For 2020 and newer grants, please go to https://grants.ipmcenters.org/
Home       Current RFAs       PD User Guide       Projects       Login

Funded Project

Funding Program: Enhancement Grants - State Contacts/IPM Documents

Project Title: Alabama State Contact Project for Supporting the Communications Network of the Southern Region IPM Center

Project Director (PD): Henry Fadamiro [1]

Lead State: AL Lead Organization: Auburn University

Undesignated Funding: $24,719

Start Date: Jun-01-2007 End Date: May-31-2008

Summary: This proposal is to request funding support for the Alabama State Contact Project (ASCP). The main goal of the ASCP is to support the communications network of the Southern Region IPM Center (SRIPMC). In the last two years (2005 and 2006), the ASCP has been funded by the SRIPMC and this proposal is a request for funding renewal to allow continuation of project activities. This project addresses the priorities of the Southern Region IPM Center (SRIPMC) by enhancing the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) in Alabama. The goals are to continue to support the communications network of the SRIPMC, assist the center in meeting the goals of the National IPM Roadmap, and promote IPM knowledge and adoption in Alabama. Specifically, the ASCP at Auburn University will continue to: 1) Serve as the primary contact in Alabama for regulatory questions related to pest management and pesticides. The ASCP will respond to and document inquiries from entities such as the SRIPMC, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) other appropriate federal agencies, state regulatory agencies, and non-governmental stakeholder groups; 2) Expand and maintain a stakeholder network to consult, advise and participate in the activities of the ASCP; 3) Provide coordination and oversight for SRIPMC projects conducted in Alabama, including crop profiles, pest management strategic plans (PMSPs), special projects, and stakeholder-identified priorities in the state; 4) Provide an annual assessment prioritizing crop profiles and PMSPs for Alabama; 5) Provide a list containing names of the IPM-related experts for research and extension for all important commodities and settings in Alabama; 6) Maintain and continually update a project website (Alabama Pest Management Information Center website http://www.aces.edu/anr/ipm/ OR www.alabamaipm.com) as required by the SRIPMC; 7) Attend an annual state contact meeting arranged by the SRIPMC; 8) Facilitate collaboration between IPM specialists at Auburn University and their counterparts at Alabamas 1890 institution; and 9) Provide important and timely IPM information to stakeholders in Alabama through appropriate media, including fact sheets, pest alerts, newsletters, presentations at grower meetings and IPM workshops, electronic mails, and IPM websites. The continuation of the ASCP will facilitate the goals of the National IPM Roadmap by enhancing the timely access of growers and other stakeholders to IPM information and fostering communication among researchers, growers, public citizens and other IPM stakeholders. The ASCP will prioritize and coordinate the development of Crop Profiles and PMSPs for key commodities and settings in the state. Key expected outcomes of this project include the number of information requests and the quality of the responses provided by the SCP, maintenance of a broad-based IPM Advisory Committee and project website, and development of a list of IPM-related expertise in Alabama. Objectives: The specific objectives of this State Contact Project proposal are to: 1) Serve as the primary contact for regulatory questions related to pest management and pesticides in Alabama. 2) Expand and maintain a stakeholder network to consult, advise and participate in the activities of the ASCP. 3) Provide coordination and oversight for SRIPMC projects and IPM documents in Alabama, including crop profiles, pest management strategic plans (PMSPs), and special projects. 4) Provide an annual assessment prioritizing crop profiles and PMSPs for Alabama. 5) Provide a list containing names of the IPM-related experts for research and extension for all important commodities and settings in Alabama. 6) Maintain and update the Alabama State Contact Project (ASCP) as required by the SRIPMC. 7) Attend an annual state contact meeting arranged by the SRIPMC. 8) Facilitate collaboration between IPM specialists at Auburn University and their counterparts at Alabamas 1890 institutions 9) Provide important and timely IPM information to stakeholders in Alabama through appropriate media.

Website: Alabama Integrated Pest Management Information Center

Final Report:

