IPM News and Events Roundup 11/10/23
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.
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Northeastern IPM Center News
2023 Northeast Integrated Pest Management Research Update Conference
- Day 1: November 13, 2023, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon EST
- Day 2: November 16, 2023, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon EST
This conference hosted by the Northeastern IPM Center (NEIPMC) will feature updates from active projects funded by the NEIPMC’s Partnership Grants Program. In addition, the online conference will have updates from IPM-related projects funded through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program and USDA-NIFA’s Applied Research and Development Program (ARDP) and Extension Implementation Program (EIP).
The rapid style conference will feature 5-minute pre-recorded presentations in which the speakers will discuss 1 or 2 highlights from their projects followed by a live Q and A. The purpose of the conference is to increase collaboration and awareness about current IPM-related research and extension in the Northeast in a fun way.
To participate in the conference, register at the following link:
cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7CmqZObxST6DS9UQ3XJ7yw
Upcoming StopPests Webinar in Spanish
StopPests in Housing is offering a training opportunity in Spanish. On November 14th, 1:00pm-2:15pm (eastern), Dr. Maria A. Gonzalez Morales, an indoor pest management expert from the Defense Centers for Public Health and the US Department of Defense, will be sharing the most effective ways to combat cockroaches in housing and how to avoid pesticide resistance. The presentation will help housing professionals, maintenance staff, property managers, and pest management professionals understand how to effectively reduce cockroach populations in the buildings and developments they manage with the most effective tools. Descriptions in Spanish, English, and the registration link are below. Please share with colleagues!
Register here: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6MIOfGY9TSiKOXAnqCgOxA
“Cucarachas vs Humanos: ¿Quién gana la batalla?”
Cuando: 14 de noviembre 13:00-14:15 (este)
Para registrarse presione aquí: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6MIOfGY9TSiKOXAnqCgOxA
Research in the News
Potential for biochar carbon sequestration from crop residues: A global spatially explicit assessment (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
Shivesh Kishore Karan, Dominic Woolf, Elias Sebastian Azzi, Cecilia Sundberg, Stephen A. Wood
Global warming necessitates urgent action to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Biochar, a type of carbonized biomass which can be produced from crop residues (CRs), offers a promising solution for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) when it is used to sequester photosynthetically fixed carbon that would otherwise have been returned to atmospheric CO2 through respiration or combustion. However, high-resolution spatially explicit maps of CR resources and their capacity for climate change mitigation through biochar production are currently lacking, with previous global studies relying on coarse (mostly country scale) aggregated statistics. By developing a comprehensive high spatial resolution global dataset of CR production, we show that, globally, CRs generate around 2.4 Pg C annually. If 100% of these residues were utilized, the maximum theoretical technical potential for biochar production from CRs amounts to 1.0 Pg C year−1 (3.7 Pg CO2e year−1). The permanence of biochar differs across regions, with the fraction of initial carbon that remains after 100 years ranging from 60% in warm climates to nearly 100% in cryosols.
Association between Residential Proximity to Viticultural Areas and Childhood Acute Leukemia Risk in Mainland France: GEOCAP Case-Control Study, 2006–2013 (ehp.niehs.nih.gov | 10/2023)
Matthieu Mancini https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1475-2767, Denis Hémon, Perrine de Crouy-Chanel, Laurence Guldner, Laure Faure, Jacqueline Clavel, and Stéphanie GoujonAuthors Info & Affiliations
Pesticide exposures are suspected of being a risk factor for several childhood cancers, particularly acute leukemia (AL). Most of the evidence is based on self-reported parental domestic use of pesticides, but some studies have also addressed associations with agricultural use of pesticides near the place of residence.
Pesticide contamination of beeswax from managed honey bee colonies in New York State (journals.sagepub.com)
Karyn Bischoff, Nicolas Baert, and Scott McArt
The New York State (NYS) beekeeping industry generated >$11M worth of honey in 2020 and >$300M in pollination services to agriculture annually. Bees are frequently exposed to pesticides through foraging and husbandry practices. Lipophilic pesticides can remain in beeswax for extended periods. We analyzed for pesticides in wax comb samples collected from NYS apiaries at the end of the growing season, comparing residue numbers and concentrations among beekeepers of different operation scales: commercial beekeepers (>300 colonies), sideliners (50–299 colonies), and hobbyists (<50 colonies). We analyzed samples collected from 72 managed honey bee colonies for 92 insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Pesticides were detected in all samples and included 34 fungicides, 33 insecticides, and 22 herbicides.
