ANNOUNCEMENTS
2005 NYS Master Garden Volunteer Report is now available --- In 2005, nearly 2,300 active Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) throughout New York State spent more than 100,000 hours working to grow individuals, families, communities and environmental stewardship through gardening success. That volunteer time is equal to 55 FTEs (full time equivalents) and is estimated to be worth more than $1.7 million to the outreach effort of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Through their service, MGVs helped CCE make more than 150,000 direct citizen contacts. That averages out to about 68 direct citizen contacts per MGV. The full 2005 report can be found at: www.gardening.cornell.edu/education/mgprogram/
New IPM Research and Extension Projects Funded in the Northeast ---- The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center recently awarded 21 grants through the Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program and the IPM Partnership Grants Program, totaling more than $1 million. Both programs focus on addressing real-world IPM challenges.
Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program ---- The Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program supports projects that develop individual pest control tactics, integrate tactics into IPM systems, or develop and implement extension and education programs. The program favors projects that address IPM stakeholder priorities, benefit the northeastern region, involve environmental stewardship, and show a high likelihood of success. This grants program has awarded $579,300 to support seven new projects.
IPM Partnership Grants Program --- The IPM Partnership Grants Program helps the Northeastern IPM Center serve as a regional focal point for collaboration, communication, and stakeholder participation in fostering the development and adoption of IPM. The program recently awarded total of $477,500 in grants to 14 project directors. Some of these grant recipients are carrying out multiple projects, with a total of 19 funded projects falling into six project types that address or identify regional IPM priorities in different ways.
IPM Working Groups identify and prioritize IPM needs relating to specific crop types or IPM settings.
IPM Working Group Priorities projects address important IPM research or extension issues identified through the Centers priority-setting processes.
Regional IPM Publications promote IPM implementation by sharing information.
Critical and Emerging Issues projects deliver timely responses to critical issues.
State Network Projects inform federal and state regulatory agencies about IPM tactics used in each state, and maintain websites and advisory committees to provide links among IPM-related groups in their states.
IPM Tactics Surveys, Crop Profiles, and Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs) compile data about crop acreage, key pests, pest management practices, amounts of pesticides used and how they are used, and priorities for research.
More details about these grants programs and specific projects will be available on the Northeast IPM website: http://northeastipm.org/. The Northeastern IPM Center expects to release the Request for Applications for 2007 grants programs in late summer/early fall.
SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
Ag Film Baling Demonstration Tour of Equipment & Best Management Practices (BMPs) Æ Upstate New York, August 7-10, 2006 --- The Recycling Ag Plastics Project (RAPP) invites farmers, recyclers, equipment dealers and all others to its Upstate New York Demonstration Tour of the "Big Foot" - a mobile baler designed for agricultural films. Targeted to the recycling and agricultural communities, the Tour will feature baling equipment; best management practices for handling used films; and information about recycling markets. For tour detatils and additional information about Ag plastics recycling: http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/AgPlastics/BigFootTour2006
For information about the "Big Foot Baler," contact Dennis Sutton at 941-761-8293 (dennis44@tampabay.rr.com ).
INFORMATION Air Quality, Economics Focus of NYFVI-Funded Dairy Project on Ammonia --- Cow manure is the most inexpensive source of fertilizer for dairy farms. The question for farmers is how to gain the crop nutrient benefits from manure while reducing the loss of ammonia-N (Nitrogen) into water and air. Learning the answer before the government initiates new regulations is one of the objectives of a cutting-edge project funded by the New York Farm Viability Institute to evaluate the potential of ammonia-conserving manure management practices.
Ammonia Air Emissions project leader Shawn Bossard says, New Yorks farmers are addressing ammonia-N loss for both environmental and economic reasons. The loss of plant-ready nitrogen through ammonia volatilization (liquid becoming gas) easily equates to $100/acre in lost crop nutrient value. Economically, the more manure-based nutrients we can feed into our soil for crops, the less money farmers have to spend to buy fertilizer. The surrounding environment benefits as more nutrients are kept in the soil and less ammonia is lost into the air.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may soon look more closely at field losses of ammonia into airsheds - geographic areas of atmosphere that affect nearby water bodies. The NYFVI-funded project objectives include developing an understanding of the amount of nitrogen lost to the air as well as the amount retained in the soil (nitrogen credits) using surface, aerator and injection systems for manure application.
For more information, contact: Shawn Bossard, of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County, 315-539-9251
Add Meetings to CCE Event Calendar ---Please enter events or workshops that may be of interest statewide or regionally on the online CCE Event Calendar. State and national agent association meetings should be entered as well, so as to avoid scheduling conflicts. The CCE Calendar is easy to use; first go to the CCE Staff Web site at http://staff.cce.cornell.edu. On the left-hand menu, you'll see two options: "View the Calendar/Add an Event" and "How to use the Calendar." Follow the step-by-step instructions, and your event will be posted for all to see.
http://www.staff.cce.cornell.edu/administration/ccenews/index.htm