IPM News and Events Roundup 08/01/2025
A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment, funding opportunities, and more from the Northeastern IPM Center
If you have IPM-related research, events, or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email Jerrie Haines at jlh472@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived on our website.
This work is supported by The Northeastern IPM Center, project reward Grant #2022-70006-38004, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. government determination or policy.
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Northeastern IPM Center News
- Zap On Over to GROW's New Weed Electrocution Page
- Cornell Integrated Pest Management: Bringing Safe and Sustainable Pest Management to New Yorkers for 40 Years
- IPM Institute Welcomes Christopher Stevenson as Executive Director
- Working at the Intersection of IPM and Organic
- Northeastern IPM Center Releases 2024 Annual Report
EPA / FDA / USDA / NIFA News
DARPA Looking for Innovative Ideas to Protect Agriculture
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is looking for innovative ideas to develop novel capabilities to defend agriculture against both naturally occurring and manmade threats.
Areas of interest include:
- Advances to early warning systems for chemical and biological threat surveillance and detection.
- Rapid-response agricultural countermeasures to defend against threats.
- Massively accelerated and expanded crop engineering for long-term threat defeat.
- Integrated and comprehensive threat prediction and modeling for our agricultural systems.
- Novel methods to assess the occurrence of human intervention and to attribute provenance.
BTO encourages participation by new or non-traditional submitters. Learn more about this effort and how to apply. Deadline for submissions is Aug. 31.
Balance is Key for Nurse Honey Bees’ Diets
Honey bees are important agricultural pollinators, and their nutritional intake can greatly impact their livelihoods. ARS scientists are looking at honeybees’ nutritional preferences to develop better food sources for honeybees and protect colonies from possible losses.
Current research on honeybees’ nutrition has mostly focused on protein-carbohydrate intake and regulation. However, little is known about their intake of proteins and lipids. Pollen provides bees with their primary source of proteins and lipids, but their amount or ratio can vary among plants that bees forage in nature.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York State Hemlock Initiative at Cornell University (NYSHI), and Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) today announced the confirmed presence of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on the western shore of Lake Champlain in the Port Douglas area, Essex County, and near the north end of Great Sacandaga Lake at Conklingville Dam, Saratoga County. Following reports from concerned residents and volunteers earlier this month, DEC verified detections and follow-up visits to the sites revealed visible signs of HWA.
Research in the news
Temperature extremes impact mortality and morbidity differently (science.org)
Increased temperature-related mortality is expected to significantly contribute to future economic damages from climate change, with declines in cold-related deaths outweighed by increases in heat-related deaths. While temperature-mortality relationships are well-documented, the effects of climate change on morbidity are less understood. Using data on emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions, mortality, and daily temperatures across California from 2006 to 2017, we find distinct differences in the temperature-response functions of these health outcomes, influenced by age distribution and underlying causes of morbidity and mortality. These differential responses fundamentally shape the burden of future climate change: We project that while future warming will increase ED visits, mortality will decrease due to fewer cold extremes. These results underscore the need to quantify temperature-morbidity responses to fully understand and anticipate the health impacts of climate change and suggest that local declines in mortality due to warming can mask economically meaningful increases in temperature-driven morbidity and health care utilization.
Buzz-worthy: Spartan research saves the bees (msutoday.msu.edu)
It is not an easy task: putting a bee suit on a dog. But on a warm July morning, Sue Stejskal is maneuvering a mesh veil over the floppy ears and sudden movements of Maple, an English Springer Spaniel who is panting with delight as she prepares to show off her skills.
Mammal decline, linked to invasive Burmese python, shifts host use of vector mosquito towards reservoir hosts of a zoonotic disease (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Invasive apex predators have profound impacts on natural communities, yet the consequences of these impacts on the transmission of zoonotic pathogens are unexplored. Collapse of large- and medium-sized mammal populations in the Florida Everglades has been linked to the invasive Burmese python, Python bivittatus Kuhl. We used historic and current data to investigate potential impacts of these community effects on contact between the reservoir hosts (certain rodents) and vectors of Everglades virus, a zoonotic mosquito-borne pathogen that circulates in southern Florida. The percentage of blood meals taken from the primary reservoir host, the hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord, increased dramatically (422.2%) from 1979 (14.7%) to 2016 (76.8%), while blood meals from deer, raccoons and opossums decreased by 98.2%, reflecting precipitous declines in relative abundance of these larger mammals, attributed to python predation. Overall species diversity of hosts detected in Culex cedecei blood meals from the Everglades declined by 40.2% over the same period (H(1979) = 1.68, H(2016) = 1.01). Predictions based upon the dilution effect theory suggest that increased relative feedings upon reservoir hosts translate into increased abundance of infectious vectors, and a corresponding upsurge of Everglades virus occurrence and risk of human exposure, although this was not tested in the current study. This work constitutes the first indication that an invasive predator can increase contact between vectors and reservoirs of a human pathogen and highlights unrecognized indirect impacts of invasive predators.