Transmission biology of grapevine red botch virus by Spissistilus festinus
Maddie Flasco, PPPMB PhD Exit Seminar
Joint Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology Section – AgriTech & Ithaca
Tuesday, November 14, 11:20 am – 12:10 pm, A134 Barton Lab & Zoom Passcode: Seminar
Arthropod-killing fungi as a platform for innovative biotechnology
Brain Lovett, Cornell
Department of Entomology
Thursday, November 16, 11:20 am – 12:20 pm, 2123 Comstock and A137 Barton Lab
EPA Pesticide Update
In February 2023, EPA and FDA released a whitepaper describing approaches for updating the agencies’ oversight of various animal products regulated as either pesticides or new animal drugs. It describes challenges with the way EPA and FDA currently regulate these products and highlights the potential benefits of a modernized approach for oversight, particularly the transfer of product oversight for topically administered flea and tick products from EPA to FDA. Any change to regulatory jurisdiction, however, has not been formally proposed or finalized by the agencies. Rather, through the whitepaper, the agencies sought public input on whether to potentially transfer oversight of these products and, if so, how best to do so.
As an initial step, the agencies have published a new website to answer some of the public’s most frequently asked questions.
News
USDA Offers Pennsylvania Producers $15 M to Plant Cover Crops (nrcs.usda.gov | 11/02/2023)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging agricultural producers and forest landowners in Pennsylvania to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024 as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which help a wide variety of producers, including urban and organic producers.
$8 Million Grant Establishes Multi-Agency Program To Mitigate Vector-Borne Diseases (today.tamu.edu | 11/08/2023)
The City of New Orleans Mosquito Control Board, in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, received a five-year grant totaling more than $8 million, about $1.6 million per year, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funding will buttress regional outreach efforts focused on mosquito abatement by creating the Gulf Shores VECTOR program.
Get the latest invasive species news SLELO PRISM newsletter! (ST. LAWRENCE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO PARTNERSHIP FOR REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT)
3,500 Plantings Help to Restore Native Habitat
Protector’s Activity
Updates From NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
Birds as a Habitat Health Indicator
Terrestrial Restoration & Resiliency Initiatives
Aquatic Restoration and Resiliency Initiatives
Update on HWA eDNA Sampling
Species Spotlight: Stiltgrass
Study Elucidates Evolution of Mosquitoes and Their Hosts (news.ncsu.edu | 10/18/2023)
Researchers at North Carolina State University and global collaborators have mapped the mosquito’s tree of life, a major step toward understanding important traits, such as how the insects choose their hosts, feed on blood and spread disease. The findings will help researchers make better predictions to model disease transmission and understand what makes some mosquitoes better disease carriers than others.
Nearly 1M chickens will be killed on a Minnesota farm because of bird flu (apnews.com | 11/06/2023)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the virus was found at a farm in Wright County, Minnesota, as well as in three smaller flocks in South Dakota and Iowa. Whenever the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is detected on a farm, the entire flock is killed as to keep it from spreading to other farms.
Sweden’s largest egg producer to cull all its chickens following recurrent salmonella outbreaks (apnews.com | 11/08/2023)
Sweden’s largest egg producer, which had nearly 1.2 million chickens or 20% of all laying hens in the country before a salmonella outbreak, has been ordered to euthanize all of them so the facility can be fully cleaned.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture has given up on attempts to clean the hen houses at CA Cedergren, which has had recurring salmonella outbreaks in the past year, Sweden’s main farming news outlet, ATL, said Wednesday.
Pest Talks (growertalks.com | 11/09/2023)
Bug People Meet Near D.C.
Paul Pilon's New Weed
Tower's Crop Safety
Introducing AmyloShield
Viruses on Geranium
Webinars, Seminars, Meetings, and More
What’s Bugging You? First Friday Events (New York State IPM Program)
Fridays | 12:00 pm. – 12:30 p.m. EDT | Zoom | Free; registration required.
In this monthly virtual series, we explore 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. What is IPM? It's 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.
