating results

Successful conclusion of this project will set the stage for: i) additional assessments to increase the predictability of PE issues; and, ii) intervention research to apply PE methods and evaluate the economic results. Also, pestexclusion.org will be identified as a central information source for promoting PE methods within the North Central region as well as nationally.

Improving the IPM Capacity of Certified Crop Advisors Working Group

Project Director: Peter werts
Funding Amount: $10,704

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and IPM Institute of North America propose to form a working group to develop continuing-education articles for the ASAs Crops & Soils magazine, with the goal of improving IPM knowledge, skills and abilities of certified crop advisors (CCA) working in agronomic crops in the North Central region. The ASA continues to receive requests for current and cutting-edge IPM information and resources to include in their publication. Our articles will provide information on IPM practices to the magazines readership of 13,000 CCAs, as well as 3,000 additional members of ASA. These resources will improve CCAs ability to assist agricultural producers facing new and emerging pest-management challenges in the North Central Region. Our proposal addresses priorities identified by the North Central IPM Center and National IPM Roadmap by improving information exchange and knowledge sharing of IPM practices through the collaboration of scientific and extension communities; improving the understanding of current IPM issues across disciplines, crops and states; provides education on resistance management in IPM systems; and develop educational resources to reduce potential human health risks from pests and related management strategies. If funded, we will develop four articles and two webinars addressing IPM topics for IPM and resistance management in plant incorporated protectant crops, brown marmorated stink bug management in Midwest corn and soybean production, herbicide resistance management in agronomic-crop systems and new US-EPA worker protection standards which apply to CCAs.

North Central School IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

IPM in schools reduces pesticide use, residues and toxicity, and pest complaints and pest-related asthmagens. Our group has been working in our region and nationally since 2008 to increase IPM adoption in schools, and has grown from 11 to 36 diverse stakeholders from every state in our region, with 20 members participating regularly. Our primary goal is to implement the National Pest Management Strategic Plan for IPM in the North Central Region (Green and Gouge 2015). If funded, we will complete four objectives in this grant period: 1) Launch Stop School Pests training by providing mini-grants to working group members to introduce the training to school districts in our region. Stop School Pests is a national IPM training program that provides the opportunity for school staff to learn about their IPM role through the completion of standardized training materials and proficiency exams for certification. We will provide ongoing access to online training modules and quiz/exam participation, free of charge for nine key school roles. 2) Coordinate monthly North Central School IPM Working Group and National School IPM Working Group Joint Steering and Advisory Committee meeting conference calls and support in person meetings to share information and tools, address opportunities and challenges. (3) Circulate a monthly eNews sent to over 8,500 individuals with the latest news in the school IPM field. (4) Update stakeholder priorities.

Northern Plains IPM Guide Working Group

Project Director: Emmanuel Byamukama
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Northern Plains IPM Guide working group seeks to bring together Agricultural Professionals in the Northern Plains Region to provide an IPM Guide as one stop resource for IPM information on field crops and urban and home pests and diseases identification and management. The new leadership of this working group will expand the plant pathology focus while also maintaining current content on entomology chapters. This working group will build on already achieved success of four chapters (Soybean entomology, Soybean diseases, Corn entomology, and Urban entomology) available online (http://wiki.bugwood.org/NPIPM ) and on mobile App by adding wheat diseases chapter. Wheat accounts for a larger proportion of acreage in the region that receives fungicides annually. Availability of information on disease identification and management options that emphasize use of IPM may lessen overreliance on pesticides and chances of pesticide resistance developing. We will recruit new members with expertise in wheat pathology to join the group as well as coordinating and promoting the Northern Plains IPM Guide amongst the existing members. Increased access to IPM information on the Northern Plains IPM Guide online and on the mobile App as indicated by traffic to these sites will be the measure of success of this working group.

