News, Events, Jobs, and More

Survey about Vector-borne Diseases in the Northeast: The Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases is requesting input from anyone involved in vector surveillance or control.

Reminder: IPM Symposium Announces Award Competition: The IPM Achievement Awards recognize practitioners who have made outstanding achievements in IPM adoption, implementation, and program maintenance. Awards nominations will be accepted until June 30, 2017.

2017 Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change (RISCC) Management Symposium: The first Northeast RISCC Management Symposium will be held at the UMass Amherst campus on July 27 and 28, 2017. The objective of the meeting will be to bring together natural resource managers and scientists to discuss how climate change might affect invasion risk in the northeastern region and to identify ways to translate research into management action.

The New York State IPM Program Presents "Invasive Species in NY" Conference: Ecosystem services, human health, food security, and New York’s abundant natural areas are at risk. Learn to manage them using IPM at the Invasive Species in NY Conference. July 13, 2017, in Albany, NY. Register online.

West Virginia proposes pest treatment to 3,500 acres of forested land: The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is working with the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service to control one of the most serious forest pests in the state, gypsy moths. The gypsy moth is a non-native, invasive insect that feeds on more than 500 species of trees and shrubs, including West Virginia hardwoods.

New Pest Alert and Factsheet for Palmer Amaranth: Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) is a fast-growing weed that is spreading to the Midwest, the East Coast, and portions of Canada. A new pest alert and national factsheet are now available.

Beyond Agriculture: The Whole Farm Approach to Pests: Change can be rapid or slow in forming, requiring years of stimuli, until one day something clicks, or just makes more sense.

Applying the "Whole Farm" Concept to Apartment Buildings: That cockroach creeping across your neighbor’s apartment floor is certainly spewing forth tiny asthma-triggering allergens—a vicious band of Wild West gunmen raiding the whole farm of human dwellings.

Plants have natural defense systems: Some plants emit chemical “help” signals that call natural enemies— such as beneficial insects— to their aid.

AFRI Foundational Program: USDA NIFA. Supports grants in the six AFRI priority areas to continue building a foundation of knowledge critical for solving current and future societal challenges. Total funding: $150 million. Deadline: June/July 2017 (varies by program).

2017 Partnership Grants to Promote School IPM, Tree Fruit Management; Cut Down Weeds: In 2017, the Northeastern IPM Center awarded more than $250,000 for research and outreach through its IPM Partnership Grants, a competitive funding program.

Foundations of IPM, Organic Point Way Over Barriers: Adherents of organic and IPM practices share a basic principle: emphasis is placed on human health, the environment, and economics.

Ecologically-Based Growers Face Obstacles and Market Could Help: Money has spun the world of food, particularly food produced using IPM and organic practices.

IPM and Organic Moving Forward Together: Is it time to re-assess and re-label both IPM and organic as ecologically-based?

Challenges and Opportunities for Ecologically-Based Growers: Even as expectations for higher-quality food rise, we face water and air pollution, loss of beneficial organisms, and increasing persistence of pests.

Job Opportunities

May 25, 2017
Job Opportunity: Insect Pest Management & Tree Nut IPM Assistant Professor at UGA: The University of Georgia is seeking an Assistant Professor with responsibilities in tree nut production systems. The position is budgeted at 60% research, 25% extension and 15% instruction. Apply by August 1, 2017.