2023 What’s Bugging You First Friday Schedule
Join us Live on the first Friday of every month from Noon to 12:30 EST on Zoom.
- December 1: Houseplant IPM | Firewood pests
Register for upcoming events.
What’s Bugging You First Friday events are in Spanish this year. Individuals interested in these events can find more information on this website: https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/events/whats-bugging-you-webinars/conozca-su-plaga
And can register using this form: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3OQDpakcGrSd3tc
Wild Spotter Invasive Species Ambassador Training Course (Invasives Free USA)
December 5 – 7, 2023 | Coeur D’Alene, Idaho | $300
This intensive training will include: building relationships and partnerships and engaging stakeholders; branding and marketing programs; using innovative tools and technologies; and leveraging volunteer citizen-science coordination, recruitment, and retention to meet invasive species management goals and expand local community capacity for action.
This gathering will have limited attendance through a merit selection process. Priority will be given to participants who can demonstrate their commitment to building invasive species management capacity within their community.
2023 High Tunnel Production Conference | Revitalizing Your Tunnel Vision
University of Vermont, in cooperation with the Univ. of New Hampshire and Univ. of Maine, is holding a conference on high tunnel production in northern New England. The event, titled “Revitalizing Your Tunnel Vision” will be held December 6 and 7, 2023 in West Lebanon, NH. Speakers from the organizing institutions, along with specialists from Purdue University, and various regional companies and USDA agencies will present the latest best practices for high tunnel production. Hands-on sessions on insect and disease diagnosis and soil fertility will be offered as well as irrigation technologies, cover cropping, soil sterilization, market strategies, and more. As weather events become more extreme, high tunnel production is becoming the norm for many vegetable farmers. However, growing under plastic presents unique challenges. This conference will help new and experienced growers improve their crop yields and quality through better production practices.
In the morning of Day 1, a tour will be offered by the farmers of Spring Ledge Farm, in New London, NH. (https://www.springledgefarm.com). The afternoon of Day 1 will include hands-on sessions on how to id insects and diseases and interpret soil tests. Day 2 will be a full program of presentations on diverse key topics associated with growing the best crops. The event will encourage grower interactions to ensure the program addresses practical issues and will allow for grower-to-grower exchange of ideas. Pesticide re-certification credits (3 on Day 1; 3.5 on Day 2) will be awarded to attendees from states with reciprocal arrangements with New Hampshire.
The program is available at: https://www.uvm.edu/~htunnel/High%20Tunnel%20Conference%20Registration%20Flyer%20v9-28-2023.pdf
On-line registration is at: https://bit.ly/TUNNEL23
Contact Cheryl Sullivan at (802) 656-5434, cfrank@uvm.edu for details or to request a disability-related accommodation to participate.
2023 NAISMA Annual Biocontrol Summit
USING WEED BIOCONTROL TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK AND MITIGATE WILDFIRE IMPACTS
The North American Invasive Species Management Association’s 4th Annual Weed Biocontrol Summit will be held virtually on December 7, 2023, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm CST. The Biocontrol Summit communicates the latest in classical weed biocontrol research to North American invasive plant managers and educators and aims to connect researchers to on-the-ground practitioners. This year, NAISMA is highlighting the role weed biological control can play in reducing wildfire risk and mitigating wildfire impacts throughout North America. The Biocontrol Summit integrates research and implementation of biocontrol from the regional land managers' perspective.
December 7, 2023 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (CST)
Insect Protein Perception Survey
Please take part in our Insect Protein Perception Survey. This survey is being conducted as part of a capstone project for the Cornell University Dyson Grand Challenges program (AEM 4000) in order to gain insights of consumers perception of insect protein and willingness to change. Completion should take approximately 3-4 minutes. The results will be viewed only by the project members and AEM 4000 staff and be presented in summarized form. All responses are kept strictly confidential, with only numeric coding on the surveys.
Your feedback will help us drive positive sustainable change and understand consumer preferences regarding insect protein. Thank you!
SAVE THE DATE!
International Invasive Species and Climate Change Conference (The “IISCCC”!)
Virtual, January 30-31, 2024
NOFA-NY's 2024 Winter Conference
NOFA-NY’s Annual Winter Conference draws hundreds of farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, researchers, homesteaders, and gardeners who are passionate about building a better food system.
