IPM News and Events Roundup 08/16/2024

IPM News and Events Roundup

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

Increasing Access to Practical Biocontrol Information through Digital Resources

October 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MFNtyp2KQoaWGYrAbDfvPw

The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.

Description

The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program Biocontrol website continues to grow with information for all of North America. In the past year, we have added profiles of individual biocontrol agents, and we are planning to incorporate resources developed through the Augmentative Biocontrol (ABC) Working Group. The focus for both is to provide practical information that addresses barriers to biocontrol adoption and helps growers and gardeners successfully implement biocontrol. During the toolbox talk we will provide a tour of biocontrol agent profiles and describe the ongoing process and progress to create resources on augmentative biocontrol.

Amara Dunn-Silver

Biocontrol Specialist – New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, part of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Amara supports the effective use of biological control solutions for pests in all agricultural commodities, as well as pests encountered by New Yorkers where they live, work, play, and learn.

Hillary Peterson

Integrated Pest Management Specialist – Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Hillary is responsible for IPM education and implementation across the state including pests affecting structures like schools, homes, and restaurants, agriculture, invasive species, and more.

DEI in IPM Panel Discussion

October 29, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.

Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wxN5zM8QTje8oyz45iChdw

The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.

Description

This panel will explore a unique Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) perspective; best practices of DEI; an opportunity to learn how to implement change in light of the anti-DEI legislation, and how it’s affecting experiences across the country. We will provide the necessary examples that will equip you to be a more informed leader with DEI in mind and lean into how to support your administration, faculty, staff and students in an anti-DEI climate. This session will give participants an opportunity to think through real-life diversity, equity and inclusion scenarios, and help create a network for you to turn to when addressing DEI issues.

Panel members:

Dr. Antomia “Mia” Farrell - Associate Dean and Director College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CANR), Michigan State University

Dr. Quatez Scott - Assistant Dean for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Agriculture (IDEA), Colorado State University

Dr. Jacquelyn Mosley - Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Assistant Dean, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas

Dr. Anna Katharine Mansfield - Associate Director & Associate Professor, Cornell AgriTech

Bee Breeding and IPM for Better Pollinator Health

November 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YZTukWExRLq9o2-3qgTL2g

The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.

Description

This presentation will focus on recently published and current research on the genetics and breeding of mite-resistant stocks in honey bees, and a recent study using a sustainable method to manage varroa mites in bee hives.

Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay

Associate Professor, Central State University

Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and president of the International Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Her doctoral degree is in entomology from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana) and she studied the genetics and physiology of Drosophila melanogaster. Then she worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and North Carolina State University to study functional genomics and social behavior of honey bees. In 2017, she started her research lab on bee genetics, genomics, pollinators, and ecology. She has mentored 40 undergrad students at CSU, and published 49 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters including P.N.A.S., BMC Genomics, Insect Molecular Biology, etc. She has presented 120 talks for research. She’s on the Editorial Board of Current Research in Insect Science, and topic editor for Nature Scientific Reports, Cell Heliyon, and the Journal of Insect Science.

EPA / FDA / USDA / NIFA News

USDA Announces Intent to Establish Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, Seeks Nominations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it intends to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council (informally known as the Growing Climate Solutions Act Advisory Council) and is seeking nominations for Council membership. USDA made the announcement in a Federal Register.

For more information about the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program or the establishment of this Council, visit www.ams.usda.gov/services/GCSA or contact Sasha Strohm, Program Manager, at sasha.strohm@usda.gov or 202-720-5705.

Register for EPA’s Webinar on Draft Strategy to Better Protect Endangered Species from Insecticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public webinar on September 5, 2024, from 1-2 PM ET to provide an overview of its draft Insecticide Strategy. Released on July 25, 2024, the draft strategy furthers the agency’s work to adopt early, practical protections for federally endangered and threatened (listed) species and designated critical habitats from the use of conventional agricultural insecticides.

The draft strategy identifies protections that EPA will consider when it registers a new insecticide or reevaluates an existing one. In developing this draft strategy, EPA identified protections to address potential impacts for more than 850 species listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). The draft strategy identifies protections earlier in the pesticide review process, thus creating a far more efficient approach to evaluate and protect the FWS-listed species that live near these agricultural areas.

The draft insecticide strategy uses the most updated information and processes to determine whether an insecticide will impact a listed species and identify protections to address any impacts. To determine impacts, the draft strategy considers where a species lives, what it needs to reproduce (e.g., food or pollinators), where the pesticide will end up in the environment, and what kind of the pesticide might have if it reaches the species. These refinements greatly reduce the need for pesticide restrictions in situations that do not benefit species.

