NRCS and IPM

IPM Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) National Working Group A national working group has been formed to maximize participation and benefits from NRCS IPM CAPs. The group is working to increase farmer and consultant awareness of the opportunity, recruit and train many more IPM-qualified technical service providers (TSPs), establish realistic cost-share rates and develop support tools including model plans and plan templates to make the process as efficient as possible. The working group will be composed of representatives from public and private sector including Extension, IPM Centers, NRCS, SARE, US EPA Strategic Ag Initiative, state lead agencies, conservation districts, IPM3 Training Consortium, Certified Crop Advisor, National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and CSREES, and coordinated by IPM Institute staff.

North Central Region Work Group
This group, which is composed of university extension, NRCS, state lead agency, EPA, and industry professionals, is seeking out opportunities to work with the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP.) The group outlines its goals, which include gathering resources for growers to identify IPM tools for addressing NRCS high-priority conservation concerns and increasing grower participation in market-based programs such as Food Alliance and soil, air, and water quality credit trading programs.

Northeast Vegetable IPM Working Group
This group formed in December 2005 to meet with NRCS representatives to explore how the two groups can work together. An outcome of the meeting was a commitment to construct a website to inform the public about current collaborative efforts between the groups. This site, http://northeastipm.org/nrcs.cfm, offers a side-by-side comparison to visually show how close the NE IPM Center and the NRCS are working toward the same objectives. The goals of both the NE IPM Center and the NRCS are to help land users pose the least possible risk to the environment through developing integrated resource management systems, which includes learning new technology, biology and environmental information. Resources include how to practice pest management, articles and presentations on how to work with NRCS incentive programs, and successful NRCS/IPM partnership stories.

Resources

Hamerschlag, K. February 2007. NRDC Issue Paper. More Integrated Pest Management Please: How USDA Could Deliver Greater Environmental Benefits From Farm Bill Conservation Programs. Available at: http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/ipm/contents.asp.

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