Saturday, January 20 – Sunday, January 21, 2024
at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown
Classical Weed Biological Control 101 Short Course
The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) Classical Weed Biological Control 101 Short Course is an asynchronous, professional, online short course that was created to provide you with knowledge about the science, application, and regulation of classical weed biological control. Experts from NAISMA have created this content just for you!
This asynchronous course consists of six sequenced video presentations, along with supplemental materials for in-depth learning and assessment. It takes approximately three hours to complete this online short course. This class was developed by professionals with real world experience managing invasive plants.
Registration Fee:
Free for all thanks to funding from the USDA Forest Service.
Cultivating a Sustainable Future --- Cornell Botanic Gardens’ Native Lawn
Todd Bittner and Krissy Boys, Cornell Botanic Gardens
Cornell Botanic Gardens Verdant Views
Tuesday, November 14, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, Register for Zoom
Searching for Sustainable Weed Management Solutions for Long Island
Andy Senesac, Cornell Cooperative Extension
New York Integrated Pest Management
Wednesday, November 15, 11:15 – 12:15, Register for Zoom
Environmental Health in Schools – Panel Discussion
North Central School IPM WG (IPM Institute, Pest Defense for Healthy Schools)
When the school building is safe, students and educators are more able to get down to the business of learning, undistracted,” Janet Hurley stated in her recent article as a call to action to improve environmental health in schools. Many school buildings do not meet minimum code requirements resulting in poor environmental health.
Learn how to improve your school’s environmental health and indoor air quality through green cleaning, measuring success of IPM programs, staff training, hiring vendors and engaging decision-makers during the next Pest Defense webinar. This webinar will host a panel of IPM professionals Janet Hurley, Leah McSherry, Lynn Rose and Tim Stock on November 16 at 1:00 PM CDT.
November 16, 2023 1:00 -2:00 PM CST – Free zoom event, registration required
Please register in advance here: https://bit.ly/SIPMpanel
FREE TALK! Pollinate Now: Habitat Restoration in the Hudson River Watershed
Learn about the largest pollinator corridor plan in the United States! This roadmap for a wide range of landscapes promotes biodiversity by creating beautiful habitats that will support at-risk bees, butterflies and moths in the Hudson River watershed.
About the Speaker: Evan Abramson, MSc is a designer and planner on a mission to rebuild biologically diverse ecosystems. Since 2019, Landscape Interactions has installed over 300 acres of habitat in the Northeast. He holds a Master of Science in Ecological Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design, Certificates in Permaculture Design and Biodynamic Gardening, and is the author of numerous publications.
Register at: https://forms.office.com/r/NRwuNMEg0E
Get Outdoors this Winter! SLELO PRISM in collaboration with partners, will hold our annual Virtual Hike Challenge (VHC) happening November 2023, through March 2024. This challenge encourages community members to get outdoors and provides simple instructions to help you keep an eye out for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). HWA is an invasive forest pest that kills hemlock trees which play an important role in water quality and provide many ecoservices for nature and people. HWA is confirmed to be present in Oswego County and is spreading along the Eastern Lake Ontario shoreline. Participating in the VHC is easy, all you have to do is sign-up, visit your favorite hiking trail (or visit one of our suggested survey sites), look for HWA, report your observations to iMapInvasives, and share your experience on social media! Not only will you have an excuse to get outside this winter, but you’ll be protecting your forests and will win a prize for your efforts!
If you’re interested in a more “hands-on” experience, SLELO PRISM and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust are hosting guided walk and talks to train volunteers to survey for HWA. Participants will learn to identify hemlock trees, recognize the signs of HWA, and report observations using a free community science mobile app called iMapInvasives. Below is a list of upcoming hikes occurring November through March (registration is required).
2023-2024 Walk & Talk Schedule (held from 10 AM- 12 PM) Click to Register
- 12/13/23 Salmon River Falls, Orwell
- 1/10/24 Trenton Greenbelt, Holland Patent
- 2/14/24 Forest Park, Camden
- 3/13/24 Great Bear Rec. Area, Fulton
Take the Pledge to Protect: Are you looking for an easy and fun way to protect your favorite outdoor spaces now and for generations to come? Take the Pledge to Protect and learn simple and fun ways you can protect your favorite hiking trails, paddle-ways, forests, garden and community from invasive species.