The webinar will include:

Discussion of the proposed three-step framework to identify potential population-level impacts to species, identify mitigation measures to address these impacts, and determine the geographic extent of the mitigation measures;
An overview of case studies to illustrate how the framework could be applied to representative insecticides and how EPA expects to implement the strategy in its registration and registration review actions; and
An opportunity for the public to ask questions.

The webinar will be open to the public on the GoTo webinar platform, and all interested stakeholders are invited to attend. The agenda and instructions for joining the webinar will be sent to registered attendees.

Register to Attend the Webinar

Scientists Developed a Unique Approach to Conserve the Monarch Butterfly

To ensure this imaginative but plausible scenario can be preventable, USDA scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Weed and Insect Biology Research Unit, in Fargo, North Dakota, developed the first known cryopreservation protocol for the successful long-term storage of monarch butterfly germplasm, specifically for preserving germ cells (spermatozoa or sperm cells). More importantly, the technique used in this protocol allows for the preserved samples to remain viable and highly intact post-cryopreservation.

Learn about USDA’s efforts to conserve monarch butterflies’ habitats:

Research in the news

Regulation of a single inositol 1-phosphate synthase homeologue by HSFA6B contributes to fibre yield maintenance under drought conditions in upland cotton (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)

Drought stress substantially impacts crop physiology resulting in alteration of growth and productivity. Understanding the genetic and molecular crosstalk between stress responses and agronomically important traits such as fibre yield is particularly complicated in the allopolyploid species, upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), due to reduced sequence variability between A and D subgenomes. To better understand how drought stress impacts yield, the transcriptomes of 22 genetically and phenotypically diverse upland cotton accessions grown under well-watered and water-limited conditions in the Arizona low desert were sequenced.

High-impact invasive plants expanding into mid-Atlantic states: identifying priority range-shifting species for monitoring in light of climate change (cambridge.org)

One way that climate change is projected to affect invasive plant management is by shifting the ranges of invasive plants. In some regions, hundreds of new, potentially invasive species could establish in coming decades. These species are prime candidates for early detection and rapid response. However, with limited resources, it is unlikely that invasive plant managers will be able to monitor and treat this large number of novel species. Determining which species are likely to have the greatest impacts could inform further risk assessment and mitigate the greatest amount of potential damage. Here, we used the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) protocol to evaluate the potential impacts of 104 invasive plant species that are projected to establish in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and/or West Virginia by midcentury with climate change. These species were identified using the Invasive Range Expanders Listing Tool to predict which invasive species are likely to shift their ranges into the target states by midcentury.

Special Collection: Current Honey Bee Research: Investigating Micro and Macro Aspects of Health and Sociobiology (academic.oup.com)

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most important managed insect pollinator in U.S. and Canadian crop systems. However, the annual mortality of colonies has been consistently higher than historical records in the past 15 years. Because of their status as eusocial generalist pollinators, as well as their amenability to management, honey bees provide a unique opportunity to investigate topics that cover a wide range of questions at molecular, organismal, and ecological scales. The American Association of Professional Apiculturists (AAPA) and the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) consist of members whose programs conduct research on a wide range of subjects in apiculture, encompassing genomics, epigenetics, immunity, toxicology, host-parasite interactions, nutrition, evolutionary biology, behavior, physiology, and population ecology of this model organism.

News

Consumer-Grade Insecticide Sprays Fail to Control Cockroaches, Study Shows (entomologytoday.org)

A common variety of consumer insecticide sprays is mostly ineffective and of “little to no value” in eliminating cockroach infestations, a new study shows.

Residual insecticides are designed to be sprayed on surfaces where cockroaches are likely to appear, exposing them to the toxic ingredient when they move across the surface later. But laboratory testing by researchers at the University of Kentucky and Auburn University shows that the residues have little effect on German cockroaches (Blattella germanica), a primary species infesting homes and buildings around the world.

Backyard Plant That Can Alter DNA, Cause Severe Burns, Spreading Across US (iheart.com)

It's called the giant hogweed and it features white flowers that group together in an umbrella shape, but it is also incredibly toxic - so much so that it can actually change your DNA. The invasive plant, which can grow to be up to 20 feet tall, has a sap that contains a substance that binds to the DNA in skin cells. When it is exposed to ultraviolet light, it causes redness, itchiness and also destroys the DNA, leading to severe burns and painful blisters. Worst of all, even after any skin irritation clears up, the affected area could be scarred and/or remain hypersensitive to the sun for years. Meanwhile, if the sap gets in your eye, you could suffer temporary vision loss and possibly permanent blindness.