Organic and IPM Working Group: Strengthening the Alliance

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Organic and IPM proponents share many concerns and interests in improving impacts of food production on environmental and human health. Despite these common goals, IPM and organic leaders have few occasions to share thoughts, ideas and resources. The Organic and IPM Working Group's goal is to synergize the efforts of these two communities by building partnerships, fostering dialogue between diverse stakeholders, exchanging information and knowledge, and collaboratively identifying and working towards shared priorities. We aim to achieve our goal by maintaining a curated and facilitated platform that encourages participation across disciplines, organizations and geographies. Renewed funding for the Organic and IPM Working Group will enable us to host monthly conference calls, two in-person meetings, maintain a website to share resources, identify common priorities, assist with planning the Organic Agriculture Research Symposium, and conduct presentations on the work of the group at national conferences. The group's outputs will support the North Central IPM Center's goals of improving understanding of current and emerging IPM and organic management issues, as well as increasing collaboration among diverse stakeholders, scientists and professionals working to address priorities common to organic and IPM in the North Central region and nationally. If funded, the Organic and IPM Working Group will continue its mission of strengthening the alliance between organic and IPM communities to promote adoption of IPM practices and enhance food security in the North Central region and nationally.

Public Tick IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $20,000

Tick populations have rapidly expanded throughout the North Central region, posing a serious threat to public health as exposure and tick-borne disease incidence increase. The primary goal of the Public Tick IPM Working Group is to reduce tick-borne disease incidence by collaborating on IPM-related activities and efforts that ultimately reduce the risk of exposure to ticks and subsequent pathogens. Given the geographic expansion of ticks and the emergence of new pathogens Borrelia miyamotoi, Bourbon virus and Heartland virus infection, our Working Group addresses the North Central IPM Centers priority of Invasive pests and emerging pest problems through enhanced communication for tick management, collaboration on tick tracking systems, and through support and promotion of newly developed technologies related to IPM tick management and pathogen transmission prevention. IPM-based prevention is critical in tick management since human, animal and environmental health are important concerns in tick-infested areas including public parks or schools where chemically based management practices pose health risks to humans and the environment. The Public Tick IPM Working Group provides a platform for both federal and nonfederal members involved in tick-borne disease efforts and supports the existing federal group by maintaining and publishing stakeholder priorities and undertaking projects that address one or more of those priorities. In collaboration with the federal group, ESA and CDC, our Working Group will organize a national integrated tick management for the assessment of available IPM strategies and the identification of research needs that will help inform future technological developments and navigate future collaborative efforts.

Pulse Crops Working Group

Project Director: Julie Pasche
Funding Amount: $19,846

North Dakota is among the most important pulse producing states and South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska have observed increasing pulse crops acres in recent years. Pulse crop production is limited by many diseases from root rots to foliar leaf spots and viruses. However, extension and research scientists dedicated to pulse crop pathology in the north central region are limited. While pathologists from Nebraska, North and South Dakota have responsibility for pulse crops, all have responsibility for other crops as well. This makes collaboration a key for progress. The objectives of this proposal include 1) Hold two Pulse Crop Working Group meetings; communicate via Wiggio and conference calls; 2) Form a strategic planning committee to develop a proposal to the American Phytopathological Society (APS) to write the 3rd edition of the Compendium of Pea Diseases. These objectives align with NCIPMC mission by addressing needs and providing outputs pertinent to stakeholders. Evaluation scores from the first annual meeting of the PCWG in March 2015 were 3.6 for presentation usefulness and 3.7 for share and use of information on a 1 to 4 scale, and most participants indicated that they would like to continue meeting annually. Pea disease diagnostic cards proposed as an objective in 2015 have been edited and returned to authors for final comments before formatting and printing. APS approached the PCWG to revise the Compendium of Pea Diseases. APS has indicated Disease Compendiums should be revised every 10 years; the 2nd edition of the Pea Compendium was published in 2001.

