Supporting New York Field Crop Growers for 2029 Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Regulations
June 16, 2026 – 10:30 a.m. EDT
The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.
Description
With upcoming Birds and Bees Act regulations in 2029 expected to significantly shape pest management decisions for New York field crop growers, both challenges and opportunities lie ahead. This presentation outlines efforts by Cornell University to proactively support growers through this transition. We highlight approaches to predict pest risks under changing regulatory conditions, clarify common misconceptions about pest management tools and alternatives, and provide science-based guidance to support effective and economically viable decisions. This work integrates research, extension, and stakeholder engagement to ensure growers are well prepared to adapt while maintaining productivity and advancing sustainable pest management practices.
Alejandro Calixto (Cornell IPM)
Alejandro Calixto (Cornell IPM)
As Director of Cornell University’s Integrated Pest Management Program (Cornell IPM), Alejandro Calixto leads a team of scientists and extension specialists in entomology, plant pathology, weed science, and pesticide safety. Together, they pioneer ecologically resilient pest management practices that promote safer farms, homes, schools and communities.
Prior to joining Cornell IPM, Calixto spent more than two decades developing strategies to reduce the impact of pests across both public and private sectors. As a research scientist at Texas A&M University, he focused on invasive species and the management of urban and agricultural pests, while developing pest prediction systems. At Dow AgroSciences/Corteva Agriscience, he contributed to the creation of crop protection tools for managing insect pests and plant pathogens, supporting both IPM and resistance management programs.
Calixto has contributed to integrated pest management projects around the world, including in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and New Zealand. He is currently leading efforts to make IPM more accessible to marginalized and non-English speaking communities.
Scott McArt (Cornell University)
Scott McArt (Cornell University)
Scott McArt is an assistant professor of pollinator health in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University, where he helps run the Dyce Lab for honey bee studies and the Cornell Chemical Ecology Core Facility.
Dr. McArt earned his BA from Dartmouth College, his MS from the University of Alaska-Anchorage, and his PhD from Cornell University. He spent two years as a USDA postdoctoral fellow at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst prior to starting as a non-tenure track Research Scientist at Cornell Entomology in 2014. In 2017, he started as a tenure-track assistant professor.
Corn seed background image: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org