IPM News and Events Roundup 11/12/2021
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.
Wild Heirs of lost British honeybee found at Blenhiem Castle woodland
The newly discovered subspecies, or ecotype, of honeybee is smaller, furrier and darker than the honeybees found in managed beehives, and is believed to be related to the indigenous wild honeybees that foraged the English countryside for centuries. Until now, it was presumed all these bees had been completely wiped out by disease and competition from imported species.
The methods used in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) have been around for as long as gardening has been around. The word "integrate" means to incorporate separate compatible parts to form a unified whole. The pest can be anything that is alive that can cause harm to people or their animals, crops and property. We try to manage the whole program for economical, safe, long-term pest control.
Penn State’s Web Shorts from the Dept of Entomology
Within this section, you will find PowerPoint presentations about IPM and other educational materials. There’s a section on PA IPM and Schools as well as PDF resources on structural pests like rodents, fleas and cockroaches.
PestTalks blog this week focuses on pests and disease of poinsettia, but that’s not all.
There’s a whole section on Biocontrol for greenhouses, a recap of the IR-4 review of Avelyo fungicide, and a new resource from Oregon State Univ on Bio-Control in organic production.
Permission to Procrastinate on some Fall yard work, Biocontrol Bytes, new blog post from Amanda Dunn, NYS IPM Program
“If you have been procrastinating on your fall garden clean-up (like me), I’ve got good news for you! You may want to just erase some of those tasks from your to-do list altogether. And you can do it guilt-free!”
Read Faith Campbell’s history and current uses of this law. When it was adopted 120 years ago, the Lacey Act was not intended to protect the environment from the full range of possible animal bioinvaders. While Congress amended it several times in the first 60 years of its existence, the law still has many gaps that impede its usefulness for that purpose.
Deer may be a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, study finds
More than 80% percent of the white-tailed deer sampled in different parts of Iowa between December 2020 and January 2021 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The percentage of SARS-CoV-2 positive deer increased throughout the study, with 33% of all deer testing positive. The findings suggest that white-tailed deer may be a reservoir for the virus to continually circulate and raise concerns of emergence of new strains that may prove a threat to wildlife and, possibly, to humans.
American Mosquito Control Association’s Updated Best Practices for Integrated Mosquito Management
“The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) published an update to their Best Practices for Integrated Mosquito Management manual that includes new information on managing Culexspecies and reducing arbovirus transmission…. A previous update to the manual focused on Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, two other mosquitoes that can threaten public health. With the new information on managing Culex mosquitoes, the manual provides best management practices for controlling most of the disease-causing mosquitoes in the U.S.”
Invasive Species:
Spotted Lanternfly News:
APHIS Issues supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) for Spotted Lanternfly Program
This supplemental EA covers the same activities addressed in the June 2020 EA and adds ground-based mist blower treatments at intermodal facilities and along railroad right of ways. Mist blower treatments are proposed at these sites: statewide in Pennsylvania, and select counties in Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Research:
However, hornet-attack stimuli—and V. soror workers in particular—triggered dramatic increases in signalling rates within colonies. Soundscapes were cacophonous when V. soror predators were directly outside of nests, in part because of frenetic production of antipredator pipes, a previously undescribed signal. Antipredator pipes share acoustic traits with alarm shrieks, fear screams and panic calls of primates, birds and meerkats.
Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse), the Australian backyard mosquito, is a pestiferous daytime-biting species native to Australia and the surrounding southwestern Pacific region. It is suspected to play a role in the transmission of several arboviruses and is considered a competent vector of dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy). This highly adaptable mosquito thrives in natural and artificial water-holding containers in both forested and urbanized areas, from tropical to temperate climates, and has benefitted from a close association with humans, increasing in abundance within its native range. Article here.
Webinars, Conferences, Meetings and more:
Earth Justice Fall Webinar series continues, Nov 12, Dec 3 1pmET
New York Sea Grant’s series started in Sept. That webinar is available for screening. The three webinars are 1. Environmental Justice Mapping tool for New York State communities; 2. Neighborhoods at Risk and 3. Flood Impact Decision Support System with Social Vulnerability Index.
Specialty Mushroom Field Day, Nov 16 4-6PM in person, Emmaus, PA
Want to discuss the possibility of adding specialty mushrooms to your growing operation? Join Penn State Extension educators and local farmers for Specialty Mushroom Field Day! This event is being offered at no charge to participants. Space is limited - preregistration is recommended!
Using CO2 Monitoring to Manage Building Ventilation, Nov 17, 2pmET
The measurement of indoor carbon dioxide concentrations has been used for many years to assess and control building ventilation rates, as well as to characterize indoor air quality. Over the years these applications of indoor CO2 monitoring have been misunderstood, despite the publication of technical papers and guidance documents and the organization of conference sessions in an attempt to reduce some of the confusion. There is renewed interest in such applications of CO2 measurement in the context of airborne infectious disease control. This presentation will review the application of indoor CO2 monitoring to building ventilation and IAQ, and discuss several issues regarding these measurements and their interpretation.