Sunflower Pathology Working Group - 2016

Project Director: Samuel Markell
Funding Amount: $20,000

Approximately 85-90% of the 2.0 M acres of sunflower planted annually in the U.S. are in the North Central States. Diseases are the most significant biological yield-limiting factor for sunflower production, however, few pathologists work on sunflower and limited reference and Extension literature on sunflower diseases exist. Consequently, disease identification is challenging for growers and a near-total lack of IPM recommendations exist. This has resulted in a spray and pray approach to disease management. In 2013, the Sunflower Pathology Working Group (SPWG) was established with the specific mission of increasing IPM awareness by creating new academic and Extension publications. Major outputs include composition of the first APS Sunflower Compendium (in review), publication of a 20-disease diagnostic card set, submission of multiple grant proposals and publication of multiple research articles. In 2016-2017, the SPWG proposes to compose four Plant Health Progress Diagnostic Guides (two submitted in the current grant year), develop and disseminate sunflower disease playing cards and see the APS Sunflower Compendium to completion. We will assess impacts with follow-up surveys, sales data and feedback at stakeholder meetings. Proposed activities are consistent with the mission of the North-Central IPM Center and designed to increase and distribute new knowledge to stakeholders and increase collaboration and communication across professionals, hopefully leading to positive economic and environmental impacts by limiting needless fungicide applications. Membership of the SPWG is consistent with geographic specificity in the RFP; 80% of the members are from ND, SD, NE and IA.

The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group

Project Director: Robert Schutzki
Funding Amount: $17,949

The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group
Given the vast diversity of species, production environments and intended purposes of the crops, interrelationships and collaboration among public and private sector groups related to nursery crop production is paramount for economic stability, sustainable use of resources and environmental health. Management practices not only impact targeted crops but also have the potential to influence beyond production boundaries. Biotic and abiotic problems, production management practices, and environmental issues of climate, weather, and soils/media significantly influence the sustainability of nursery production systems within the North Central region. The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group is being initiated to facilitate research, educational programming and technological exchanges for the economic and environmental benefit of the nursery industry. The North Central Nursery IPM Working Group brings together researchers, educators, industry, governmental agencies and associations to foster relationships, exchange ideas, identify issues, establish priorities and generate IPM solutions and desirable outcomes for the benefit of producers in the North Central region. In our first year of operation, the working group focus will include: 1) Bring together public and private sector representatives directly related to nursery production. The membership focuses on representatives from the following core states: Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. 2) Conduct an annual conference with regional participation to discuss current IPM issues, challenges, relevant management practices and current efforts within the region. 3) Develop and conduct a Needs Assessment from nurseries in the region to identifying gaps/voids in pest management and establish priorities for future efforts.

2015 Program Year

RFA: Working Groups 2015

IC SCOPE: Improving IPM by Promoting Pest Prevention through Exclusion in Industrial and Commercial Food Handling Facilities

Project Director: Stephen Kells
Funding Amount: $20,000

In industrial and commercial (IC) food handling facilities (e.g. for stored products; Food Manufacture, storage and distribution; restaurants, grocery stores, etc.), insect and rodent infestations can become chronic. These pests utilize structural faults within and among buildings in order to gain entry, seek refuge from control measures, and disperse to suitable habitats. Chronic infestations result in significant disruptions and economic losses, such as the rejection of products, shutdown of food production for pest control measures, legal actions, and the loss of customer confidence in brands and services. Traditionally, the approach to pest management in IC facilities has been to target sites where pests are visible and easily accessible, while ignoring the unseen source-habitats that generate new and chronic infestations. More research is needed to scientifically evaluate and predictively model pest exclusion (PE) practices as fundamental methods to prevent pest entry, disrupt pest dispersal routes, and eliminate the risk of chronic infestations. Studies are critically needed to promote PE, and to overcome existing and future impediments to successful IPM in IC buildings.

The Scientific Coalition on Pest Exclusion (SCOPE) has been formed to address the need for improving PE measures as part of IPM practices in food handling facilities. This SCOPE working group is composed of research, extension and industry personnel, who will work with stakeholders in several industry sectors dependent upon effective food safety programs. In addition, advances in scientific methodology and the accompanying economic benefits to
stakeholders will reinforce SCOPEs overall curriculum initiatives to overcome impediments in IPM program development in commercial, residential and other buildings outside of the food handling sector. These programs will have a broad reach across the North Central and additional IPM regions.

The SCOPE working group will produce methods and curricula to support PE as a whole-systems approach to IPM, and this work will have highly significant impacts for the following outcomes:

* Increased realization by industry personnel of the potential benefits and challenges of PE techniques
* Discussions and questions about how different stakeholders may apply PE
* Willingness to consider altering practices for improved PE
* Increased realization by industry personnel of the potential benefits and challenges of pest exclusion (PE) techniques
* Facility managers expectations to use PE as a prerequisite practice
* Contracted Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) responding to customer demand by offering PE installation and maintenance services as standard practice
* Greater efficiencies and predictable costs in pest prevention from adoption of validated assessment checklists

Successful conclusion of this project will set the stage for active research on knowledge gaps and priorities to further adoption of PE methods in urban and stored product IPM programs.