Host population dynamics influence Leptospira spp. transmission patterns among Rattus norvegicus in Boston, Massachusetts, US (journals.plos.org)
Leptospirosis (caused by pathogenic bacteria in the genus Leptospira) is prevalent worldwide but more common in tropical and subtropical regions. Transmission can occur following direct exposure to infected urine from reservoir hosts, or a urine-contaminated environment, which then can serve as an infection source for additional rats and other mammals, including humans. The brown rat, Rattus norvegicus, is an important reservoir of Leptospira spp. in urban settings. We investigated the presence of Leptospira spp. among brown rats in Boston, Massachusetts and hypothesized that rat population dynamics in this urban setting influence the transportation, persistence, and diversity of Leptospira spp. We analyzed DNA from 328 rat kidney samples collected from 17 sites in Boston over a seven-year period (2016–2022); 59 rats representing 12 of 17 sites were positive for Leptospira spp. We used 21 neutral microsatellite loci to genotype 311 rats and utilized the resulting data to investigate genetic connectivity among sampling sites. We generated whole genome sequences for 28 Leptospira spp. isolates obtained from frozen and fresh tissue from some of the 59 positive rat kidneys.
Pesticide exposure as prenatal exposome: A biomonitoring study in pregnant women from Argentina (sciencedirect.com)
Highlights
- Many pesticides detected in urine samples from pregnant women in Argentina.
- Banned/unregistered pesticides found despite phytosanitary regulations.
- Rural residency linked to increased maternal-fetal health complications.
- Increased urinary fungicides associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
- Mixtures of pesticides associated with increased IUGR prevalence.
Record-breaking 2023 marine heatwaves (science.org)
Ocean surface temperatures vary from year to year, experiencing heat waves like those felt on land, but 2023 saw an extraordinarily large increase in marine heat waves with no recent analog. Dong et al. report that 2023 set new records in the duration, extent, and intensity of these events by as much as three standard deviations above the historical average of the past four decades. The increasing trends in marine heat waves present intensifying dangers to ecological, social, and economic systems. —Jesse Smith
Cover crops (CCs) are a component of the integrated weed management strategies for controlling herbicide-resistant weed biotypes. A field study was conducted at Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center near Hays, KS, from 2021 to 2024 to determine the effect of spring-planted CCs in combination with residual herbicide on weed suppression during fallow phase and subsequent wheat yield in a no-till winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]–fallow rotation in the semiarid Central Great Plains (CGP). The study site had a natural seedbank of glyphosate-resistant (GR) kochia [Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson). A mixture of CCs (oats [Avena sativa L.]–barley [Hordeum vulgare L.]–spring peas [Pisum sativum L.]) was spring-planted in no-till sorghum stubbles and terminated at the oats heading stage. Four treatments were tested: (1) weedy fallow (no CC and no herbicide), (2) chemical fallow (no CC but glyphosate + flumioxazin/pyroxasulfone + dicamba), (3) CC terminated with glyphosate, and (4) CC terminated with glyphosate + flumioxazin/pyroxasulfone.
News
North Central IPM Center Updates
- Updated Diagnostic Series for Pulse Crops
- Progress Protecting Sunflower Yields
- Crop Lookout Tool
- See how invasive weeds effect wildfire regimes nationwide – and how IPM provides management solutions to these complex issues
- Western IPM Center Podcast Focuses on the People Who Make IPM Work
- Farm Progress Highlights the IPM Transformation in Arizona Cotton
- USDA Relocating Washington D.C. Staff to Regional Hubs, Including Fort Collins and Salt Lake City
- Crop Protection Network: Tools, Resources, Publications, a Podcast and More
- FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
IR-4 Survey Request (greenprofit.com)
Are you a grower-retailer? Then the IR-4 Project—the federally funded program to help obtain pest control registrations on minor or specialty crops—has a request.
