IPM News and Events Roundup 2/25/2022

A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment and funding opportunities and more from the NE IPM Center.  If you have IPM-related research, events or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email me at nec2@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived here.

Northeast IPM Center Spring 2022 IPM Toolbox Webinar series starts March 16

Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms

Join us for an overview of a newly created guide to tarping for the Northeast, presented by one of the guide’s authors. This resource is the product of a Northeastern IPM Center-funded working group on tarping and soil solarization. Working group member and presenter Sonja Birthisel, along with her colleagues, sought to create a thorough and application-oriented guide that identifies best practices and fills key knowledge gaps. It covers many uses of tarps, including stale seedbed preparation, cover-crop termination, and application in perennial systems. Birthisel will engage attendees in a lively, comprehensive discussion of tarping, and provide them with a copy of this new resource.

Spotted Lanternfly Summit March 1-3, 10am-6pm

There’s still time to register for the Spotted Lanternfly Summit March 1-3 The Summit is a deep dive into all things Lanternfly – a full day of research presentations, presentations and discussion on communications and extension and treatments and operations. There will be break-out sessions at the end of each day for in-depth discussion.

Clemson University releases MyIPM for Row Crops with Southern IPM Center

South Carolina farmers have a new tool this year to help identify and defeat diseases and pests in their row crops. A MyIPM for Row Crops app was developed at Clemson University in collaboration with specialists from a number of Land-Grant universities and the Southern IPM Center.

FDA releases Guidance for Human Food Commodities with Chlorpyrifos Residues

The purpose of this guidance document is to assist firms in the food production and processing industries that handle foods that may contain residues of the pesticide chemical chlorpyrifos.

BeeKeepers turn to anti-theft technology as hive thefts rise

In the past few weeks, 1,036 beehives worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were reported stolen from orchards statewide, authorities said. The largest heist involved 384 beehives that were taken from a field in Mendocino County, prompting the state beekeepers association to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to their recovery.

New Jersey AES launches soil health initiative

With abundant research and practitioner experience to support this area, NJAES directors Peggy Brennan-Tonetta, Brian Schilling and Wendie Cohick announced the launch of the NJAES Soil Health Initiative.?The goal of this initiative is to promote soil health research, education and outreach that will lead to the restoration of New Jersey’s soil resources and development of a sustainable system to protect them for future generations.

Avian flu updates:

Avian flu detected in Maine birds for the first time

Inspectors with a U.S. Department of Agriculture service have confirmed the presence of the avian influenza in what they describe as a "non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry)" in Knox County. 

Highly pathogenic avian influenza detected in non-commercial backyard flock in Suffolk County, NY

AGM officials have quarantined the affected premises in Suffolk County, and the small number of remaining birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system. As part of existing avian influenza response plans, AGM and USDA are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flock.

Delaware has been added to the states where infected wild birds have been found

Avian Influenza found in Delaware chicken flock

Be on the lookout for Avian Influenza

Black Farmers Fear Foreclosure as Debt Relief Remains Frozen

Black farmers across the nation have yet to see any of Mr. Biden’s promised relief. While the president has pledged to pursue policies to promote racial equity and correct decades of discrimination, legal issues have complicated that goal.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB):

Invasive Species:

CrapeMyrtle Bark Scale, advancing north, already in DE and MD in the northeast

Read JC Chong’s blog this week on CrapeMyrtle Bark scale – not it is not only a pest of CrapeMyrtle but also beautyberry, fig and spirea among others.

Research:

Effects of Extreme  Low Winter Temperatures on the overwintering survival of the introduced larval parasitoids Spathius galinae and Tetrastichus planipennisi: Implications for Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer in North America Our findings revealed that cold-induced mortality of overwintering larvae of emerald ash borer and its larval parasitoids varied by location and species, with higher mortality of parasitoid larvae in most Michigan sites compared to host larvae. The potential impacts of our findings on the management of emerald ash borer using biocontrol are discussed.

Webinars, Seminars, Meetings and more

National Invasive Species Awareness Week Webinar series Feb 28- March 4

With #NISAW next week away, there is still plenty of time to register for one of the FREE virtual events and webinars!