Joining forces: Midwest and Western Weather Work Groups for national harmonization of weather-based decision tools

Project Director: Mark Gleason
Funding Amount: $20,000

Implementation of weather-driven IPM systems for crop diseases and arthropod pests has been hindered by start-and-stop efforts to provide access to reliable weather data and decision-support tools. As a result, scores of promising and well-validated warning systems remain locked up in the IPM toolbox. The Midwest Weather Working Group (MWWG) and the Western Weather Working Group (WWWG) propose to develop a united plan to harmonize each groups strategies in order to overcome these obstacles and make weather-based IPM advisories readily available to specialty-crop growers nationally over the long term. To accomplish this ambitious goal we propose to hold a 2.5-day-long workshop in August 2015 to bring together 30 of the nations leaders in weather-based plant modeling (many of whom have attended previous MWWG and WWWG meetings). To fund the workshop, parallel proposals are being submitted in both the Western Region and the North Central Region. The outcomes of the workshop will be to: 1) share and compare current online platforms for weather-based decision support; 2) assess capability gaps and potential for harmonization of these systems to make them more interactive with each other and more widely available to state and national decision support systems; 3) publish a joint White Paper proposing an action plan; and 4) collaboratively write a USDA-NIFA-CAP proposal to the SCRI program in 2016 to fill these capability gaps, harmonize standards and platforms where possible, assess stakeholder viewpoints on using these shared resources, and advance the science of weather-based IPM decision aids. These outcomes will advance each NCIPMC desired outcome for Working Groups by improving cross-disciplinary and multi-crop understanding of IPM issues while increasing IPM knowledge; increasing adoption of IPM practices, making knowledge sharing cheaper and easier, and mitigating economic, environmental, and human health impacts. We will also meet NCIPMC priorities for conducting environmental, economic, and risk assessments of IPM practices, IPM research and outreach for fruit and vegetable crops, overcoming impediments to IPM adoption, and developing regional predictive pest models and economic thresholds. We will build on the trans-disciplinary networking and significant accomplishments of the WWWG and MWWG over the past 8 years to reshape implementation of weather-based IPM decision support on a national scale for decades to come. Deliverables for the North Central Region will include more effective and convenient technology transfer of weather-based IPM decision aids for thousands of fruit and vegetable growers, savings of millions of dollars in input costs due to wide-scale reduction on pesticide use, a greater margin of worker and consumer safety from less pesticide use, and  as a result - more robust rural communities in the Region.

North Central Consumer Horticultural IPM Working Group (CHWG)

Project Director: vera krischik
Funding Amount: $20,000

In 2015 the NC Consumer Horticulture IPM Working Group (NCCWG) overall objectives are to promote collaboration among scientific and extension programs in the North Central states and to increase knowledge of IPM practices in landscapes. We will meet these objectives by focusing on seven objectives related to IPM of landscapes and gardens. We will develop three new webinars and learning modules on IPM. In Objective 1, we will develop a webinar/module on small fruits (strawberries and blueberries) and IPM for spotted wing Drosophila, marmorated stink bug, and tarnished plant bug and diseases in home gardens and landscapes. In Objective 2, we will develop a webinar/module on home lawns and IPM of European cranefly and Japanese beetle and selected fungal diseases. In Objective 3, we will develop a webinar/module on pesticides and pollinators. In Objective 4, we will develop an online portal for our NC IPM working group products on the eXtension website to promote the work we have accomplished to further increase knowledge of IPM in home landscapes. Past and future webinars will be developed into modules with factsheets and quizzes from the member states in the working group. In Objective 5, we will develop a citizens science-like project on pollinators, with plots at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum installed with native and cultivated garden plants where visitors and Extension Master Gardeners can count the pollinators in each plot and turn their results into a collection box to determine if native or garden plants support more pollinators. We will engage Extension Master Gardeners, arboretum, visitors, and youth to count the number of pollinators in native and cultivated plants. This project will allow us to discuss pollinator conservation. In Objective 6, we will develop this demonstration project into a protocol for other botanic gardens or display gardens in the North Central region. In Objective 7, we will write an article on our demonstration project and IPM programs.

THE NCCWG will continue to meet via phone conference calls and promote our work at national meetings such as the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), the International Master Gardener Conference (IMG), and the National Master Gardener Coordinators Conference. Our outcomes are to see a change in knowledge and behavior of Extension Master Gardeners as a result of the IPM webinars and online modules we will develop. We also anticipate an outcome of increased awareness of pollinators by people who participate in the demonstration garden project at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

North Central Consumer Horticultural IPM Working Group (CHWG)

Project Director: Mary Meyer
Funding Amount: $20,000

In 2015 the NC Consumer Horticulture IPM Working Group (NCCWG) overall objectives are to promote collaboration among scientific and extension programs in the North Central states and to increase knowledge of IPM practices in landscapes. We will meet these objectives by focusing on seven objectives related to IPM of landscapes and gardens. We will develop three new webinars and learning modules on IPM. In Objective 1, we will develop a webinar/module on small fruits (strawberries and blueberries) and IPM for spotted wing Drosophila, marmorated stink bug, and tarnished plant bug and diseases in home gardens and landscapes. In Objective 2, we will develop a webinar/module on home lawns and IPM of European cranefly and Japanese beetle and selected fungal diseases. In Objective 3, we will develop a webinar/module on pesticides and pollinators. In Objective 4, we will develop an online portal for our NC IPM working group products on the eXtension website to promote the work we have accomplished to further increase knowledge of IPM in home landscapes. Past and future webinars will be developed into modules with factsheets and quizzes from the member states in the working group. In Objective 5, we will develop a citizens science-like project on pollinators, with plots at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum installed with native and cultivated garden plants where visitors and Extension Master Gardeners can count the pollinators in each plot and turn their results into a collection box to determine if native or garden plants support more pollinators. We will engage Extension Master Gardeners, arboretum, visitors, and youth to count the number of pollinators in native and cultivated plants. This project will allow us to discuss pollinator conservation. In Objective 6, we will develop this demonstration project into a protocol for other botanic gardens or display gardens in the North Central region. In Objective 7, we will write an article on our demonstration project and IPM programs.

THE NCCWG will continue to meet via phone conference calls and promote our work at national meetings such as the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), the International Master Gardener Conference (IMG), and the National Master Gardener Coordinators Conference. Our outcomes are to see a change in knowledge and behavior of Extension Master Gardeners as a result of the IPM webinars and online modules we will develop. We also anticipate an outcome of increased awareness of pollinators by people who participate in the demonstration garden project at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Organic and IPM Working Group: Strengthening the Alliance

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $15,458

Organic and IPM propoents share many interests related to food and environmental and human health. Yet even with these shared goals, IPM and organic leaders have few occasions to share thoughts, ideas, priorities and efforts. Continued funding for the Organic and IPM Working Group will address the North Central IPM Centers goal to enhance food security by building stronger alliances between organic and IPM systems. In addition, goals of the Working Group align with the Northeastern IPM Centers new Signature Program on IPM and Organic, which aims to develop and enhance IPM in organic production through collaborative relationships that bridge knowledge and information sharing gaps.
The Organic and IPM Working Group serves as a formal space to share ideas, build partnerships, and work together to address emerging priorities common to organic and IPM communities and stakeholders. In the last year, the Working Group has held 12 conference calls with an average of nine participants per call and welcomed five new active members. The group maintains a website (http://organicipmwg.wordpress.com/), and initiated work on a white paper to inform policy makers, researchers, Extension staff and practitioners of the need for and benefits of their support for our priorities. Select members of the group are collaborating to plan the Organic Agriculture Research Symposium in February 2015 under a successful proposal to the Organic Reseach and Education Initiative (OREI).
The Organic and IPM Working Group will present and discuss ideas from the white paper at the 2015 International IPM Symposium. If funded, we will continue to develop projects that synergize our collective knowledge, expertise and resources in order to address emerging issues for organic and IPM stakeholders and ag professionals. Broad outcomes include increased awareness of organic and IPM synergies, expanded resources for IPM and organic practitioners, and a strengthened alliance between organic and IPM communities for enhanced sustainability and food security.