The IR-4 Environmental Horticulture Program (that’s specifically for ornamental crops) is requesting that you tell them about your pest management needs. Their biennial Grower and Extension Survey will gather up the answers, and this will help them understand specialty crop growers’ needs both nationally and regionally. If you’re grumbling, “Gosh, I wish someone would develop an ABC to take care of XYZ,” the survey is a great place to start.
Click HERE to access the survey. Or, level up your idea for a product you have in mind by completing this Project Request Form. Or, you can connect directly with someone on the IR-4 team to discuss your crop protection needs. Do that HERE.
They have a workshop, too. IR-4 will host the next biennial Environmental Horticulture Workshop from October 7-8, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. At this event, stakeholders involved in the Environmental Horticulture Program will collaborate to set national and regional research priorities for the next two-year cycle. Register and learn more here.
Farmer Forum Recap: Weed Electrocution in the Field
In this GROW Farmer Forum, Texas A&M graduate student Ryan Hamberg and a panel of farmers discussed research and in-field experience with weed electrocution devices. Ohio farmer Jim Jacobs and Maryland farmer Aaron Cooper answered detailed questions from GROW and the audience on their unique set-ups with the Weed Zapper, and Hamberg discussed his research with the a Zasso electrical unit.
You can view their discussion in full.
Honeybear Brands Releases 2024 Sustainability Report
Honeybear Brands, a grower and marketer of premium apples, pears, and cherries, has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, providing updates on the company’s environmental goals related to climate, food loss, packaging and pollinator health.
Since 2019, Honeybear Brands has partnered with the IPM Institute’s Sustainable Food Group to develop and track progress toward its sustainability goals in four key areas: climate, food loss, packaging, and pollinator health. These goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 42% and sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2025; achieving zero food loss to landfill by 2025; offering plastic-free alternatives to all branded packaging types by 2025 and transitioning all branded packaging to plastic-free by 2030; and creating 50 acres of pollinator habitat on source orchards by 2025. For the 2024 report, the Sustainable Food Group collected and analyzed data to assist Honeybear Brands in their sustainability reporting. This partnership ensures transparency and accountability across the company’s initiatives.
Squishing spotted lanternflies isn't enough to eradicate the invasive insects. Here's what else you can do. (cbsnews.com)
The dreaded spotted lanternfly doesn't bite and doesn't sting, but we have all been told to kill the invasive insect on sight.
They are making a big comeback this summer, and experts say there is a lot more you can do than just squish them to help end the threat.
Fall Armyworm Invasion (morningagclips.com)
Fall armyworms are caterpillars that feed ravenously on grasses, corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and over seventy additional plant species. Unlike many pests, this insect is native to the Americas. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a caterpillar of a tropical moth in the family Noctuidae. None of its life stages, egg, caterpillar, pupa, or adult, can survive a Pennsylvania winter. It is so sensitive to temperature that in the United States, it can only overwinter in South Florida or South Texas. How could this insect get to Pennsylvania to destroy lawns, pastures, and crops?
Maine’s legendary blueberry rake maker is still inventing at 83 (bangordailynews.com)
As wild blueberries ripen across more than 47,000 acres in Maine, thousands of people will pick up rakes to harvest them — rakes almost certainly designed and made by an 83-year-old in Jonesport.
EPA Seeks to Bring Back Twice-Banned Pesticide (newsweek.com)
The EPA told Newsweek that "with the new, additional mitigations EPA has proposed, the agency is confident these products won't cause issues for human health or the environment."
However, experts have said the opposite. "The proposal removes several restrictions that had previously applied to how farmers can use dicamba," Bill Freese, science director at the Center for Food Safety, told Newsweek.
Participation Requested
Regional IPM Centers Proposal Reviewer Sign-up
Every year, the four Regional IPM Centers run IPM proposal review panels. There is a need for reviewers with applied experience in IPM or related fields to serve on these panels. This is a great opportunity for an early career professional to learn how the review process works and for more experienced professionals to share their wisdom.
