|
|
Annual Reports
2004—Letter
from the Director
IPM Continues Impressive Work Despite Budget Challenge
Largely as a result of last year’s 30 percent budget cut, this
has been another tough year for the Statewide IPM Program,
with several highly valued staff in Davis leaving due to
retirements and funding cuts. However, in a great tribute to
the determination and professionalism of the IPM staff, this
has also been another year of outstanding creativity,
productivity and accomplishment.
Growers are being increasingly squeezed by regulatory
pressure on issues of air and water quality related to pest
management practices. For example, a lawsuit was filed
against the state in May over the contributions of pesticides to
smog. In many cases, tools such as pheromones, microbial
pesticides, other biological pesticides, parasite release, or
modified cultural practices are available to address these
problems; but growers need guidance to successfully use these methods, which often
require more precise monitoring, application timing, and integration. The UC IPM
Program has intensified its efforts to help growers implement new practices and reduce
environmental impacts.
Staff in Davis and IPM advisors in the counties have worked intensively this year
with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the USDA, in support of
its new pest management initiatives. The NRCS invests about $45 million per year
with growers in California for conservation purposes, so this is an excellent opportunity
to reduce the use of higher risk pesticides.
Supported by funds from NRCS, we have developed year-round IPM plans that
show key practices for reducing pesticide risks to the environment, organized and
integrated seasonally. In addition, our Web site includes a new database that compares
the potential water quality risks of the pesticides recommended in the UC IPM Pest
Management Guidelines.
Praise for the year-round IPM plans and water quality database has been pouring in.
Almond growers using these practices have reduced dormant season applications,
which are the most troublesome for water quality, by 77 percent.
Although our state funds have been sharply cut, the USDA-funded program on
Exotic Pests and Diseases was renewed for $1.7 million and is funding research on
insects, weeds, and diseases in terrestrial and marine natural ecosystems, agriculture
and urban environments, and in risk assessment to help prevent the establishment of
new pests that are not native to California. Urban pest management more broadly
continues to be a key focus of the UC IPM Program, with new tools being developed
for management of ants and weeds.
One major change this year has been the relocation of pesticide safety training from
the IPM Program to the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health
and Safety.
Pat O’Connor-Marer retired in September after serving 17 years as director of the
Pesticide Safety Education Program. With the loss of Pat’s irreplaceable expertise, and
expiration of grant funding for the other staff in the Pesticide Safety Education
Program (PSEP), it was unfortunately not sustainable to maintain PSEP within the IPM
Program. During Pat’s tenure, UC IPM gained a national reputation for its pesticide
safety educational materials and hands-on training programs.
Despite the challenges, the IPM Program will continue to try to expand research
and education for IPM, and improve coordination of the pest management activities of
all agencies in California.
— Rick Roush
|
The University of California Statewide IPM Program was established in 1979 to
develop and promote the use of integrated, ecologically sound pest management programs in California. It sponsors
activities throughout California
- at University of California campuses in Berkeley, Davis, and Riverside;
- at UC's research and extension stations including Kearney Agricultural Center in Parlier;
- through IPM advisors located in the Sacramento Valley, North Coast, San Joaquin Valley, South Central Coast,
and South Coast;
- in the field throughout the state in cooperation with local UC Cooperative Extension county offices.
|
Mission of the UC IPM Program
A review of the mission early in
2004 brought minor changes to
the long-standing mission.
UC IPM Revised Mission:
To serve the people of California by:
- Reducing the pesticide risk to the environment
and protecting human health
- Increasing the predictability and effectiveness of
pest management techniques
- Developing pest management programs that are economically and environmentally sustainable,
and socially appropriate
- Providing leadership for IPM and building coalitions and partnerships that link with communities
and public agencies
- Increasing utilization of biological and
ecologically based pest management programs
With a new director and significant budget cuts, the program is taking this opportunity to review its purpose and
goals and do some planning. At a January meeting, program IPM advisors and managers carefully reviewed UC IPM's mission
statement. The existing statement has served the program well for 24 years, and after careful study, staff found
little to change.
One important change was adding a benefit to human health to our statement.
Another addition was the idea of developing programs that are not only economically, environmentally,
and socially acceptable, but
also
ones that are sustainable. Finally, the team added that the program would provide leadership in IPM, something
that has been true, but which wasn’t included before.
|
Top of page
|