Public Tick IPM Working Group

Project Director: Thomas Green
Funding Amount: $12,275

Ticks and the pathogens they carry pose a serious threat to public health in the North Central region. Tick populations have rapidly expanded throughout the North Central and other regions in the US, increasing exposure and tick-borne disease incidence. The primary goal of the Public Tick IPM Working Group is to reduce tick-borne disease incidence by collaborating on IPM-related activities and efforts that ultimately reduce the risk of exposure to ticks and pathogens they carry. The Public Tick IPM Working Group provides a platform for nonfederal and federal participants involved in tick-borne disease efforts (Appendix 1) to exchange new research findings, technological developments and communicate ideas and supports the existing federal group by maintaining and publishing stakeholder priorities and undertaking projects that address one or more of those priorities. Our proposed goals complement the efforts of the Federal Tick-Borne Disease IPM Workgroup as we both work towards reducing tick-borne disease through effective IPM tools.

Pulse Crop Working Group

Project Director: Julie Pasche
Funding Amount: $19,576

Major pulse crops grown in the North Central US include field pea, lentil and chickpea. Production of these crops, in particular field pea, is rapidly expanding. Pulse crops are produced in the NCUS states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska but are grown on limited acres compared to crops such as soybean and corn. Pulse crop production is limited by many biotic disorders, but there are few breeders, researchers and extension professionals working on pulse crops and virtually no researchers or extension professionals in the North Central region with pulse crop as a sole responsibility. The Pulse Crop Working Group (PCWG) has been very successful at bringing pulse researchers, extension professionals and breeders together to help growers and other stakeholders advance pulse production in the North Central region through collaborative research and extension efforts. The United Nations has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses (IYOP) to raise awareness of pulse crops. It is the view of the PCWG that the IYOP will accelerate the growth of pulse crop production due to increased demands for these products. The resultant increase in pulse acres will be met with increasing production challenges. To help meet these challenges, the PCWG is proposing to hold the first meeting solely dedicated to planning PCWG activities in 2015. A focused effort towards solving grower challenges is crucial in sustaining and advancing pulse production in the North Central region. In association with this objective, the PCWG will continue to hold conference calls and update members via the Wiggio site. The meeting typically held in association with the American Phytopathological Association will be held again this year as it has in past years. Additional objectives of this proposal include the development of a PCWG mission statement, the production of field-durable disease diagnostic cards and continued enhancement of communication with stakeholders. The outcomes expected from this proposal include bringing many of the pulse researchers from the US and Canada together to update research and plan future group activities to increase collaborative efforts on pulse related grant proposals and publications in the North Central region and subsequently increase collaborative research and extension efforts on pulse crop IPM. The development of the mission statement will provide a focus for the PCWG moving forward to improve planning of group activities/outputs and eventually increase the success of funded proposals and the production of IPM materials for pulse diseases. Additional outcomes include providing growers with a user-friendly disease diagnostic guide that is field-durable and will enable them to perform preliminary in-field pulse crop disease identifications and increase grower knowledge of important pulse crop diseases. These diagnostic cards and other IPM materials produced by the PCWG will be disseminated to stakeholder members of the PCWG will leverage the resources of the group for extension activities. The PI of the PCWG will also continue to support the mission of the NC IPM center by attending the annual stakeholder meeting and participating in other center activities when warranted.