Review panels are typically virtual and meet in January. Reviewers typically serve on panels outside of their own region to avoid Conflicts of Interest. For example, reviewers volunteering from the Southern region may serve in the North Central Region. The review panels are typically a 3-4 hour virtual meeting and panelists are typically asked to review between 6-9 proposals.
If you are interested in being a reviewer on a Regional IPM panel, please fill out the attached form. If you have previously completed this form, you do not need to submit it again. If your expertise aligns with a panel’s needs, you may be contacted. A list of reviewers will be shared with all four regional centers.
Webinars, seminars, meetings, and more
Newly featured this issue
CHAINSAW SAFETY, OPERATION AND CUTTING TIPS
This workshop will dive into the parts of the chainsaw that need to be fully operational in order to comply with safety regulations as well as go over necessary PPE, body posture, and cutting tips to enable you to address falling trees, limbing, bucking and cutting in general.
Fee: $140
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
*RAINDATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
Flyer: Chainsaw Program
Register: Chainsaw Safety, Operation and Cutting Tips
“Best Picks for '26”
Which new flower introductions does Sue Adams recommend? She visits trials at Lucas Greenhouses, Penn State, Pleasant View Gardens and D.S. Cole, conducts her own trial and has worked with S.U.N.Y. Cobleskill to establish a trial at their campus.
September 9, 2025, 7 pm
Meeting id 891 4723 5779 Passcode 741953
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89147235779?pwd=hhJKHo3j64EF279uQr9DUtrbvzmVFw.1
Register Today for Cornell IPM's Annual Christmas Tree Field Day
Speakers from the New York Soil Health Program and the Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District will discuss soil health for Christmas tree production, and Dan Weykman from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will discuss how participants can access NRCS programs that support the installation of habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects on farms.
Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour Cornell IPM’s Christmas tree plot and learn about the program’s ongoing Swiss needlecast project in Douglas fir.
An update on tree growth and survival using different weed management and root disease management strategies will also be provided.
Dinner will be provided and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Pesticide Recertification Credits will also be available.
The cost of the event is $40.
Wednesday, August 20 from 5 to 7:45 p.m. at
Cornell AgriTech’s Vegetable Research Farm
1097 County Road 4, Geneva
Previously featured
Adam Osgood, Joel Voron and Richard Pollack, three experts and leaders of the MuseumPests community will be presenting a free webinar From Awareness to Action: Advocating for Integrated Pest Management in Cultural Spaces on August 27, 2025 at 1:00-2:00pm ET
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an important part of protecting collections in cultural institutions. This webinar will provide a brief overview of IPM and focus on how to build support for it within your institution. Attendees will learn which tasks can be handled by staff and when it’s necessary to bring in a pest management professional (PMP). The session will also cover what to expect from a PMP contractor, how to write contracts that reflect your institution’s IPM goals, and how to work with service providers to ensure they deliver effective and collection-safe pest management. This webinar is ideal for anyone looking to start or improve an IPM program with strong institutional backing and contractor support.
Sunday, August 10th, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Baltimore, MD
This workshop provides a crash course on ectoparasites and vectors, crucial for both human and animal health. Participants will gain practical, hands-on experience in identifying common ectoparasites (including ticks, fleas, mites, and lice) and will learn about techniques for safely collecting ectoparasites from animal hosts and vector surveillance methods. A key focus will be assessing vector-borne disease risks and developing strategies to prevent bites and disease transmission. This interactive training is designed to equip professionals with the skills to enhance vector surveillance and mitigation efforts in their respective fields.
Register here! https://entsoc.org/events/ecoparasite-workshop
NYS Food Systems Curriculum application for the 2025/2026 eCornell cohort!
Engage in the following sections of each module:
- Watch the "Ask the Expert" videos
- Create the specific section of the "Action Plan" tied to that module and come ready to discuss
- Participate in the module forum and respond to at least two cohort member's posts with a thoughtful response
Participate in the 10 scheduled zoom check-ins to debrief content and learn from others in the cohort - time commitment of ~4-6 hours/week of time
Apply the knowledge learned throughout the curriculum into your county work through conversations with stakeholders, connections with others across the state, and enhanced programming
The application is rolling, but will close one month prior to each cohort period (August 29th, 2025 & Dec 23rd 2026) at which point all applications will be reviewed by the CCE Food Systems Curriculum committee. All applicants will be notified of their acceptance within two weeks of that time period. Payment for participation in the cohort experience will occur through Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County invoices.