Blue Ridge, VA PRISM Spring Workshop Series, March 1-12, virtual, in person, fee

Blue Ridge PRISM's spring invasive plant workshops are coming up in March. These are valuable opportunities to learn about the identification of invasive plants and the best ways to control them in the spring.  Choose which topics and settings work best for you!

Latest Developments in Integrated Tick Management, March 8 2pmET

Attend this free webinar to learn how tick populations and emerging tick-borne pathogens are growing in number and geographic range. Experts will review tick management strategies and personal protection measures that can help protect you and your community from ticks.  Lars Eisen CDC, Kirby Stafford CT Ag Experiment Station and Andrew Li USDA-ARS presenters.

EDDMaps Summit 2022 March 23, 11am-3:30pm ET

Learn the ins and outs of mapping invasive species, talk with the experts, and start applying it to your management work The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health in collaboration with its partner organizations is providing a one-day training and update.  This free summit is open to everyone from beginners to experienced users.  The Summit will have presentations that cover EDDMapS’ smartphone apps, website, tools, and projects.  This will be an update to last year’s Summit and attendees are encouraged to review the recordings from last year prior to this year’s Summit. 

NAISMA Conference 2022, Nov 7-10, Sanibel Is, FL Call for abstracts and posters

Call for abstracts and poster presentations is open for this fall invasive species conference. Conference title is: Managing for Resilience. The planning committee is seeking abstracts for oral and poster presentations. To share research, challenges, and successes related to aquatic and terrestrial plants, animals, insects, pests, and pathogens that impact North American lands and waters. Through sharing research, challenges, and successes we aim to improve resilience on landscapes through prevention, early detection, control, and mitigation of invasive species.

Employment Opportunities:

Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative ExtensionFranklin County, Malone NY

The Executive Director is responsible for the association and leading the development and implementation of a compelling and contemporary vision for non-formal, locally relevant extension programming, and a dynamic and diverse organizational culture for all internal and external stakeholders. The Executive Director is engaged with decision makers locally, regionally, state-wide and at Cornell. The Executive Director provides high level administrative leadership and management of the association within Cornell University, Cornell Cooperative Extension System, and local policy direction and is responsible for organizational compliance, fiscal oversight, and staff management.

New York State Apiary Inspector, Dept of Agriculture and Markets, several counties available

As an Apiary Inspector, you would be responsible for inspecting honeybee colonies for the presence of pathogens and parasites that adversely affect honeybee health and honey production. As part of the survey work, you would also collect pollen, beeswax, and other types of samples for analysis under the National Honeybee Survey. The Apiary Inspectors official station and office is their home. This positions are available in: Allegany County, Cattaraugus County, Cayuga County, Erie County, Essex County, Franklin County, Genesee County, Hamilton County, Livingston County, Monroe County, Schoharie County OR Wyoming County. Applications due March 4.

Funding Opportunities:

Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species RFA

The Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species (MAPAIS) is offering a small grants competition to encourage interested groups and individuals to submit proposals for possible funding. Approximately $30,000 in funding is available to support several one-year aquatic invasive species projects. The Request for Proposals lists MAPAIS priorities and provides information about the format and timetable for submitting proposals. We encourage broad participation from groups and individuals concerned about AIS issues in the mid-Atlantic region. A proposal submission must address an AIS problem. Proposals are due April 8.

USDA-NIFA Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)

OREI seeks to solves critical organic agriculture issues, priorities or problems through research, education, and Extension activities. OREI funds projects that enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high-quality organic agricultural products. The OREI program is particularly interested in projects that emphasize research, education and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning. Fieldwork must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives. Proposals due March 31.

USDA-NIFA Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program

This program supports training students for master's and doctoral degrees in food, agricultural and natural resource sciences; and Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries. NNF awards are specifically intended to support traineeship programs that engage outstanding students to pursue and complete degrees in the food and agricultural sciences. Proposals due April 26.

Next Generation Black and Hispanic Farmers Scholarship Program

In its first year, the NGBHF Scholarship Program awarded 4 scholarships. This year up to 10 scholarships will be awarded to eligible graduating high school seniors who plan to enroll or are enrolled in an agriculture program of study at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with a commitment to engage in the family farm operation post college graduation. Application deadline for the 2022-2023 academic year is May 15, 2022