Sunflower Pathology Working Group 2015

Project Director: Samuel Markell
Funding Amount: $19,855

Approximately 85-90% of the 2.0 to 2.5 M acres of sunflower planted annually in the U.S. are in the North Central States. Diseases have been the most significant biological yield-limiting factor for sunflower production, however, very few pathologists work on sunflower. Very limited reference and Extension literature on sunflower diseases exists, which has resulted in misidentification of diseases and combined with a near-total lack of IPM recommendations;
growers often spray and pray. In 2013, the Sunflower Working Group was established with the specific purpose of trying to increase IPM awareness by providing new reference and Extension material. In 2015-2016, the goal of the Sunflower Working Group is to continue to increase IPM awareness by generating several outputs, including but not limited to; initial submission and
edits/proofing of the first APS Sunflower Compendium, composition of Plant Health Progress
Diagnostic Guides for sunflower diseases, composition of additional Extension material and
submission of at least one multistate grant proposal. Throughout this process, we will be
soliciting feedback from stakeholders at two National Sunflower Association meetings and
through Qualtrix surveys. This proposed activities of the Sunflower Working Group is consistent
with the mission of the North Central IPM Center and is designed to; increase and distribute new
knowledge to stakeholders, increase collaboration and communication across professionals
multiple sunflower-producing states, and hopefully, lead to positive economic and environmental
impacts by limiting needless fungicide applications. Also, the Sunflower Working Group is
consistent with geographic specificity as outlined in the RFP, with 80% of the core members in
North Central States and approximately 85-90% of the U.S. sunflower acreage planted in North
Central States

The Native American Integrated Pest Management/Invasive Species Management (IPM/ISM) Working Group

Project Director: Kerry Hartman
Funding Amount: $12,410

The Native American Integrated Pest Management/Invasive Species Management (IPM/ISM) Working Group helps to address the significant needs for IPM/ISM strategies on American Indians lands by developing a comprehensive and coordinated multi-institutional strategic plan. American Indian tribal lands support diverse ecosystems where pest and invasive species management issues are varied and wide-ranging. IPM is linked closely with ISM as it has been proven successful in managing invasive (or noxious) species infestations. The impact of pest/invasive species infestations hits especially hard on Native American populations. The reduction in native plants means the loss of medicinal plants, cultural materials, and indigenous knowledge which are used in traditional and cultural practices. Many American Indians reside in rural areas with greater exposure to agricultural pesticides and herbicides. Native Americans generally have larger families, less health insurance, and a poverty level nearly twice that of the U.S. population. Thus, Indian country has greater vulnerability to pest/invasive species infestations, and less resources with which to respond effectively.
As important as tribal IPM/ISM issues are, there is a lack of a comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing them. Jurisdictional issues unique to tribes make managing environmental issues more complex. Many tribes have limited staff, funding, and equipment to devote to IPM/ISM activities, and face difficulties hiring and retaining qualified personnel, as well as maintaining accurate data. There are a large number of local, tribal, state, federal, private and non-profit institutions that are separately involved in tribal IPM/ISM issues, and each institution has its own set of priorities and constraints, with no overarching coordination. The 1994 land-grant institutions (tribal colleges and universities) also address tribal IPM/ISM issues. These institutions are primarily located on Indian reservations, staffed by tribal members, and chartered by their tribal governments and communities to respond to local environmental and social issues. The Fort Berthold Community College and First Americans Land-grant Consortium (FALCON), a nonprofit association of 1994 administrators, directors, faculty and staff, will partner to support the Working Group.

Working Group On Invasive Plants In Trade

Project Director: Mark Renz
Funding Amount: $20,000

The Working Group on Invasive Plants in Trade is focused on the IPM strategy of prevention, through working to reduce the sales of ornamental invasive plants in the North Central United States. Ornamental invasive plants are a major threat to natural resources, residential areas, and agricultural lands, yet they are still legal to buy, sell, and plant. Our goal is to work with a diverse group of stakeholders to address the issue of invasive plants in trade and develop strategies to reduce their sale. Previous efforts have focused on discussing the impacts of ornamental invasive plants and how plants are selected for regulation in our region. For 2015 we propose to discuss sterile ornamental plant creation, stability over time, and regulation as cultivars of many invasive ornamental plants are being developed that are reported to produce no viable seed. We wish to explore the science behind sterile cultivars of invasive plants and how these should be regulated. To increase participants within the working group we propose to hold our meeting in conjunction with the North Eastern Plant Propagators Association annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. This conference is well attended by industry and likely will increase participation of those individuals. Information generated will be shared in written form and by conducting a webinar after the meeting with the goal of improving knowledge and trust among individuals involved in this issue which will eventually lead to a reduction in sale of these identified threats.