Year 4 Grant Report

A. GRANT DATA

• Grant # 2708-USDA-UD-2103
• Title: Delaware Information Network for Pesticides and Alternative Strategies
• Type: State Network Project
• Lead Investigator:  Susan Whitney King, Pesticide Coordinator
  University of Delaware Cooperative Extension
  Dept Entomology & Wildlife Ecology
  Newark DE 19716-2160
  302-831-8886 (voice); 302-831-8889 (fax); swhitney@udel.edu
• State involved: Delaware
• Funding Year: 2/1/2005 - 6/30/2006
• Funding Amount: $27,286 (SNP: $20,000)
• Report Date:  12/16/2005
• B.  NONTECHNICAL SUMMARY
• Accomplishments of the Delaware Information Network for Pesticides and Alternatives Strategies were:
• A meeting was held with the Delaware Information Network Advisory Committee.
• More than 100 requests for information on selected pesticides were filled.
• The Pesticide Briefs Newsletter was written.
• Three Crop Profiles were reviewed for cancelled pesticides.
• The Pickle Pest Management Strategic Plan was written.
• C.  OBJECTIVES:
• 1.  Serve as the primary information source for federal and Delaware regulatory agencies and other agencies regarding use and usage of all IPM tactics, including pesticides, in all IPM settings in the state. Respond in a timely fashion to requests for information from these agencies.
• Achievements:
• King forwarded requests for pesticide information to the appropriate discipline specialist and replied back to the requesting agency with the response.  King attended commodity meetings and pesticide-user meetings to stay abreast of pest control measures used in the state.  King maintained coordination with the Delaware IPM program, the Pesticide Safety Education Program, IR- 4 Project, and the Delaware Department of Agriculture. 
•             2.  Serve as a liaison among the Northeastern IPM Center, UD Extension IPM coordinator, the University of Delaware, and other key agencies in Delaware.  Provide information such as release of RFAs and meeting dates in a timely fashion to all appropriate contacts. 
• Solicit and facilitate applications from qualified individuals or groups in Delaware for funds available from the NE IPM Center.
• Participate in all subcontracts between the Northeastern IPM Center and other entities of the University of Delaware in order to minimize total indirect costs for the Center. Pass funds from the Northeastern IPM Center to any programs or individuals of the University of Delaware that have contracts with the Center.    
•       Provide Communication to Delaware Stakeholders.
• Achievements:
• King transmitted announcements of RFA’s and meeting dates to an e-mail list. 
• News articles were published to the Delaware Pesticide Information Web site.  Pesticide Safety Education sessions included an on-line lesson in how to use the Pesticide web page. 
• There were no subcontracts between the Northeastern IPM Center and other entities of the University of Delaware.  King was not required pass funds from the Northeastern IPM Center to any programs or individuals of the University of Delaware.
• 3.   Maintain a project web site.
• Achievement:
• The Pesticide Information Network web site was maintained at:  http://ag.udel.edu/extension/pesticide/pesticidenetwork.htm .
•       4.   Utilize an advisory committee consisting of a diverse group of stakeholders interested in IPM that will meet at least once annually with other types of interaction as necessary.  The committee will include the Delaware IPM Coordinator, a representative of the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Delaware Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator, appropriate research and extension faculty, a representative from Delaware State University, IPM users such as growers and crop consultants, and representation from environmental and consumer advocacy groups.
• Achievements:
• The Advisory Committee for the Delaware Information Network for Pesticides and Alternative Strategies met on November 28, 2005.
• 5.   Facilitate the effective engagement of stakeholders in the state with appropriate IWG’s and other components of the Northeastern IPM Center.
• Achievements:
• King did not receive any requests for information from IWG’s.  King served as Poster Session Coordinator for the Northeast Regional Community and Urban IPM Conference held March 16 - 17, 2005 in Manchester, NH.  King co-organized the Indoor and Structural Session and served as Moderator.
• D.  RESULTS
• 1.   Accomplishments
• As shown in the table below, King forwarded more than 100 requests for pesticide information from USDA, US-EPA, and IR-4 to the appropriate discipline specialist making note of the date for which the information was needed.  King replied back to the requesting agency with the response.
•  

