UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State and Cornell University will share a four-year, $4.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to jointly administer the Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center.

Established in 2000, the Northeastern IPM Center promotes practical pest management solutions for urban and rural settings in Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia, the New England states and the District of Columbia. The grant represents a 44 percent annual increase over the center's previous level of funding.

The center, one of four regional IPM centers across the country, is the hub for a network of university researchers and extension specialists and serves as a clearinghouse for print and electronic information supporting the adoption of IPM. Integrated pest management aims to manage pests -- such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals -- by combining physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible.

The Northeastern IPM Center's co-directors are John Ayers, professor of plant pathology and director of Penn State's Pesticide Education Program, and James VanKirk, Cornell senior extension associate. VanKirk oversees daily operations of the center. "The increase in funding will enable us to develop new programs and enhance support for users of pest management information, including farmers, nursery operators, park and turf managers, building superintendents, pest control operators, homeowners, gardeners and others," Ayers says. "The center will continue to facilitate communication among these groups and others with a stake in pest management policy and implementation, such as consumer and environmental organizations, governmental regulatory agencies, researchers and educators."

Much of the center's work is carried out by working groups organized around six program areas: fruits; vegetables; greenhouse and ornamentals; field, forage and livestock; communities; and public health. In addition, the center coordinates seven "state network projects" involving all 12 states in the region.

New initiatives will include competitive grants programs to support the development of IPM planning tools, the creation of new IPM publications and the establishment of IPM research or extension projects. In addition, the center will organize a new biannual conference for those in the region with an interest in IPM issues. The conference will help prioritize IPM needs and promote new collaborations among participating institutions.

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EDITORS: John Ayers can be reached at 814-865-7776.

Contact:

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #278