Vegetable IPM Advisory Group: Focus Areas

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Vegetable IPM Advisory Group Focus Areas

• Joseph Ingerson-Mahar
• Vegetable IPM Coordinator

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Projects

• PAST
• Sweet Corn
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• CURRENT
• Tomato PEG grant

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Mission Statement

• The Vegetable IPM Program is dedicated to
  developing and improving integrated pest
  management techniques and practices that will
  enhance vegetable production in the state of New
  Jersey.

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Statement continued

• Program objectives are accomplished through the
  development and delivery of pest monitoring and
  field scouting programs, grant-funded and
  sponsored research, and educational outreach.

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What is the focus for the Vegetable IPM Program?

• Need to be relevant
• Major focus area?
• Many smaller projects possible
• Need for an advisory committee

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Advisory Committee Makeup

• farmers
• consultants
• agribusiness people
• opinions on research, training and education,
  transfer of information to private sector

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Suggested Priorities - Research

• Focus on high value crops (pumpkins)
• Anticipate future regulations (nutrient
  management)
• Identify crops with pesticide overuse (butternut
  squash)
• Cooperate with other institutions

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Priorities continued

• Focus on strengths of our institution fresh
  market vs processing
• Develop growers season-end questionnaire on pest
  concerns and costs
• Collaborate with NJDA on biological control
  projects

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Suggested Priorities - Training/education

• Need consumer education about IPM
• Scout and farmer IPM training
• Twilight meetings

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Priorities continued

• Regional training
• Training materials
• Communication

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Suggested Priorities - Program transfer

• Public versus private scouting programs
• Lack of private services in some areas
• Private/Public Competition

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How we are responding to these suggestions?

• Preparing a proposal for educating general public
  in IPM - IPM poster
• More projects involving biocontrol
• Development of a weather network providing more
  useful temperature data for predictive models and
  degree day accumulations

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Your comments?