• King attended the Vegetable Growers Winter meeting in 2005 and the Delaware Pest Control Association Short Course in February, 2005, as well as other pesticide-user meetings in the state.  King met frequently with the Delaware IPM coordinator and technician.  King met frequently with staff of the Pesticide Compliance Section of the Delaware Department of Agriculture.  King serves as the Pesticide Safety Education Coordinator and IR- 4 Project liaison.    
• 2.  Accomplishments:
• King met with other NE State Project Directors at the Annual NE TriAgency Meeting in Dewey Beach in October, 2004.  Cooperation across state lines and sharing of resources was discussed.  King made announcements of RFA’s and meeting dates to the University of Delaware e-mail list of the Pesticide Briefs Newsletter.  King up-dated the newsletter mailing list as individuals asked to be added.  King sent grant RFA’s and RFP’s to the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and offered to assist in the preparation of grant proposals.
• News articles were published to the Delaware Pesticide Information Web site and electronic notices of the postings sent to the agricultural community in the state.  At the beginning of each of the six Pesticide Safety Education sessions held during this grant project, King included an on-line lesson in how to use the Pesticide Information web site.  Directions for getting on the e-mail list for notification of new postings of Pesticide Briefs was printed inside the Pesticide Applicator Training Workbook.  
• 3.   Accomplishments
• All web sites of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware were standardized and re-formatted for consistency during 2005.  The Pesticide Information Network web site was moved to:  http://ag.udel.edu/extension/pesticide/pesticidenetwork.htm . King maintains this site which:                  
• 1.      Addresses regional priorities established by the NE IPM Center.
• 2.      Is compatible with regional and national IPM Center sites.
• 3.      Includes contact information for the Delaware Information Network and King.
• 4.      Includes a project description for the Delaware Information Network.
• 5.      Includes links to annual progress reports for the Delaware Information Network.
• 6.      Complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 as does the entire web site of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
• 7.      Includes links to the NE IPM Center and other appropriate entities.
• 8.      Prominently displays, near the heading, the phrase, “The Delaware component of the Northeastern IPM Center.”  The words “Northeastern IPM Center” are hyperlinked (but not underlined) to the Center web site.
• 9.      Includes the statement: “This site is supported, in part, with funding from the Northeastern IPM Center.”
• 10.    Does include the date of the most recent update.
• 11.    Notes that King is the webmaster.
• 4.   Accomplishments:
• The Advisory Committee for the Delaware Information Network for Pesticides and Alternative Strategies met on November 28, 2005.  In attendance were: Ken Gauen (PictSweet Frozen Foods); Steve McCarron (Kenny Brothers Produce); Luke McConnell (Crop Consultant); Grier Stayton and Larry Towle (Delaware Department of Agriculture Pesticide Section); Chris Cadwallader (Delaware Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Statistician); John Butler (EPA Region 3); Dwight Meyer (Delaware State University Small Farms Extension Specialist); Gordon Johnson (University of Delaware Kent Co. Agent); Marty Spellman for Joanne Whalen (University of Delaware IPM Coordinator); Mark VanGessel (University of Delaware Weed Scientist) and Susan Whitney King (Chair, Governor’s Pesticide Advisory Committee; University of Delaware Pesticide Safety Education Program; IR-4 Liaison; Technical Advisor, Delaware Pest Control Association; Information Network Project leader).  
• Members who could not attend but requested that they be kept informed were: Dyremple Marsh (Associate Dean Delaware State University); Maggie Moor-Orth (Delaware State University Extension Specialist, organic growers and consumers); Carl Davis (University of Delaware New Castle County Extension Agent); Bob Mulrooney (University of Delaware Plant Pathologist); Dot Abbott (University of Delaware Renewable Resources Extension Agent); Pat Hastings (NE IPM Center Representative); Michele Roberts (Beyond Pesticides) and Jim Fredericks (Home Paramount Pest Control).
• Progress of the Pesticide Information Network was reviewed:  Completed Crop Profiles: soybean ’05 (http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/DEsoybeancropprofile.doc ) , Green pepper ‘04, apple ‘03, wheat ‘02, sweet corn ‘00, peaches ‘00, green peas ‘00, potatoes ‘00, squash ‘00, spinach ‘99, lima beans ‘99, snap beans ’99, watermelons ‘99.
• King reported that she had reviewed three Crop Profiles:  Lima Beans, Green Pepper, and Peas (Green) for cancelled pesticides.  She did not find any fungicides or herbicides that have been cancelled.  King identified three cancelled insecticides: Penncap M (lima), Ambush 2E (green pepper) and Diazinon AG500 (green peas).  These will be removed from the profiles. 
•       Three regional Pest Management Strategic Plans have been written: 
• Lima Beans ’03, Spinach ’04,  Pickles ‘05 (http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/picklePMSPforDEwebsite.doc ).  King reported that she had met with Cliff Keil, University of Delaware mushroom entomologist, and Kerry Richards, Penn State Pesticide Coordinator, to revise the mushrooms PMSP (http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/mushroomclifkeryedits.doc).  King participated in the PMSP workshops in Virginia for tomatoes (http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/TOMATOPRIORITIES.doc) and snap beans (http://www.udel.edu/pesticide/SNAPBEANPRIORITIES.doc)  Drafts of these PMSP’s are available at the Virginia Tech web site. 
• Discussion was held at the November 28th  Advisory Committee meeting on future directions of the Pesticide Information Network.  King plans to expand the Network beyond agriculture into non-agricultural pesticide use areas.  The Committee advised King to completely revise seven of the Crop Profiles previously written.  Either the oldest Profiles or the crops most “at risk” should be chosen.  The Committee agreed that a watermelon PMSP workshop should be held in January, 2007.  The complete meeting minutes were transmitted to the NE IPM Center with the agenda and list of invitees.
• 5.   Accomplishments:
• King attended commodity meetings and pesticide-user meetings to stay abreast of pest control measures used in the state.  King maintained coordination with the Delaware IPM program, the Pesticide Safety Education Program, IR- 4 Project, and the Delaware Department of Agriculture.
• King served as Poster Session Coordinator for the Northeast Regional Community and Urban IPM Conference held March 16 - 17, 2005 in Manchester, NH.  King co-organized the Indoor and Structural Session and served as Moderator.  Participants in this session prepared the following white paper listing the priorities for education in structural IPM.  The white paper was submitted to the NE IPM Center and was featured in the trade journal, Pest Control.

