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IPM CAPs Benefit Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• Integrated Pest Management Conservation Activity Plans (IPM CAPs) provide growers with detailed, tailored information on how to reduce pesticide use and protect nearby natural resources.
  
  
• Program trains Technical Service Providers (TSPs) to help growers alter their pest management methods to focus on prevention, be less reliant on pesticides and more aware of non-targeted effects to natural resources. These issues are central to writing IPM CAPs and can be carried over into work with other clients in the state.
  
  
• Advances NRCS' mission of natural resource protection by providing growers with the detailed information needed to improve water quality and address resource concerns.
  
  
• Compliments other NRCS programs including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Once a grower has an IPM CAP he or she can apply for additional EQIP 595 Pest Management Standard funding to put the plan into practice.

TSP Coordinators for States Offering IPM CAPs

Offering IPM can significantly advance NRCS' mission of natural resource protection. IPM CAPs can help growers understand pest prevention methods, pest damage thresholds, pesticide selection and application techniques and more, which all help reduce pesticide risk to nearby resources.

Past Successes of NRCS IPM Programs:

• IPM plans were implemented by nearly 9,000 growers, enrolling over 1,600,000 acres in the EQIP 595 Pest Management Standard in 2009. Read EQIP 595 success stories here.

EQIP helps implement IPM practices that protect vital natural resources, reduce pesticide exposure risk to humans and fostered working relationships between growers and Crop Consultants and TSPs.

• In 2009, the NRCS received and funded applications for eight IPM CAPs, providing $13,500 to growers in IPM CAP production financial assistance in California.

Steps to Developing an IPM CAP Program in Your State:

1. Request that your state offers IPM CAPs. Request that your State Conservationist selects IPM as one of your state's CAPs in 2010. Present the ways which IPM can reduce risks to natural resources and the potential for IPM CAPs to augment these opportunities. Ensure him or her that the National IPM CAPs Working Group can offer resources and guidance to help make the program a success. More information is below.
   
   
2. Recruit your IPM CAPs “Development Team” and identify responsibilities. Collaboration among key players will be most effective. Ideally, your team will consist of the NRCS EQIP program manager for your state, Extension specialists, your State IPM Coordinator, crop advisors, growers and/or representatives from grower groups. You may form a cooperative agreement to hire Extension or others to conduct outreach, holding training workshops, etc. Click here for a sample cooperative agreement.
   
   
3. Establish adequate cost-share rates. Because NRCS offers a 75% cost-share to growers for hiring a TSP to write an IPM CAP for their farm, it is important for these rates to reflect what TSPs actually charge for their services.
   
   - The IPM ONE 2009 spreadsheet was developed by NRCS economists to consider market data, procurement data and NRCS costs in determining cost share rates. An IPM ONE 2009 model spreadsheet and template spreadsheet are available for your use.
   
   - In 2009, California set cost share rates using the following spreadsheet: California's 2009 IPM CAPs payment schedule. The spreadsheet identifies line-item costs for a TSP's services based on the number of crops on the farm.

Consider prioritizing funds in other NRCS programs such as the EQIP 595 Pest Management Standard to favor growers who already have an IPM CAP. This will provide additional encouragement for growers to invest in an IPM CAP since they will be more likely to receive financial assistance for implementing the plan.

4. Conduct outreach to growers, TSPs and others. Outreach to growers and TSPs is critical in a successful IPM CAPs program. Growers and TSPs need to know the economic and environmental benefits of IPM CAPs. This outreach should describe the program, its benefits, how they can apply for funding and find a TSP or how they can become certified to write IPM CAPs. In developing outreach targeting crop consultants, refer to the Guide to Becoming an IPM CAP-Certified TSP.

Conduct outreach through presentations, newsletters, signage, website postings and other avenues you have available. For examples of outreach materials, visit the Resources webpage.

5. Evaluation and information sharing. The National IPM CAPs Working Group offers support and resources to all states developing an IPM CAP program. As you undergo the program development process, please provide the working group with feedback on your experience, suggestions for improvement and any additional resources. We will make these available on the working group's website to help other states beginning the process. Contact Us page.

Additional Consideration:
Plan a TSP training workshop and provide trainers. A shortage of IPM CAPs-certified TSPs can limit the success of your state's IPM CAPs program. The more certified TSPs there are in your area, the more IPM CAPs requests from growers can be filled.

The National IPM CAPs Working Group is currently finalizing a TSP IPM CAP training curriculum. A draft curriculum is available here. Please note that each line item meets a minimum requirement for certifying TSPs and should be retained if you choose to adapt this curriculum to meet additional needs in your state.

Work with your development team to conduct outreach to crop consultants, TSPs and conservation professionals to encourage their participation in the training. Outreach needs to explain the benefits and requirements of becoming an IPM CAPs-certified TSP.

Additional resources such as training recommendations, example workshop budgets and nationwide training opportunities will be posted to the Working Group's TSP Training webpage as they become available.

NRCS Resources:
California NRCS IPM CAPs cost-share rates development spreadsheet. 2009. Provides methodology and line-item costs helpful in establishing cost-share rates for IPM CAPs. (xls)

Connecticut NRCS. 2006. Cooperative Agreement sample. Sample of a cooperative agreement NRCS could form between Extension, conservation districts, public agencies, etc. 17pp. (doc)

Michigan State University Integrated Pest Management Resources webpage. EQIP Incentives for IPM in Michigan. http://www.ipm.msu.edu/farmbill/growers.htm

National IPM CAPs Working Group. Nov. 2009. Guide to Becoming an IPM CAP-Certified TSP. 3pp. (PDF)

National IPM CAPs Working Group. Nov. 2009. NRCS Steps to Developing an IPM CAP Program. . 3pp. (PDF)

NRCS Economists. 2009. IPM ONE 2009 Model (state name removed) and Template (blank). Tool for developing cost-share rates based on market data, procurement data and NRCS costs. (xls)

IPM CAPs certification training opportunities.