The Pledge to Protect was developed by SLELO PRISM as a resource intended to educate and inspire you to protect your lands and waters from the impacts of invasive species. Upon taking the Pledge, you become a “Protector” and are sent monthly email blogs that provide simple actions you can take to protect your favorite outdoor spaces from invasive species and chances to win prizes by taking the suggested actions. In addition, the Pledge to Protect offers a social media toolbox, and virtual toolboxes themed for 5 pledge categories including: gardens, communities, waters, forests, and lands & trails. Each toolbox provides you with resources relevant to the environmental category and includes, invasives you may encounter, best management practices, regional and state-wide community science opportunities, prevention methods, and many links to helpful apps and other resources. To sign up to take the pledge visit iPledgeToProtect.org.
Employment Opportunities
Faculty Specialist – Entomology & IPM (Full-time; Ellicott City, Maryland)
University of Maryland Extension
University of Maryland Extension is seeking a faculty specialist to join its team at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Ellicott City, Maryland. The specialist will assist with the entomology and IPM educational programming needs of the Home and Garden Information Center, State Master Gardener Program, and county-based home horticulture faculty. Learn more or apply at https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/111894
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
This position will develop and conduct educational programs and applied research projects throughout the state with an emphasis on Maine’s green industry. Maine agricultural industries of focus include floriculture, nurseries, garden centers, arboriculture, greenhouse production, and clients involved in consumer horticulture. This position works with other extension faculty, advisory boards, and commodity associations to offer programs addressing the educational needs of Maine’s landscape designers, landscape professionals, nursery growers, propagators, arborists, growers, and professional gardeners.
Review of applications to begin October 23, 2023.
Post-Doctoral Associate Position Shrewsbury Lab - Biological Control / IPM
University of Maryland – College Park
The Shrewsbury Lab is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Scientist to conduct research and Extension activities on biological control of the invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula. As part of a collaborative effort between UMD and USDA APHIS, the incumbent will examine the efficacy and impact of biological control approaches using pathogens and other natural enemies against SLF. The overall goal of the project is to provide less toxic and sustainable pest management tools to stakeholders. Click here for a full position description. Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is identified.
Assistant Professor, Extension Specialty Crops Plant Pathologist
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville: UT Institute of Agriculture: Entomology & Plant Pathology
The recruited individual is expected to develop and deliver a vibrant, nationally recognized innovative applied research and Extension education program focused on diseases of important and emerging crops of Tennessee (e.g., fruits, vegetables, tobacco, hemp, hops). The individual will provide technical expertise on disease management, will develop an educational program(s) using traditional and innovative outreach tools for diverse audiences (e.g., Extension agents and specialists, producers, regional and state leaders, Master Gardeners), and will provide leadership in developing a specialty crop Extension and outreach programs that meet the needs of all eligible clientele regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status. The candidate also is expected to develop an innovative applied research program of state, regional, or national importance that addresses important plant health and disease issues of specialty crops, to participate in the training and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, and to provide service to the department, university, and professional societies or organizations.
Extension Assistant Professor - Sustainable Fruit & Vegetable Production
UMass Amherst
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, Extension faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will participate as a full member of UMass faculty in a 12-month, non-tenure track appointment.
We are looking for a candidate who will develop applied research and Extension programs that will support commercial fruit and vegetable production while investigating and implementing innovative and sustainable production systems that support farm sustainability and viability. Instructional responsibilities may include courses in sustainable horticulture, fruit or vegetable production, or related courses in the candidate’s disciplinary area.
Click HERE for more information on the position and how to apply.
Review of applicants will begin November 15, 2023, and will continue until an ideal candidate is identified. Questions can be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Jaime Piñero (jpinero@umass.edu).
Assistant/Associate Extension Educator for Controlled Environment Agriculture
University of Connecticut
This full-time, 11-month appointment for a non-tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant/Associate Extension Educator in CAHNR to collectively advance Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The successful candidate is expected to develop strong working relationships with producers throughout the state; interact with UConn faculty, state, and federal agency personnel; and develop interdisciplinary extension programs. This is an off-campus, county-based position. Assignment of office location is negotiable in the northwest or northeast part of the state and requires the individual to travel.