INDOOR AND STRUCTURAL IPM WORKSHOP

MARCH 16, 2005

MANCHESTER, NH

White Paper

A 4-hour workshop was held at the NEIPM Conference on Indoor and Structural IPM.  Six speakers presented information on pests and pest control.  Workshop attendees generated lists of needs for research, regulatory activities and education in structural pest control.  The un-edited list of needs in the first two areas are presented below as a draft, and are not prioritized. The list of educational needs were finalized and prioritized.

EDUCATION (prioritized on a scale of 0-72)

Eighteen attendees participated in voting for priorities.  Each attendee was given four votes for a total of 72 votes.  More than half the votes cast by Workshop attendees were for the following three needs:

1.  Need consumer education.  We need an IPM message that homeowners can buy into that the homeowner cares about (reduce pesticide use is not a message that will sell to the homeowner – value & cost will sell). 17 votes

2.  Education on the importance of pest management, ie: public health, property damage, environmental health degradation. 12 votes

3.  Educate all key stake holders (ie: building managers, custodians, building inspectors, construction industry, consumer, etc.) on building practices that promote pest infestations (bath room vents to attic). 12 votes

Other needs were:

4.  Need hands-on training for IPM.  6 votes 

5.  How effective are our techniques in promoting IPM - we need to evaluate our efforts. 4 votes

6.  Develop bullet-proof case studies that document structural IPM success.  Develop risk/benefit scenarios that document the value of IPM . 4 votes