Novel Detection of Blueberry Gall Midge in New Hampshire Blueberry Crops (extension.unh.edu)

Researchers from the UNH Insect Collection have detected two previously unreported species of blueberry gall midge (Dasineura oxycoccana and Prodiplosis vaccinii) in the state's blueberry crops. While these flies are native to North America, they pose a significant threat to blueberry production when present in large populations. The microscopic larvae feed on young blueberry shoots and flower buds, causing stunted growth and reduced fruit yield. Crop loss from gall midge damage can reach up to 80%, with long-term impacts on plant health as well. Both species were observed in northern highbush blueberry (Figure 1) in Durham and Stratham, while Dasineura oxycoccana is also known to attack lowbush wild blueberry (Figure 2) in Maine. Blueberry gall midges are sometimes known by other common names such as blueberry tip midge or blueberry tip worm.

Call for proposals

Call for Sessions: IPM Symposium 2025

The theme for 2025 is “Pest Management in Changing Environments.”
Session proposals may address any aspect of Integrated Pest Management including research and extension, regulatory actions and policy, and IPM in practice.
Proposals should include the session title, a proposed slate of speakers, and a maximum 250-word abstract. Find out more here.
A networking and professional development event, this is your opportunity to discuss the most significant challenges of today – climate change, pesticide resistance, increasing the use of biocontrol tools and new technology, invasive species, emerging pathogens, and vectors.
The committee welcomes proposals for multiple speaker sessions, discussion, roundtable, workshop, or question-and-answer formats.
This call is for organized sessions, not for individual presentations (excepting students and early career scientists). Individual presenters are encouraged to consider submitting poster presentations. The call for poster submissions will be announced later this year.
The DEADLINE for submissions is now August 30, 2024.
Questions? Contact Dawn Gouge: dhgouge@arizona.edu

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

2024 SPOTTED LANTERNFLY RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT MEETING

16-17 OCTOBER, WOOSTER, OH

Organizers of the first 2024 Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) R&TD Meeting are seeking submissions for presentations in alignment with the SLF Strategic Plan Goal 2: Support continued scientific research towards practical management and risk mitigation. Submissions for presentations and/or posters for this meeting should describe scientific and technology studies on spotted lanternfly under the following categories: (1) SLF impacts to US agriculture and natural resources; (2) biocontrol techniques; (3) development of tools for early detection, survey, trapping; (4) chemical and microbial control; (5) risk assessment models and prioritization tools; (6) risk mitigation and practical management; and (7) outreach and education. Persons who have received USDA funding for SLF research projects are strongly encouraged to present their findings, but all SLF-related submissions are welcome. The program again will be based primarily around oral presentations, but a poster option will also be available. The program will begin at 7:30 AM on October 16 with continental breakfast and will end at 3:30 PM on October 17 or earlier depending on the number of presentations submitted.

Email submissions to greg.r.parra@usda.gov, with a cc: to phillip.lowe@usda.gov, by September 6, 2024. For each submission, please provide the following information:

Title, senior author, presenting author (if not senior author), author affiliation, author’s email address, subject area preference (from list in first sentence), and format preference (oral or poster). We will try to honor all requests for format type, but we reserve the right to ask presenters to switch formats in order to achieve an acceptable balance between speaking slots and poster space.

Registration through Eventbrite and fees along with hotel information will follow.

Webinars, seminars, meetings, and more

Newly featured this issue

CCE Broome Recruiting Master Gardeners

The next regional Master Gardener Volunteer training begins in September 2024, involving Tioga, Chemung, Schuyler, and Tompkins counties. The 20-week hybrid course runs from September to March, with a break from mid-November to January.

Participants complete 4-6 hours of online instruction weekly via Moodle, attend virtual meetings on Saturday mornings, and join monthly in-person sessions across the region. In Broome County, training extends into the spring/summer with hands-on experience at Cutler Botanic Garden on Tuesday mornings, which is essential for program success.

For more information, contact Carol Fetterman at (607) 584-9966 or clf62@cornell.edu.

Fall 2024 Cornell Climate Impact Speaker Series

In the last three years, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), establishing approximately $500 billion in federal funding for clean energy projects. These laws together represent the most historic action any nation has ever taken to address climate change and ushered in a new era of optimism for a clean energy future. However, the success of these laws hangs in the balance, with political obstacles, regulatory hurdles, and infrastructure bottlenecks creating significant headwinds for clean energy projects to move forward. This conversation will include looking back at the work behind-the-scenes that led to the creation and passage of these laws, and looking ahead to what work is needed in coming months and years to ensure that the US is able to realize the full potential of the IRA/BIL, and achieve significant GHG reductions.