Extension Assistant Professor - Urban Agriculture
UMass Amherst
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure track, 12-month, Extension faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. We are looking for a candidate who will develop an integrated program in urban agriculture involving Extension, teaching, and research.
Urban agriculture encompasses a wide range of skills and expertise that includes, but is not limited to, horticulture, indoor production, environmental remediation, soil health, community and urban development, nutrition, and food systems. A new faculty member would link efforts in these areas in Stockbridge, the Center for Agriculture, Food & the Environment, and the University in an urban agriculture and food systems program. The new faculty member will have the opportunity to modify and develop courses in urban horticulture and food systems in Stockbridge for both campus and online programs, and guide students in related internships.
Click HERE for more information and to apply.
Review of applicants will begin December 1, 2023, and will continue until an ideal candidate is identified. Questions can be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Daniel Cooley (dcooley@umass.edu).
Northeast SARE - Hiring Administrative Operations Coordinator
The University of Vermont seeks a full-time Administrative Operations Coordinator for the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
The Administrative Operations Coordinator oversees internal administrative operations of USDA/NIFA’s Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which funds applied research in twelve Northeast states and the District of Columbia. They co-manage the Northeast regional SARE office, to fulfill the University of Vermont’s obligations as a host institution for the SARE program. This involves: supervising 4 administrative staff located at UVM; collaborating with the Director to manage relationships with UVM departments and administration and to setup the cooperative agreement with NIFA; overseeing contracting processes with all grantees; serving as staffing coordinator for Northeast SARE; coordinating the organization’s policies and procedures; and overseeing the budget of five concurrent cooperative agreements with USDA by monitoring available funds, allocations made by the Administrative Council, operating expenses, and funds awarded in seven different programs.
Northeast SARE Grant Administrator (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia & Greene Counties, NY)
The Grant Administrator provides leadership for recruitment, review, award, and implementation of the Graduate Student and Research for Novel Approaches grant programs funded by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. The Grants Administrator supports Northeast SARE’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals including engagement with under-served communities. They collaborate to develop and improve policies and procedures in support of Northeast SARE grant program effectiveness and commitment to the organization’s outcome statement.
Nursery Inspector/Entomologist I
A Nursery Inspector/Entomologist I position is currently available in the Division of Plant Industry, NH Dept. Agriculture, Markets & Food. The position is open Until November 23rd, or until filled. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food is hiring an entomologist or plant pathologist to assist with nursery inspections and certification programs. This is a statewide position and works with regulatory staff and industries to protect New Hampshire agriculture and the environment from plant pests and diseases.
For the job description and more information for working for the State of New Hampshire, please visit: https://www.das.nh.gov/jobsearch/Employment.aspx. The job ID# is 35013
This position is with the Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB), and is located at Forest Glenn Annex, Silver Spring MD.
- Serve as the senior entomologist and technical expert with the Strategy and Information Division (SID), Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB).
- Receive, evaluate, research, coordinate, and prepares interim and final responses to inquiries pertaining to tactical herbicides locations from various offices.
- Provide instruction on technical work matters and integrate the work of other team members to produce a consistent, unified, and practical product.
- Oversee information product materials, including updating, editing, and reviewing technical guides, Department of Defense Instructions (DoDI’s), Department of Defense Manuals (DoDM’s), Website, and Disease Vector Ecology Profiles (DVEPS).
The Department of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside is seeking to fill two tenure-track positions for Assistant Professors/Assistant Entomologists, starting July 1, 2024. These positions are part of a cluster hire in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, aimed at enhancing the research and teaching excellence in the areas of agroecology and sustainable pest management, and genetics and genomics of arthropod vectors of human diseases.
The successful candidate will develop an innovative, fundamental and applied research program on the interface of sustainability, global change biology, landscape ecology, and integrated pest management to develop responses to endemic and invasive arthropods and vector-borne pathogens affecting commercial agriculture and urban farms. Teaching responsibilities may include participation in existing courses in IPM, insect ecology, population biology, and pest management, developing new courses in agroecology, global change and the sustainable pest management sciences, as well as supervision of graduate and undergraduate students. For more details and application instructions, please visit this link.