Outcomes 1. Serve as primary contact for federal regulatory inquiries In 2007/2008, the Alabama State Contact (ASC) responded to over 10 information requests from SRIPMC and EPA relating to IPM and pesticides. Many of these responses were sourced from extension specialists and other stakeholders and were deemed reliable. The main challenge associated with this function is getting accurate data from stakeholders. 2. Responses to other entities (strongly encouraged) The ASC responded to several (> 20) inquiries from other entities relating to pesticide use and pest management. These entities include the Southern Region IPM Center, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Grower/Commodity groups, and other stakeholders. 3. Establish and maintain a stakeholder network The Alabama IPM Advisory Committee was established in 2006 as the main stakeholder network for the State Contact. Currently, the committee consists of 15 members representing different stakeholder groups and key commodity areas statewide. Information on current members of the Alabama IPM Advisory Committee is available in the Appendices and online at www.alabamaipm.com. Members include representatives of major growers/producers of key crops in Alabama, commodity groups, researchers, extension specialists and agents, and private consultants, school IPM coordinator for Alabama, pesticide safety education program (PSEP) coordinator, private consultants, and state regulatory agencies. Among other activities, the committee supports the states IPM program by providing inputs in establishing priorities for IPM research, education and regulatory changes in Alabama. The committee is scheduled to meet once per year. In addition, an electronic (e-mail) group network has been established to facilitate frequent communication between members of the committee to address important issues that may arise in between the formal meetings. 4. Coordination and oversight of IPM Documents in the state The ASC provided coordination and oversight of IPM documents (e.g. crop profiles and PSMPs) and other projects funded by SRIPMC in Alabama. A crop profile for Satsuma citrus production in Alabama was submitted to SRIPMC in 2008. This crop profile is available at: www.alabamaipm.com or www.sripmc.gov The ASC has developed a document prioritizing IPM documents in Alabama with inputs from the Alabama IPM Advisory Committee. 5. Expertise list update The ASC updated the SRIPMC Expertise List for Alabama and forwarded the same to Steve Toth. 6. Annual meeting The ASC attended the 2007 annual State Contact meeting organized by the SRIPMC, and held at Roanoke, VA on Nov. 12-13, 2007. 7. Additional activities The ASC served as a resource for public (e.g., schools, colleges, Department of Agriculture) and private sectors on pest management practices and challenges in Alabama. The ASC worked to facilitate interaction and communication between the different pest management programs and coordinators in the state (i.e., State IPM Coordinator, School IPM Coordinator, IR-4 Coordinator, SARE Coordinator, Organic Agriculture Coordinator, Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator, Alabama Fire Ant Pest Management Program, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service). The ASC attended the meetings of the SRIPMC Advisory Council and Steering Committee.

Prioritization of Crop Profiles and PMSPs (State Contact only, required) The ASC has developed a document prioritizing IPM documents in Alabama with inputs from the Alabama IPM Advisory Committee. Below is a summary of the document: Crop Profiles for Alabama Crops/Commodities Medium Priority (crop profiles more than 3 years old): Cotton (last updated: 09/01/2001) Hay and Pasture (last updated: 08/01/2001) Peanuts (last updated: 08/01/2000) High Priority (crop profile more than 6 years old): Christmas Trees (Piedmont and Coastal Plain) (last updated: 11/01/1999) Potatoes (Irish) (last updated: 11/01/1999) Tobacco (last updated: 11/01/1999) High Priority (crop profile not available): Tomatoes, Cabbage, Collards, Pecan, Pepper, Poultry (Chicken) Medium Priority (crop profile not available): Corn, Strawberries, Ornamentals, Potatoes, Leaf Greens, Small Grains, Christmas Trees Crop Profile currently under development: Peaches Crop Profile recently published: Satsuma Mandarin Pest Management Strategic Plans (PSMP) for Alabama Crops/Commodities High Priority (PMSP not available): Peaches, Satsuma Citrus, Tomatoes, Cabbage, Collards, Pecan, Pepper, Poultry (Chicken) Medium Priority (PMSP not available): Corn, Strawberries, Ornamentals, Potatoes, Leaf Greens, Small Grains, Christmas Trees

Web Site (State Contact only, required) The ASC project website Alabama Integrated Pest Management Information Center was established in November 2005 and is available at http://www.aces.edu/anr/ipm/. or www.alabamaipm.com. The website was developed to match the required attributes outlined by the SRIPMC (http://www.sripmc.org/webstandards.cfm) and contains information on program objectives, activities, personnel, IPM information on various commodity areas in Alabama, IPM-related news, links to Alabama IPM publications and crop profiles, as well as links to the Southern Region IPM Center, IPM programs for other southern states, and relevant federal and state websites. The PD is working to redesign the website. The website addresses regional priorities established by the Southern Region IPM Center and (to the best of my knowledge) is compatible with regional and national IPM Center sites to the extent that information on the SNP sites can contribute seamlessly to the larger information databases maintained regionally and nationally. The website includes contact information for the program and the project leader is linked to (www.alabamaipm.com) a project description, abstract, or summary for the State Contact Project. It complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and includes links to the Southern IPM Center and other appropriate entities. The home page prominently displays, near the project or site heading, the phrase "the (state name) component of the Southern IPM Center."

Impacts This projects supports and facilitates implementation of IPM in Alabama. Implementation of IPM programs for key commodities in Alabama has allowed farmers to maximize their yields and protect their crops with practices and materials that pose minimal health and environmental risks. Fewer pesticides are being applied in several crops and farmers are now using reduced-risk pesticides. For instance, insecticide applications in pecans currently average 4.5 sprays per season compared to 12-15 sprays per season prior to IPM implementation. Over 40 schools in Alabama have eliminated regularly scheduled pesticide applications. Reduction in the use of pesticides has resulted in economic savings to several farmers. Pecan growers are spending an average of $112.50 per acre less on insecticides and have greatly embraced the new, safer chemistries.

Close Window

Southern IPM Center North Carolina State University 1730 Varsity Drive, Suite 110 Raleigh, NC 27606 p. 919.513.1432   f. 919.513.1114		Developed by the Center for IPM © Copyright CIPM 2004-2025