National IPM Roadmap Unveiled
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What do you think IPM should be? In February 2002, IPM leaders at the USDA posed this question to a group of 40 farmers, consultants, IPM coordinators, and industry and environmental representatives. This facilitated discussion was the first step in the development of a new strategic direction for IPM at the federal level.
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Following the initial facilitated meeting, an early draft of the Roadmap went to many more IPM experts, practitioners, and other stakeholders, who submitted written comments on the draft. Over a 15-month period, IPM leaders used this feedback to develop a consensus document that would serve as a guideline at the federal level. The USDA released the Roadmap in July 2003. The regional IPM Centers will play a major role in its implementation, as they help to coordinate IPM efforts and enhance IPM development and adoption.
Many of the ideas in the Roadmap reflect priorities that have existed at the federal level for some time. “Risk reduction is a key component of the strategy,” explains Dr. Harold Coble, an agronomist with USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy and a key figure in the Roadmap’s creation. The goals of the Roadmap are to reduce human health risks and adverse environmental effects resulting from pests and the use of IPM practices, and to improve economic benefits related to IPM adoption. These goals pertain not only to agricultural lands but also to natural resources and residential and public areas.
The Roadmap places a strong emphasis on measuring outcomes, which, as Coble explains, is part of the response to the GAO report. “We must answer the question ‘So what?’” By measuring the impact of IPM practices, national IPM leaders will be able to determine whether we are making progress toward our goals.
Perhaps the biggest change that will result from the Roadmap is in federal priorities for research funding. The document offers strategic guidance for those writing Requests for Applications for federal competitive funding. Although the Roadmap is not meant to guide state IPM efforts, federal funding priorities may influence some decisions made at the state level.
The Roadmap is intended to be a living document and, as such, it allows for some flexibility among users. “When you have a new route, you have to add it to the map so the map changes,” Coble explains. “And there are always several routes to where you want to go.”
Your Gardening Questions Answered by Experts
Expanded Funding and New Plans for the NE PMC
Northeastern Groups Make Headway on IPM Strategic Planning
Highlights from the Northeastern States
List of State IPM Coordinators
New York Publishes IPM Guidelines on the Web
For more information on IPM in the Northeast or for printed copies of this newsletter, contact Jim VanKirk (315.787.2378; jrv1@cornell.edu) or information specialist Liz Thomas (315.787.2626; egt3@cornell.edu), NYS IPM Program Office, NYSAES, 630 W. North Street, Geneva, NY 14456. Writing and design by Elizabeth Myers (315-251-0713; ebm24@cornell.edu).
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Contents for Northeast IPM News, July 2002