Actively participate in the cohort experience from the period of one of the following:
Sept 12th - Nov 14th, 2025 (Fridays at 9am via zoom)
January 6th - March 10th, 2026 (Tuesdays at 1pm via zoom)
March 18th - May 20th, 2026 (Wednesdays at 9am)
Enhance your knowledge of blueberry production by joining our four-part webinar series, featuring leading experts who will share research-based strategies for managing common challenges in blueberry cultivation. Each session will focus on a key topic: disease management with Dr. Bill Cline (September 30), insect management with Dr. Rufus Isaacs (October 7), weed pest management with Dr. Thierry E. Besançon (October 14), and fertility and nutrition with Kathy Demchak (October 21).
Register By: September 29, 2025.
Tuesdays
September 30, 2025, and October 7, 14, & 21, 2025
(1:00 PM-2:00 PM)
See event fee details
Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo
Save the Date
2025 Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo
November 12 & 13, 2025
Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel and Expo Center
Join us for the 2025 Maine Rodent Academy in Portland (or virtually!)
Join us for a Rodent Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training (Rodent Academy) led by nationally recognized rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan, hosted by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. This engaging, credit-approved training takes place August 28–29 in Portland, Maine (virtual option available on August 28) and offers up to 11 Maine pesticide credits (6 credits for virtual attendees). Pre-register at this link to be the first to hear when registration opens. Slots fill up very quickly!
Communicating with Farmers Under Stress
Join Extension Educators for this event for professionals who serve the agricultural industry and work with farmers and their families. This webinar will help ag professionals recognize the signs of stress and how to communicate with and respond to farmers and their family members when they need assistance.
Who is this for?
- Ag Professionals
- Farm Employees
What will you learn?
- How to identify signs of stress
- Discover tips for handling stress on the job and when working with clients
- Become aware of resources available for you or your clients
Register By: August 18, 2025 | This event is free of charge.
August 19, 2025
(1:00 PM-3:00 PM ET)
Save the Date!
New York State Agritourism Conference
November 10 and 11, 2025
Saratoga Springs, NY
2025 Webinar Series for Greenhouse, Nursery and Garden Center Professionals.
These monthly webinars address topics of plant health and greenhouse operations and award one New England pesticide applicator recertification credit each.
Monthly, 6:30 – 8:00 PM, $10 each.
Registration and more info: https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2025/01/2025-webinar-series-greenhouse-nursery-garden-center-professionals
August 26 | Ultra low volume sprayers: Are foggers right for you? Calibrating and mixing with Jason Grimmett, Dramm Corporation
September 30 | How to choose pesticides and build effective spray regimens with Jonathan Ebba, UNH
October 28 | How to train employees to water with Jonathan Ebba, UNH
November 25 | A biocontrol starter pack with Jonathan Ebba, UNH
December 16 | In-house root zone testing with Jonathan Ebba, UNH
What’s Bugging You First Friday is a monthly virtual series that explores timely topics to help you use integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. IPM is a wholistic approach that uses different tools and practices to not only reduce pest problems, but to also address the reasons why pests are there in the first place. Each month, our speakers will share practical information about how you can use IPM.
The 2025 What’s Bugging You First Friday schedule is available on the program’s website, and you can register for multiple events using our registration form.
August 1: Making a mosquito bucket trap | Feeding Friendly Insects: Pick plants
September 5: Top 5 rodent exclusion tips | Feeding Friendly Insects: Get ready to plant
October 3: Winterize your home orchard | Feeding Friendly Insects: Fall is for planting
November 1: Understanding indoor cockroaches | Invasive tawney field cockroach
December 5: IPM for clothes moths and pantry moths
Newly featured this issue
This position will support the VDOF's invasive species initiatives in central and western Virginia. Duties include monitoring activities to survey forests for non-native species, coordinating treatment on public lands, producing educational materials, assisting communities and forest landowners, and working to support/develop Virginia PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) organizations. The invasive species specialist will collaborate with other state agencies, federal partners, and non-profit and community groups to plan and implement projects that mitigate the negative impact of invasive species in Virginia’s forests.
The application deadline is August 15th.