First Speaker: Aliya Haq ‘03 (Breakthrough Energy)

Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 5:00 p.m.
G151 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall

Identifying Invasive Species Range Shifts: NE CASC/NE RISCC Tool Talk

Developing and using resource management tools has become an increasingly complex issue for researchers and managers alike. While many impressive management tools exist, it is often difficult to determine if they are, indeed, "the right tools for the job". To help researchers better understand the tool needs of managers and managers more efficiently navigate their overflowing toolboxes, NE CASC has developed a series of Tool Talks for the climate adaptation community. Bringing research and management perspectives into dialogue with one another, this series is designed to shed light on several key questions:

What makes a good management tool?
How can connections be created between existing management frameworks?
What kinds of tools are currently needed?
How is feedback collected and implemented in existing tools and frameworks?

We enthusiastically invite you to participate in the next installment of our Tool Talk series on September 11th at 4:00 PM! This conversation will explore the questions above in the context of invasive species ranges and adaptation. In addition to providing ample opportunities for audience input, our hour-long structured exchange will feature discussion and analysis from a group of panelists who have amassed a wealth of experience creating or using conservation tools and frameworks for invasive species range shifts across our region. Our lineup includes:

Catherine Jarnevich, Research Ecologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center
Wesley Daniel, Fishery Biologist, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Gary Fish, State Horticulturist, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
Jenica Allen, Senior Research Fellow, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Moderated by NE CASC team members, this Tool Talk will help attendees gain a clearer understanding of tools available for identifying invasive species range shifts, build connections in the climate adaptation science community, and shape future NE CASC research and outreach activities. Are you ready to start talking tools with us? Then sign up for this event today! We look forward to seeing you on September 11th at 4:00 PM Eastern Time!

Register Now

Previously featured

NYSIPM co-hosts Geneva Grows Native Event August 17, & 24, 2024

For years, the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM) has been demonstrating how to create habitat for pollinators and insect natural enemies of pests by growing (especially native and perennial) flowers and grasses that feed and shelter these important insects. You may have attended a past Beneficial Insect Habitat Open House at our research field. This year, we’re bringing the conservation biocontrol information and demonstrations to the Geneva lakefront and partnering with the Geneva Business Improvement District, the City of Geneva Green Committee, and other community members to talk about the ways the City of Geneva is using native plants.

You have four opportunities to attend this event. Stop by the Geneva Lakefront Gazebo near the Geneva Farmers Market between 8 AM and 1 PM on any of these Saturdays in August:

August 17
August 24

Dutch Elm Disease and Resistance

Speakers: Benjamin Held, Senior Scientist, and Ryan Murphy, Researcher, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota

For nearly 10 decades, the invasive DED pathogen Ophiostoma novo-ulmi has been decimating American elms (Ulmus americana) and other native elm species in Minnesota and across the country. The American elm once lined streets across Minnesota, and for good reason. Its elegant form and tolerance to the harsh urban environment made it one of two premier canopy species. American, along with red (U. rubra) and rock (U. thomasii) elm, also provide critical benefits to ecosystem functioning, wildlife, and insects. Control measures so far have relied on sanitation and chemical control, both of which are expensive methods considering the large numbers of trees affected. Varied disease resistance has been identified in a small number of elms; however, additional genetic diversity is needed to combat a pathogen that has a changing virulence. Our elm selection program is aimed at identifying, propagating, and screening survivor elms for DED tolerance from across the state of Minnesota. In addition, our reintroduction planting program will also return much needed DED resistant genotypes back into the landscape in both urban and natural forested landscapes.

August 21, 2024 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST

Methods to assess impacts of introduced plants and their management

What: 1-day, in person workshop consisting of talks and field exercises on assessing impacts, with an emphasis on using plants as indicators (schedule attached).

When: Monday, August 26, 10 AM–4:30 PM (with an optional BBQ social at 6 PM)

Where: Mann Library, Cornell University, Ithaca NY (parking details will follow registration)

How to register: Regardless of whether you pre-registered or not, please register here so that we can contact you with a parking pass and other relevant information.

Please note:

Our workshop will proceed rain or shine and be a combination of lectures and field exercises. We will focus on a terrestrial forest habitat. Please bring appropriate field attire and rain clothes, just in case.

This meeting will be on the main Cornell campus. There are opportunities to shop for lunch close to our meeting location.
For those of you wanting to stay overnight, we will host a BBQ at Stewart Park in Ithaca. Please plan to bring your own utensils, BBQ items, or buy in town.
We have a limited number of tools that will be required for some of the field exercises. To allow more people to participate simultaneously, please consider bringing the following items if you have them available
- Battery powered handheld drill
- Masonry drill bit 1-2" diameter
- Metal detector

“Join Target Specialty Products and Patrick Lynch, ACE, Senior Vice President of Sales, Bell Laboratories for a FREE webinar, " iQ Timesaving at Accounts" on Tuesday, August 27th at 1:30 pm EST / 10:30 am PST. Patrick Lynch, ACE, Sr. Vice President of Sales, Bell Laboratories, will discuss how technology has made other industries more profitable and less tedious, and why affordable smart rodent technology can do the same for pest management professionals.

I. Biology of Rodents
II. Rodenticide Stewardship – Pulse Baiting
III. Trapping Dos & Don’ts

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8957619416643272025

Invasive Species Management: Post-Treatment Data Collection Workshop

Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024

Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Location: Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo, NY 14203

During the workshop, we’ll talk about useful metrics to help improve invasive species management efforts while reviewing projects focused on long-term management of invasive species using manual, mechanical and chemical treatment methods, and integrated pest management strategies. We’ll also get to see long-term management in action during the outdoor portion. The information presented will help attendees update management plans, improve project budgeting, and increase management success.

SPOTTED LANTERNFLY. IT'S HERE, NOW WHAT?

Thursday, September 5, 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

The Spotted Lanternfly, arrived first in New York City in 2020 and is now established in the lower Hudson Valley including Westchester County.

This invasive planthopper can become a real nuisance in landscapes and is a threat to vineyards. In this session we’ll review images of this insect so it can be recognized in its different life stages which range from tan egg masses to tiny crawling black nymphs to the adult with polka dotted outer wings and bright-orange underwings.

We’ll describe its life cycle and the favorite plants it feeds on. From there you’ll learn of the regulatory work to slow the spread of this invasive insect. By the end of the program, we’ll discuss spotted lanternfly traps and all of the management options.

What’s Bugging You First Friday is a monthly virtual series that explores 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. IPM is 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.

The 2024 What’s Bugging You First Friday schedule is now available on the program’s website, and you can register for multiple events using our registration form. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

September 6^th: Back to School: Bed Bugs | Head Lice

October 4^th: Identifying Pests in Your Home

November 1^st: 2024 Tick Blitz Results | No Spray Needed

December 6^th: Feed the Birds | Repurposing a Holiday Tree

2024 Webinar Series for Greenhouse, Nursery & Garden Center Professionals

Join UNH Cooperative Extension and other experts to sharpen and refresh plant production skills. These monthly webinars on a variety of topics are intended to provide practical training for greenhouse, nursery and garden center professionals, although all are welcome to attend. One New England pesticide applicator recertification credit has been applied for each event.

2024 Class Dates:

August 27 - Thielaviopsis Control - Dr. Bo Liu

September 24 - Injecting a Drench - Jonathan Ebba

October 29 - Renewable Energy Sources for Greenhouse Environmental Control - Dr. Md Sazan Rahman

November 26 - Mealybug - Dr. Amber Vinchesi-Vahl

December 17 - Fertilizer Selection Basics/Water Analysis - Jonathan Ebba

If you have questions or would like assistance registering for or accessing the webinars, including language access, please contact Jonathan at Jonathan.Ebba@unh.edu

Save the date for an upcoming one-day workshop with the New York Invasive Species Research Institute on Monday, August 26, 2024, in-person at Cornell's Ithaca campus. In this workshop, members of the Blossey lab will lead you through a series of talks and field exercises to review methods to assess the impacts of introduced species and of management actions.

Stay tuned for more details, including an agenda and registration link.

Save the Date!

The 11th International IPM Symposium

March 3 – 5, 2025

San Diego, CA

This is an excellent opportunity for state IPM program directors and ARDP PDs to meet USDA NIFA presentation requirements.

The Symposium is a key conference that cuts across IPM issues and offers much in the way of highlighting current issues in IPM, presentations on current research and developments, and valuable networking for stakeholders.

Employment Opportunities

Newly featured this issue

Facility Manager Position at University of Maryland college of AGNR

Under the general supervision of the Center Director, establishes the operations and management of a 35-acre facility which is home to turf grass research and education which is located at the northern edge of the University of Maryland College Park campus. Works directly with researchers and their staff to implement projects, assist with research and educational programs related to turf grass. Provide support as outlined by the Center Director. This position requires a knowledge of turf grass production and maintenance and the willingness to be a working manager, performing tasks in the daily operations alongside facility employees as well as provide supervision and training.

Head Grower - Le Jardin de Rabelais, Avoine, France.

Le Jardin de Rabelais is a family owned company, growing high-quality tomatoes for more than 30 years. We are members of “Demain la Terre”, a group of growers gathered around a common project of sustainable development.

We have currently 20 ha of glasshouse, including 11,5 ha semi closed greenhouse. We grow year round, and have 17 ha LED light.

Le Jardin de Rabelais is looking for a Head Grower to the technical team in good horticultural practices and techniques for hydroponic tomatoes greenhouse(s) operation.

