The purpose of the NYS Field Crop Weekly Pest Report is to provide timely pest information to field crop extension educators and crop consultants. The report compiles weekly pest and crop observations collected by field crop extension personnel across NYS. In addition, the Weekly Report provides a vehicle to disseminate other relevant IPM information such as pest identification, scouting techniques and a calendar with suggestions for pest management activities. The pest report is distributed via the Cornell In-house Field Crops List Serve and General Field Crops List Serve. Seventeen NYS Weekly Pest Reports were published in 2007. Extension Educators and crop consultants utilize the Weekly Report as an overview of timely pest information, and have found the report useful in alerting their local clientele regarding pest management issues.

Field crop production in NYS was many pest related issues and management challenges. Field crops comprise about 85% of agricultural crops grown and harvested in New York State. It is important that field crop producers learn to protect the environment, optimize net profitability, and reduce health risks relative to using Integrated Pest Management.

Field crop extension personnel and crop consultants are responsible for providing their clientèle with timely information to help enhance crop and pest management decisions. The weekly field crops pest report in NYS was meant to provide Extension Educators and crop consultants with timely information on specific pests during the on-going course of the growing season. The report was developed by the Livestock and Field Crop IPM Program Team with the involvement of several Cornell Faculty and Extension Educators across NYS. The pest report was distributed on the Cornell Field Crops In-House List Sever and the Cornell General Field Crop List Sever. The report was a compilation of what pests were seen, and the amount and potential significance of their crop infestation that week. The Weekly Report was written to provide educational information for Extension Educators and crop consultants to use in their programming, newsletters, list-serves and outreach efforts. The philosophy behind the pest report is to inform Extension Educators and crop consultants on items of immediate pest management concern and provide a convenient news summary which can also be used as an outreach multiplier with their clientele. Extension Educators and crop consultants can select the pest information that best fits their situation and clientele’s needs. The pest report is short, concise and contains links to pest identification photographs and additional management information.

Feedback from a survey administered at the completion of the growing season indicated the NYS Field Crops Pest Report was overwhelmingly well received by Field Crops Extension Staff and crop consultants. In addition to immediate use by extension personnel and crop consultants, the Weekly Report also had a multiplier effect as a source of information used in array of educational methods. The most common method was to use specific pest information from the report in CCE county agricultural newsletters and reports. About 7,000 growers and agri-business people received pest information from the NYS Field Crops Pest Report during the growing season. Extension Educators used these articles by reprinting many of them in their county agricultural newsletters. Some Extension Educators sent the pest report directly to growers, crop consultants and agri-business people via email. Most of these recipients of the report had positive comments on how they liked the report and how they were using the information. Many Extension Educators indicated they used the pest report in field visits and meetings. Some crop consultants stated they would use information directly with their clients. Growers also stated that they found the pest report useful to their farming operation and alerted them to current pest issues. Respondents of the survey overwhelmingly indicated they liked and appreciated the timely information. This report won the NYS Association of County Agriculture Agents Outstanding New Extension Publication Award for 2007.

Integrated Pest Management