USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) is funding $2.7 million in four regional grants that help farmers implement integrated pest management (IPM) practices that increase farm profitability, reduce environmental and human health risks, and protect natural resources.

Integrated pest management offers producers an effective, economic and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices,î said Colien Hefferan, CSREES administrator. These practices are done with the least possible risk to people, property and the environment.î

The regional IPM competitive grants program supports projects that develop individual pest control tactics, integrate individual tactics into an IPM system and develop and implement extension education programs. CSREES administers the program in partnership with the Land-Grant University System's four regional IPM centers (North Central, Southern, Northeastern, and Western).

The need for effective pest management practices has risen over the past decade. At the center of this debate is a concern that pesticide users are not adequately protecting the food supply, the environment and farm workers from unintended adverse effects. Meanwhile, pesticide users face increasing pest resistance to pesticides, the loss of economical pest control and higher costs of new reduced risk pesticides.

In addition to the regional IPM grants program, CSREES provides funding to support extension IPM implementation and pesticide applicator safety programs in 50 states and six territories through the Minor Crop Pest Management Program (IR-4), four regional IPM centers and numerous special grants. Each of these investments contributes to the development of safe and effective IPM systems.

The FY 2006 regional IPM grants were awarded to the following:

Northeastern Region

University of Connecticut , $ 62,412 University of Maine , $150,055 Rutgers University , $50,000 Cornell University , three awards totaling $141,860 Pennsylvania State University , $175,000

North Central Region

University of Illinois , three awards totaling $222,173 Purdue University , $90,100 Kansas State University , two awards totaling $133,647 Michigan State University , $30,150 University of Minnesota , $41,391 University of Nebraska , $89,622 University of Wisconsin , $80,695

Southern Region

University of Florida , $121,779 North Carolina State University , five awards totaling $450,517 University of Puerto Rico , $73,000 Clemson University , $115,000 Texas A & M University , two awards totaling $45,134

Western Region

University of Arizona , $60,000 University of California-Riverside, $117,160 Colorado State University , $45,056 University of Hawaii , $40,000 Montana State University , $151,932 Oregon State University , two awards totaling $239,011

Click here for a full description of funded projects.

CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. For more information, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov.

Media Contact: Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188, jmartin@csrees.usda.gov

This article is a service of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. News on other topics can be found on the CSREES newsroom at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/news.html.

Close Window