UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Poultry producers and their neighbors will be able to get timely fly control information through a toll-free hotline (800-PENN-IPM) offered by the Pennsylvania Pest Management Program.

IPM aims to control pests such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals by combining physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible.

Gregory Martin, Penn State Cooperative Extension poultry agent in the Capital Region, says the hotline will be updated through the growing season and will cover a seven-county area. "The hotline will have contact information, so both residents and producers having problems with flies can speak to an expert in their area and schedule an on-site assessment if needed," he says.

Fly control has become an important issue due to increasing development in suburban and rural areas. "It's a challenge, because many pesticides are being phased out as part of the Food Quality Protection Act," says Martin. "Coupled with decreasing effectiveness of available pesticides due to pesticide resistance, producers and consumers are looking for alternatives to controlling pests."

Fly control is only one topic for which callers can receive the latest pest management information. The hotline also covers various crops and pesticide applicator training sessions.

The information is updated frequently during the growing season and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system also includes a "fax-on-demand" function. When available, the caller requests a fax and indicates his or her fax number. The system then sends a fax containing in-depth information about the crop, graphs of insect activity over time and other data.

Pest management specialists from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Penn State's entomology and plant pathology departments and county offices of Penn State Cooperative Extension contribute their time and expertise to keep the information current.

The Pennsylvania IPM program is a collaboration between Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture aimed at promoting integrated pest management in both agricultural and nonagricultural situations. For more information, visit the Web at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu.

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Contact:

Cheryl Anthony cka106@psu.edu 814-865-3636 814-863-9877 fax

Kristie Auman-Bauer 814-865-2839 kma147@psu.edu #172