Two Pork Biosecurity Webinars through Penn State, Nov 17-Dec13, virtual and in-person
Rapid Access Biosecurity (RAB) App and your secure Pork Supply Plan, Nov 17 11am
The RABapp provides pig farmers and state animal health officials with rapid access to approved biosecurity plans to expedite outbreak responses. Utilizing RABapp could get your pigs moving faster when others are still in quarantine. Rapid Access Biosecurity (RAB) App and Your Secure Pork Supply Plan will first introduce pig farmers to the RAB app as a tool for managing your Secure Pork Supply biosecurity plan and movement data in the event of a disease outbreak.
Getting Started with the Secure Pork Supply Program, Dec 7 or 13
Pig producers need to be prepared to respond should a disease outbreak happen. The Secure Pork Supply Program (SPS) is a voluntary program that assists pig producers in biosecurity and continuity of business (COB) planning. Getting Started with the Secure Pork Supply Program will walk pig caretakers through the SPS templates and explain how to build a biosecurity plan for their farm and complete the SPS program materials. The SPS plan is also being utilized as a required first step for pig producers to move pigs if animal movements are stopped during a disease outbreak in Pennsylvania. For pig producers who have never had a written biosecurity plan before, the Secure Pork Supply plan can be daunting. These events will be held in-person AND virtually.
Farm Service Agency: Supporting Organic and Transitioning Farmers through Cost-Share and Conservation Programs, Nov 18 3-4pm ET
This webinar will provide an overview of USDA Farm Service Agency's programs that support organic and transitioning farmers through climate and environmentally-friendly farming practices. We will discuss FSA's *new* Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP), Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Organic Buffers. Learn about the needs of organic producers, what types of costs are reimbursed through OTECP and OCCSP, how CRP programs support organic agriculture production, and how to apply for USDA programs. The webinar will also highlight additional USDA resources for organic and transitioning producers.
African Swine Fever webinar, Dec 1, 7pmET
Join a virtual discussion on the status of and risks facing New York pig farms from African Swine Fever (ASF). Eireann Collins, DVM, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets will be covering the symptoms of ASF and what would happen if the disease reached the US. This will be a short presentation with ample time for questions and answers.
Penn State Entomology Short Course, Dec 7&8, in person, Allentown PA, fee
The Entomology Short Course is an in-depth training event to improve insect identification skills for the management of pests in turf, nurseries, and landscape ornamental plants. Participants will also gain knowledge in non-chemical and chemical pest management, including pesticide selection.
Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference, January 6-9 2022, Savannah, GA
Join them in Savannah, Georgia January 6-9, 2022 for educational sessions that cover a wide variety of vegetable and fruit production, food safety, business operations and much more. They will also host more than 220 companies in the exhibit hall for an outstanding trade show. Registration is now open.
Employment Opportunities:
Certification Program Assistant Manager, Pennsylvania Certified Organic
The ideal candidate will have education and or experience in the following areas: people and program management, familiarity with organic compliance and organic certification, knowledge of organic standards, agriculture and/or food science/processing, and organic/regulatory inspections. We are looking for a well-organized and self-motivated person to join our team-oriented environment at PCO. This is a full telecommuting position.
Program Assistant, Farmer Veteran Program, Cornell Small Farms Program
To enhance the resources and training available to military veterans interested in farming, we will team with established Veterans groups to create pathways that link veterans to broad agricultural support. While our primary efforts will target veterans (service members who have already been discharged), we will extend the resources we develop to those on active duty, who want to farm after their service commitment. We will create new pathways for farm training and educational resources that address specific needs of veterans and complement existing, established resources.
Funding Opportunities:
USDA Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program
Are you a producer or handler of agricultural commodities that are certified organic? Or, are you transitioning your operation to certified organic? You may be eligible for financial assistance to cover expenses paid during the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years through USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). This new program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.
USDA-AMD Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program
The Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants to specialty crop producers and processors, other select producers, meat and other processors, distributors, and farmers markets to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID–19). Proposals are due Nov 22
USDA-NIFA Tribal College Research Grant Program
There are three types of funding available through this grant. New Discovery supports sophisticated scientific inquiry that could be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Capacity level grants allow the 1994 Land-Grant to respond directly to a concern of their reservation. Student Inquiry funding allows a tribal college student to build a research project and present the results under the guidance of a 1994 Land-Grant faculty member. The visiting scholar option allows the federal or Land-Grant partner to spend a sabbatical at the 1994 Land-Grant teach or mentoring to build the tribal college's research capacity. 1994 Land-Grant faculty may also receive a grant to study optimal ways to teach Native American students in sciences as they relate to health, conservation and agriculture.
New Hampshire Farm Future Fund
There is $100,000 available in the 2022 funding cycle. Awards no greater than $20,000 will be considered. The NH Farm Future Fund is an integrated approach to funding farm viability, farmland conservation, and farmland access. Funding is available to support activities in two broad categories: financial assistance to offset costs associated with farmland conservation projects, and technical assistance to support farm business viability and succession planning.
Research priorities for this year include increasing yield, controlling weeds and pests, responsible stewardship of the land, expanding market opportunities, and use of technology,” says DSB Chairman Cory Atkins. “Through these projects, we aim to increase the viability and profitability of Delaware soybean growers.” The deadline to apply is December 15, 2021.