For more information and to apply - https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/invasive-species-specialist-charlottesville-virginia-united-states-salem
Previously featured
Research Foundation - Biodiversity Data Researcher (Research Scientist)
The New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP) is seeking a Biodiversity Data Researcher to assess the impacts of invasive species on native biodiversity for a short-term, project-based appointment. In collaboration with NYNHP science staff and regional invasive species managers, the Biodiversity Data Researcher will analyze decades of data collected on rare species, significant natural communities, and invasive species in New York State to quantify impacts to biodiversity and provide information to stakeholders that aids in strategic invasive species management decisions.
NYNHP has been documenting conditions of and threats to rare species and significant natural communities across the state for 40 years. NYNHP has also been managing invasive species data from all stakeholders for the state for 15 years. Throughout New York State, there are currently over 17,000 documented locations of rare species and over 350,000 observations of invasive species. An initial spatial analysis of these extensive spatial datasets shows that 28% of documented rare species occurrences are co-located with invasive species observations. However, not all species intersections will be impactful depending on species' biology or site-characteristics.
Biological Science Laboratory Technicians
We’re seeking qualified candidates based in Ames, IA; Manhattan, KS; and Orient Point, NY. A recruitment or relocation incentive may be offered.
In this role, you will organize and manage a wide variety of standard techniques in performing diagnostic tests, reagent production, developmental studies, and training assignments related to animal pathogens having significant economic importance to the livestock industry. Specialized experience varies based on the grade candidates are applying for.
IR-4 Project Executive Director
The primary function of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS) unit is to develop the knowledge and technology needed to improve productivity, profitability and sustainability of industries in agriculture and the life sciences; develop ways to conserve and improve the state’s natural resources and environment; improve the health, well-being and quality of life of North Carolina’s citizens; and provide the science based research for academic and extension programs.
The IR-4 Project is a national Federal/State partnership research program to assist farmers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, ornamentals, and other specialty crops by facilitating registration of safe and effective chemical and bio-based pest management products. The IR-4 Project is needed because the crop protection industry focuses their research efforts on major crops such as corn, soybean, and cotton that provide the companies adequate return on their development investment. The IR-4 proactively identifies available and emergent products to provide strategic pest-management tools to enhance profitability and sustainability outcomes for farmers of specialty crops. IR-4 Project Headquarters provides national leadership, coordination and regulatory compliance for the IR-4 Project research activities performed by approx. 125 scientists at over 20 public sector research farms and four analytical laboratories throughout the United States.
Work with a team of innovative researchers and educators to help us conduct applied agricultural research in sustainable pest management. Projects include work on fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops, as well as insect, plant disease, and weed pests. Work will be done both on research farms in Geneva, and on commercial farms in central and/or western NY (requiring some travel, but no overnight stays). This is a fully in-person position located at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY. Specific tasks may include: helping maintain field trials, measuring field soil data and plant parameters, scouting for insects, entering data, taking pictures, helping with crop harvest, assessing plant quality, and assisting with logistics for educational events (either virtual or in-person). Plant maintenance tasks may include loading and driving supplies to fields in a project assigned pickup truck, mowing with a walk-behind mower, weeding, pruning, and keeping appropriate records of activities and results. You may work with plants that have been treated with pesticides. We will provide all necessary personal protective equipment and training.
4-H Extension Educator II - Mt. Ida (Hybrid Opportunity)
The 4-H Extension Educator for the Norfolk and Suffolk Counties, located at the Mount Ida Campus, will provide programmatic leadership and management for the Massachusetts 4-H Youth Development Programs. Develop and implement educational programs and resources for youth ages 5-18 while providing support and oversight for collaborating with adult volunteers and partner organizations. The Educator is part of a team that coordinates activities, processes and functions with other 4-H educators and administrators across the state.
EIQ and Neonicotinoid Economics Support Specialist
The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM) at Cornell AgriTech is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). The Program/Extension Aid III will provide support to the improvement of the EIQ, a web-based decision support tool that consolidates potential pesticide risks to farm workers, consumers, and non-target organisms into a single metric. As a critical tool for promoting sustainable pesticide use and mitigating environmental and human health risks, the EIQ requires ongoing maintenance and enhancement. With the availability of new pesticide exposure data, there is a need to refine the calculation methodology to improve its accuracy and applicability. This person will support the expansion and improvement to strengthen the NYSIPM scientific rigor, usability, and impact of the EIQ, ensuring its continued role as a valuable resource for sustainable pesticide management in New York and beyond.