The successful candidate will develop a strong basic and/or translational research program investigating the molecular, genetic, and/or genomic basis of arthropod vectors of human diseases. Teaching responsibilities may include participation in existing courses on medical entomology, molecular biology, genomics, disease transmission, and population genetics, as well as development of new courses and supervision of graduate and undergraduate students. For more details and application instructions, please visit this link.
Funding Opportunities
Regional IPM centers 2024 calls for proposals/requests for applications (RFAs)
- North Central IPM Center: Submission deadline Friday, November 17, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- Southern IPM Center: Submission deadline Friday, November 17, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Eastern
- Western IPM Center: RFA opening October 4. Submission deadline Friday, December 8, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Pacific
Regional IPM Centers Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) RFA's
New IPM Funding for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Available
The Regional IPM Centers today are releasing three new diversity-focused funding opportunities with a total of about $200,000 available nationally. Specifically, the Centers are offering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility grants, fellowships and mini-grants.
The goal of the Regional IPM Centers' DEIA grants and fellowships are to make diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility both essential and commonplace within the IPM community.
Here are the details:
- DEIA Grants: $120,000 available with awards up to $20,000 each. Applications will be considered as received, through January 31,2024 or until funds are exhausted.
- DEIA Fellowships: Up to eight fellowships of up to $6,000 each will be awarded. Individuals eligible to apply should belong to the faculty, staff or student body of an 1890, 1994, HBCU or HSI institution and should be actively involved in integrated pest management or plant health activities. Applications will be considered as received until funds are exhausted.
- DEIA Mini-Grants: Up to $30,000 available with awards of up to $5,000 each. Applications will be considered as received until funds are exhausted.
For all three programs, the proposed work or grant activities must be completed by September 17, 2024.
There was a Zoom meeting held on November 7, 2023 to answer questions and
provide more information. Recorded link: https://youtu.be/sdVAKzO2YJs
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas for this grant prior to applying, please
contact DEIA Director, Dr. Katie Hartmann: kh4@iastate.edu.
Northeast SARE Farmer Grant Program 2024 Call for Proposals
The online system for submitting your 2024 Farmer Grant Proposal is now open.
The SARE Grant Management System (projects.sare.org) is for more than proposals, it’s a powerful tool grantees use throughout their projects, feel free to click around and get comfortable. Don’t wait to submit your proposal. You can unsubmit, edit, and resubmit as many times as you need.
The Call for 2024 Northeast SARE Farmer Grants is available here. Approximately $800,000 has been allocated to fund projects for this grant cycle. Awards of up to $30,000 are available, depending on the complexity of a project. The online system for submitting proposals is here.
Proposals are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on November 14, 2023.
Northeast SARE covers the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
Program Purpose
The SCMP supports collaborative multi-state partnerships to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through competitively funded projects The focus is to address regional or national level specialty crop issues, including food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets.
Project Area Types
Multi-state partners must develop projects that bring together teams for solutions to practical problems that cross State boundaries and address the needs of specialty crop growers in the areas of food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion.
All project area types are 3-year projects with funding ranging between $250,000 and $1,000,000. Available Funding Approximately $10 million will be available to fund SCMP projects in FY 2023.
Eligibility
Entities residing in a participating state must apply through their State Department of Agriculture. Entities residing in a participating state are ineligible to apply directly to AMS.
Entities in a non-participating state may apply to AMS directly or choose to contact an adjacent participating state to apply on behalf of the entity.
Non-profits entities must apply directly to AMS.
All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
NIFA Invests $19.6M in Crop Protection and Pest Management
The Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM) program addresses high priority issues related to pests, including insects, nematodes, pathogens, and weeds, and their management using IPM approaches at the state, regional and national levels.
The CPPM program supports projects that will increase food security and respond effectively to other major societal challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches that are economically viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health. The CPPM program addresses pest management challenges with new and emerging technologies. The outcomes of the CPPM program are effective, affordable, and environmentally sound IPM practices and strategies supporting more vital communities.
The CPPM program provides support in three program areas:
Applied Research and Development Program Area (ARDP)
Extension Implementation Program Area (EIP)
Regional Coordination Program Area (RCP)
Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency
Description: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS are resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation and can build up in the environment and the human body over time [1]. The substances may be found in soil, air, water, and food as well as in materials in homes or workplaces (e.g., fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, biosolids, personal care packaging, etc.) [2,3]. Due to their widespread use, most people in the United States have been exposed to some level of PFAS. Exposure to certain PFAS may lead to detrimental health impacts including reproductive effects, developmental effects, increased risks of cancers, weakening of the immune system, and endocrine system disruption [4,5]. Agriculture and PFAS chemicals can intersect through soil, air, and water. These resources may be contaminated through dust particles, application of biosolid residues, and leaching [6,7,8,9].
A large portion of current PFAS research has prioritized data generation and information collection through theoretical science instead of practical application. Identifying, characterizing, and understanding PFAS uptake within agricultural environments will provide vital information related to exposure pathways and will help inform the development of scalable solutions. Research is essential to increase knowledge related to biological uptake in agricultural and rural settings, improve farm viability, and to explore approaches to understand PFAS accumulation in plants and animals. Future research should build upon previous foundations and develop science that has the potential to guide scalable on-farm solutions. Further research is needed to explore the exposure mechanisms of PFAS, develop mitigation strategies, and increase the general knowledge of PFAS and its health risks.
EPA is soliciting novel research that proposes innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to better understand PFAS uptake in plants and animals in agricultural environments. PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies should also be an aspect of the research.
Armed Forces Pest Management Board - FY24 Deployed Warfighter Protection (DWFP) Program
The Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB) invites pre-proposal applications for the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Deployed Warfighter Protection (DWFP) Program, for research projects up to 3 years and up to US $975,000. Pre-proposals should describe original, innovative research designed to develop new interventions for the protection of deployed military personnel from medically relevant pests including arthropod disease vectors. The program supports the product development of: (1) new toxicants or the adaptation of existing toxicants to medically relevant pests; (2) new insecticide application techniques; (3) new personal protection tools for bite prevention; (4) new decision support tools and (5) surveillance tools that link to improved vector control outcomes. Research should be product-oriented, consisting of advanced research related to a particular technology or new capability, field evaluation of products for military uses, or research directed towards the development of an existing prototype product for future commercialization and U.S. EPA registration (as appropriate).
The FY24 DWFP pre-proposal package is due 12 December 2022. The package consists of a fillable PDF pre-proposal form and project summary slide (i.e., quad chart).
For more information, see the FY24 DWFP Pre-Proposal Announcement and Broad Agency Announcement AFPMB-BAA-24-01 here. The FY24 DWFP Pre-Proposal Announcement is also attached to this message. For scientific questions, contact Dr. Gabriela Zollner at osd.pentagon.ousd-atl.mbx.afpmb-dwfp@mail.mil (do not reply to this message). Due to the high volume of messages, allow 2-4 business days for a response.
For technical issues with forms, contact the AFPMB Webmaster at osd.pentagon.ousd-atl.mbx.afpmb@mail.mil.
NOAA’s Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) for Indigenous Communities Federal Funding Opportunity is now open.
Applications due March 1, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. ET
B-WET is a competitive grant program that supports environmental and place-based educational programs in the Great Lakes watershed. The program is seeking applications for projects that provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for youth that incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) in the Great Lakes watershed.
This Great Lakes B-WET program funding opportunity is for meaningful, place-based educational experiences that incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge as it relates to Tribal community(ies) and the local watershed. For Great Lakes B-WET, applicants may be located in any U.S. state; however, education projects must target youth in the Great Lakes region. For the purposes of this solicitation, the Great Lakes region includes counties in the Great Lakes watershed in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
It is anticipated that approximately $300,000 will be available in FY 2024, in award amounts to be determined by the proposals and available funds. For each proposal, the total amount requested from NOAA should not exceed $100,000. The minimum Federal amount to request from NOAA is $50,000. Awards periods can be up to 24 months. The Great Lakes B-WET program is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity includes information on the application process and evaluation criteria for proposals. Access the full notice and apply at Grants.gov, search NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2024-2008201
Informational webinars about the Great Lakes B-WET Indigenous Communities 2024 funding opportunity will be held:
Wednesday, December 13 at 2:00 – 3:00pm EST
Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/tor-jzib-cry
Or dial: ?(US) +1 317-961-0737 PIN: ?847 006 002#
For additional resources on developing an application and examples of previously funded projects, including 2023 recipients of B-WET for Indigenous Communities awards go to the Great Lakes B-WET website.