SARE Seeks Web Services Developer

Through the activities described below, the Web Services Developer will help develop, manage and maintain the IT systems for national SARE programs.
The Web Services Developer will assist the national SARE program to maintain web-based IT systems that support online content management and the creation of modern educational resources for SARE grantees, grant managers, communication specialists and outside stakeholders by enhancing the functionality and usability of online content and maintaining system security. The position will be employed through UMD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, at College Park, Md. They will report to the SARE Associate Director and work under the guidance of SARE’s IT Director to collaboratively support all NRCCO colleagues and SARE’s national partners. The Web Services Developer will also be responsible for providing IT support to SARE’s Food Loss and Waste National Grant and Training and Technical Assistance (FLW) program. This is a new, temporary program that requires similar IT support and focus to all SARE grant and outreach programs, but with specific needs required by the USDA NIFA to uphold its FLW program priorities.
Overall, the Web Services Developer will improve SARE’s ability to advance our digital outreach capacity, efficiency and effectiveness to SARE regional partners, national stakeholders and the public.

Previously featured

Plant Synthetic Biologist

The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is seeking a Plant Synthetic Biologist, whose research is centered on synthetic biology involving photosynthetic organisms, including land plants, algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, and their microbial communities. Plant synthetic biology is an emerging field that combines engineering principles with plant biology. Plant synthetic biology will play an important role in the future of agriculture for crop improvement, in enabling synthesis of novel products of nutritional, pharmaceutical or other values, as well as in fundamental understanding of plant and plant-microbe community biological processes. The position will leverage advances in nuclear and plastome plant transformation and genome editing technologies that make plant synthetic biology feasible in a way, and on a scale, that is unprecedented. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to: (1) Engineering genetic circuits to program predictable crop plant behaviors and traits; (2) Generating novel plant traits, improved properties, or biosynthetic capacities; (3) Converting land plants, cyanobacteria, algae, or diatoms into platforms that synthesize chemicals and complex biomolecules by reconfiguring existing biosynthetic pathways, introducing pathways from other organisms, or incorporating newly designed pathways; (4) Designing in planta biosensors for rapid detection of, and response to, environmental cues, such as temperature, pathogens, nutrients, chemicals, and toxins; (5) Engineering the growth and developmental trajectories of model plants and crops; and (6) Characterizing and designing microbes or microbial communities at the plant surface, within the plant, or in the soil, and their interactions with the plant.

Extension Entomologists (2 positions)

The Department of Biology at Utah State University (USU) seeks applicants for two tenure track faculty positions (Assistant Professor rank) in entomology. One position will focus on insect pests in horticultural crops of Utah (fruit, vegetables and nursery) and the other in agronomic crops (alfalfa, small grains, corn) and turf. The successful candidates will be expected to establish Extension and research programs related to insect pests in horticultural and agronomic crop production systems in UT reflecting USU’s land grant mission. The positions will have a role assignment of 50% Extension, 45% Research, and 5% Service. There is no teaching expectation for these positions, and they are not eligible for remote work. The successful candidates have the option to secure an additional one-month salary from external funding such as grant awards. Review of applicants will begin October 1, 2024, and will continue until the positions are filled, with a tentative start of August 1, 2025.

Cohort Hire: Revolutionizing Controlled Environment Agriculture, Focus: Crop Physiology

The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University invites applications for a tenure-track position in Crop Physiology (Controlled Environment Agriculture; CEA) at the Assistant Professor level. Our new colleague will join a Cohort Faculty Hire in Revolutionizing Controlled Environment Agriculture. In addition to this advertised hire, the cohort will include an insect ecologist, a plant pathologist, a CEA engineer, and a food systems economist. The new faculty hires will play an integral role in the design of a planned CALS investment in new CEA facilities.

Greenhouse Grower S05 -Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station (2 positions)

These S05 Greenhouse Grower positions will assist the Greenhouse Supervisor with the daily operations of the CALS Greenhouses by providing excellent care for high value plants, closely following direction provided, including watering and fertilizing of plants. Maintain greenhouses and work areas in a clean, sanitary and orderly condition. Pay close attention to detail and adhere to high standards of reliability and timeliness.

Invasive Species Technicians Temporary Hourly Fort Drum, NY

Invasive species technicians (3) are needed to assist with early detection rapid response (EDRR)

and treatment efforts of priority invasive plant species in Fort Drum, New York. Incumbents

will be employed by Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of

Military Lands (CSU CEMML)

(email crystal.e.wixon.ctr@army.mil)

Assistant Professor - Applied Honey Bee Entomology

North Dakota State University

The School of Natural Resource Sciences (SNRS) at North Dakota State University is seeking an outstanding individual for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the area of applied honey bee entomology. North Dakota is the top honey-producing state in the U.S., with 800,000+ honey bee colonies, with most transported cross country for commercial pollination services (https://www.ndda.nd.gov/divisions/plant-industries/apiary-honey-bees). Duties of the successful candidate include: conducting research in the area of applied honey bee entomology, which could include (but is not limited to) bee behavior, bee health, ecology and resource use, integrated pest management, or hive/apiary management; developing a nationally recognized research program; securing funding through external sources; producing peer-reviewed publications and other relevant research and Extension outputs; mentoring graduate and undergraduate students; providing leadership and conducting Extension programming for the state related to honey bees and apiaries; and serving on SNRS, College, and University committees. Research and Extension efforts should help support relevant North Dakota stakeholders (e.g. industry, land managers) and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-research/ag-research) including maintaining or improving bee and apiary resources.