7.  Avoid mixed signals from all Centers of influence – get all on same page (ie: agreement on definition of IPM). 4 votes

8.  Insect ID training for applicators. Need to educate applicators on pest biology and behavior. 3 votes

9. Need a core group of influential individuals who espouse and demonstrate the benefits of structural IPM. 2 votes

10. Need a group of university researchers who get together and make recommendations based on unbiased research. 2 votes

11.  Counter the desire to have a simple easy dumb-down approach instead of a complex IPM. 1 votes

12.  Maintain the “service industry” mindset 1 votes

13.  Use the media – IPM is the only positive press that the pest control industry ever sees 1 votes

14. Resistance management education. 1 votes

15.  Educate on communication methods for sanitation practices and procedures that are out of the hands of the applicator. 1 votes 

16.  Extension specialists need to maintain and increase the IPM market 0 votes

17.  Publish IPM plans for bedbugs and bait adverse roaches in trade journals 0 votes

ATTENDEES:

Extension

Susan King

John D. Hopkins

Rachel Maccini

Dini Miller

Joyce Rodler

Jim Dill

Paul Curtis

John Baniecki

Lynn Braband

Pest Control Operators

Frank H. Andorka, Jr.

Edward Maurars

Duncan Fraser

Shari Mitchell

Kevin R. Moran

Wes Hamel

Mike Peaslec

Regulatory Agencies

Wendy Anderson

EPA

Kathy Seikel

Andrea Szylvian

Manufacturers/ Consultants

Mark Lacey

Consultants

Don Rivard

Manufacturer’s

Jeffrey O’Neill

Peggy Malone

Paul Borth

Department of Defense

Harvey Shultz

NE IPM Center

Carrie Koplinka-Loehr

UN-EDITED UN-PRIORITIZED REGULATORY NEEDS

1  Each state School IPM Plan needs input from industry – the school should not write the plan itself.         

2  Lengthen time on pesticide patents

3  IPM in school Plans need to be able to use baits

4  Homeowner product registrants should be required to submit efficacy data.

5  “25B” pesticides should be registered & efficacy data required.

6  Applicators of 25B’s need to be regulated.

7.  Need transparency for rationale behind regulatory and legislative decisions.  How are decisions made?

8.  Avoid mixed signals from regulatory – get all on same page. (ie: Montreal Protocol; liquid vs non-liquid termiticides)

9.  Need adequate number of inspectors for IPM in schools to be sure Plans are being implemented.  Ensure implementation of IPM in schools plans.

10. Applicator Industry needs to set a high standard for itself.

11. Put “teeth” in regulating IPM programs – how do you know IPM was really done?

1. Critical assessment of current and future IPM legislation.

UN-EDITED UN-PRIORITIZED RESEARCH NEEDS

1  need to have variety of modes of action to prevent resistance.

2  promote research on stinging insects that improves location of the nest.

3  Find a carpenter bee bait

4  test insecticides for spider control

5  what provides fast acting ant control in the field.

6  Can oriental cockroaches be controlled with just traps?

7  Effectiveness of total release foggers

8  what works best for carpenter ant control indoors

9  what is the best insecticide for bed bug control?

10  What is the best control for Asian Lady Beetles indoors?

11  Promote publication of structural product testing in ESA Arthropod Management Testing section J – a central place.

12 need less politically-based and more scientific-based decision making.

13.  Need structural fumigation product & other variable testing.

14.  Need product efficacy testing that compares old products with new.

15.  Alternatives to Methyl Bromide.

16 need more long term studies on cost/benefit of IPM.

17. Termidor ant label

18. Phantom label for indoor crack & crevice

19. G. Cockroach bait aversion

This site is supported, in part, with funding from the Northeastern IPM Center.
The Delaware component of the NE IPM Center
Susan Whitney King, Project Leader
Contact the webmaster King at swhitney@udel.edu
Last Updated:
December 3, 2005