Agent, 4-H Youth Development

University of Maryland Extension (UME) is seeking an Extension Educator responsible for organizing, developing, implementing and evaluating educational programs for youth, families and communities. The Educator would work with volunteers and youth development agencies to provide experiential learning opportunities for youth, leading to the development of life skills for youth. The educator is also responsible for developing an active, ongoing recruitment campaign to involve new volunteers and youth. As a tenure- track faculty member, the Educator will be responsible for providing leadership to develop focused youth development programs in cooperation with colleagues across the county and Capital Maryland cluster. The faculty member will be on track for tenure and promotion to a higher rank in accordance with University policy and UME tenure guidelines within a timeframe defined.

Research Plant Geneticist

This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Crop Science Research Laboratory, Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit in Mississippi State, MS.
In this position, you will be responsible for implementing modern molecular breeding tools, high-throughput phenotyping methods, and statistical tools to develop maize germplasm with resistance to fall armyworm, and pre-harvest resistance to Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation.

Assistant Director, Sustainable Pest Management

California Department of Pesticide Regulation

(This is a repost if you have already applied for position, no need to reapply. Also, notification is from 2023, still active post)

This senior-level position will lead strategic agency and stakeholder engagement/collaboration and

development of plans, programs and proposed funding to implement recommendations of the Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap. This CEA A’s leadership will include developing support for the practice change necessary to transition away from high-risk pesticides and adopt SPM at a systemwide level. The CEA A will lead initiatives that encourage regulatory alignment and SPM alternatives research, innovation, outreach and education. In addition, the position will oversee the SPM stakeholder advisory groups and work groups to support the integration of stakeholder feedback and SPM principles in pesticide program activities, grants, education, outreach, and other projects.

Agent, Regional Watershed Restoration Specialist

University of Maryland

The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) is a leading Land-Grant institution providing teaching, research, and Extension programs through University of Maryland Extension (UME) to a diverse clientele in the State of Maryland and beyond. UME seeks to fill a 12-month, tenure-track faculty position in watershed-based education with a particular focus on green infrastructure and nature-based solutions at individual and community landscape levels. The Regional Watershed Specialist for the Capital Cluster will work in the Anne Arundel, Charles, and Prince George’s counties of Maryland as well as statewide to provide non-formal education and technical assistance to stakeholders, including local and county governments, watershed groups, communities, and individuals. Education programming will focus on practices that improve water quality and quantity at the local level that lead to quantifiable reductions in non-point sources of pollution as well as improvement of water quantity/quality issues in the face of changing climate, increasing catastrophic weather events and intensities in a rapidly urbanizing region and state. The educator will be a member of the University of Maryland Extension’s Watershed Protection and Restoration Program (WPRP), consisting of faculty members with similar education responsibilities in other regions of the state. The educator will work closely with the Maryland Sea Grant Program (MDSG) to assist with implementing strategic Sea Grant initiatives that emphasize environmental justice and climate resiliency.

Agent, Native Plants & Landscapes Specialist

University of Maryland Extension

University of Maryland Extension seeks a highly motivated and knowledgeable individual to conduct applied research, develop educational programs, and engage in community outreach initiatives aimed at teaching and promoting the ecological benefits and use of native plant species in diverse landscapes. The Specialist will also be part of the leadership team responsible for implementing the Maryland Native Plants Program (along with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Assistant or Associate Professor of Urban Plant Ecology

The successful candidate will be a tenure-line faculty member of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and will be based in Ithaca, NY in the School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS).

Expectations include teaching an undergraduate course on sustainable landscape management, a seven-week modular course on plant identification in natural environments and co-teaching an undergraduate course on urban plant biodiversity that includes woody plant identification and establishment in urban landscapes.

The successful candidate will assume an active role in advancing the Green Cities initiative, an informal group of Cornell faculty, staff, and students who contribute to improving urban ecosystem services and quality of life.

The successful candidate will also be positioned to collaborate with numerous colleagues throughout several Cornell colleges and units.

Turf and IPM Specialist

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

The Turf and Integrated Pest Management Specialist is responsible for providing leadership for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Pest Management for Suffolk County Properties Program and the Turf Fertilizer Management Program. The Specialist aids with the implementation of integrated pest management strategies for turf, landscape and structural pests in situations where pesticides have been reduced or eliminated, providing diagnoses, training, public outreach, and research and demonstration projects. The Specialist will also provide a comprehensive fertilizer educational program includes educational training to landscape professionals and county staff regarding use of nitrogen fertilizers. The Specialist also serves as a resource for all residential, commercial, and agricultural turf management. The target stakeholders and areas of work include Suffolk County staff and properties – golf courses, parks, landscapes, county facilities and buildings, highways, and rights-of-way – as well as residential, commercial, and agricultural sod.

Director - UMass Cranberry Station / Extension Associate/Full Professor

The University of Massachusetts is seeking an experienced scientist, innovative leader and Extension educator to serve in a full-time, 12-month appointment as Extension Associate or Full Professor and Director of the UMass Cranberry Station located in East Wareham, Massachusetts. The Director will provide: 1) vision, support, and coordination in planning, developing and implementing departmental programs in research and extension in accordance with the Land Grant Mission; 2) leadership in recruiting and fostering academic growth and professional development of faculty, staff, and students; 3) administration of human, physical and financial resources; and 4) promotion of external funding opportunities. The successful candidate will report to the Director of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.

Questions about the position may be directed to averill@eco.umass.edu.

Funding Opportunities

Newly featured this issue

NOAA announces $600,000 citizen science competitive grant opportunity

The Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a $600,000 funding opportunity for members of the public to conduct science that helps fisheries and fishing communities prepare for climate change. As the lead for this project, NOAA Fisheries will accept proposals for citizen science projects that help improve stock assessments or contribute to our understanding of how our fisheries and fishing communities may be impacted by changing environmental conditions.

NOAA seeks to strengthen its ability to provide science-based management and conservation of our nation’s living marine resources under a changing climate, including investing in innovative data collection approaches like citizen science. Citizen science typically involves members of the general public participating in the scientific process alongside researchers to answer real-world questions.

The citizen science project proposals should address the following priorities:

Support and improve federal fishery stock assessments using innovative approaches that address data gaps related to catch, size or age, composition, life history, or stock identification and definition.
Work to better understand how fish species may be impacted by changing environmental conditions.
Understand how fishing communities, whose livelihoods and lifestyles often rely on sustainably managed marine resources, will be impacted by climate change.

This funding will support three to eight different projects at approximately $75,000 to $200,000 per project from fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Proposals are required and are due by November 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants are also asked to submit an optional Letter of Intent by September 5, 2024 to aid in planning the review panels.

Please visit NOAA Fisheries Open Funding Opportunities for details on how to apply or see the full funding announcement on grants.gov.

Previously featured

Request for bids: Pesticide control of Adelges tsugae in the Finger Lakes Region.

Release Date: Wednesday, July 18th, 2024

Due date and time: Friday, August 16th, 2024 at 5:00 PM

Project Title
Pesticide control of Adelges tsugae in the Finger Lakes Region.
Project Description
In fall, the certified commercial pesticide applicator (defined herein as the “Contractor”) will perform pesticide treatment of Adelges tsugae in four regional state parks (approx. 38 acres).
Project Term
Start September 1st 2024, End November 30th, 2024 (Monitoring end April 2026)

Details of the Request for Bids is available on the fingerlakesinvasives.org website.

https://fingerlakesinvasives.org/announcing-request-for-bids-pesticide-control-of-adelges-tsugae-in-the-finger-lakes-region/

An FAQ document for bidders has been created and can be found here: https://hws.box.com/s/1xtoo76w5azzv26k7lo34gy8ci2kjdv5

For more information and any questions, please contact BECK-ANDERSEN@hws.edu.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Cooperative Weed Management

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world — the Great Lakes. As one of the initiative’s 16 regional working group members, the U.S. Forest Service uses GLRI resources to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and accelerate progress toward long-term restoration goals for this important ecosystem.

Who May Apply

GLRI funding is available to Cooperative Weed Management Areas (and similar organizations, e.g., Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas and Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management) that work within the Great Lakes Basin of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) and similar groups are organized partnerships of Federal, State, and local government agencies, Tribes, individuals, and various interested groups that manage invasive plants within a defined area, generally a county or larger in size.

Applications may include work on all land ownerships within the Great Lakes watershed of the United States. See the RFA Instructions document for more information on eligibility requirements.

Important Dates

??Applications Due: September 18th, 2024-- Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 6:00 p.m. Eastern/5:00 p.m. Central.
To add your organization to the GLRI mailing list for updates, please send a request to SM.FS.glri@usda.gov.
Fiscal Year 2024 GLRI CWMA Request for Application Instructions
Fiscal Year 2024 GLRI CWMA Project Narrative Form (required for all applications)