IPM extension programs were initiated to teach sound pest management decision-making and to improve farm profitability while protecting the environment. Extension efforts of the Livestock and Field Crops Team of the NYS IPM Program focused on the use of on-farm education in small learning groups. These groups, called Tactical Agriculture, or TAg, Teams, met at local farms on a regular basis over the course of a growing season. On-farm locations of TAg meetings enabled direct observation of disease, insect, and weed pest outbreaks, assisted farmer participants with making economically and environmentally viable management decisions, and encouraged farmers' interest in pest identification and discussion of management options. As a result of their participation in TAg teams in 2006, 48 farmers in 8 counties in western New York State will implement or will try to implement IPM on 90% of the 10,400 total acres of field crops that they manage.

An ongoing need exists to reduce pesticide inputs on field crop and livestock farms in New York State. Because of the cultural and landscape diversity of New York State, local communities have unique needs. Extension programming must be specifically designed to address educational needs of each unique audience. Primary audiences targeted for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) education in western New York State in 2006 included cash grain crop farmers, small acreage dairy farmers (including Amish farmers), and farmers in sensitive watersheds. With increased knowledge about insect, weed, and disease pests and pest assessment, farmers will be better equipped to improve their pest management decision making.

IPM extension programs were initiated to teach sound pest management decision-making and to improve farm profitability while protecting the environment. Extension efforts of the Livestock and Field Crops Team of the NYS IPM Program focused on the use of on-farm education in small learning groups. These groups, called Tactical Agriculture, or TAg, Teams, meet at local farms on a regular basis over the course of a growing season. By meeting multiple times, IPM concepts are reinforced, and thus farmers are more likely to remember and implement IPM.
I collaborated with regional and county field crop educators to implement on-farm IPM education for soybean producers in three counties in western New York State in 2006. I cooperated with field crop extension educators to implement three TAg teams in western New York targeting small dairy producers. Each team was comprised of farmers with a unique type of farm: Amish, Mennonite, and conventional. The Skaneateles Lake Watershed Agriculture Program funded a TAg team in Onondaga and Cayuga Counties. A team was established in Cattaraugus County to meet the special needs of Amish producers branching out into vegetable production. These farmers have a unique need to maintain adequate production of hay and other feed crops for their dairy and work livestock. IPM is crucial for maintaining the narrow profit margin of all of these types of farms.

On-farm locations of TAg meetings enabled direct observation of disease, insect, and weed pest outbreaks, assisted farmer participants with making economically and environmentally viable management decisions, and encouraged farmers' interest in pest identification and discussion of management options.
The participants involved included 16 farmers managing approximately 2,700 acres of soybeans from Genesee, Ontario, and Seneca Counties; 18 farmers managing approximately 2,100 acres of field corn and alfalfa on small dairies in Livingston, Seneca, and Yates Counties; 6 farmers managing approximately 4,900 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and wheat in Onondaga and Cayuga Counites; and 8 Amish dairy farmers in Cattaraugus County with approximately 695 acres of corn, alfalfa, oats, and mixed hay crops. Written and oral surveys of participants indicated that approximately 90% of farmers "would" or "would try to" implement IPM tactics, including using economic threshold guidelines to make pest management decisions.
Discussions and camaraderie during on-farm TAg Team meetings led to the development of strengthened neighbor relationships and the building of trust among farmers and extension educators.

• NYS Integrated Pest Management Agricultural Grants Program;
• Northeast Soybean Promotion Board

• Kenneth Wise (NYS IPM, Cornell University)
• Mike Stanyard (NWNY Team, Pro-Dairy, Cornell University)
• J. Keith Waldron (NYS IPM, Cornell University)
• Gary Bergstrom (Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University)
• Russ Hahn (Dept of Crop and Soil Science, Cornell University)
• Abby Seaman (NYS IPM, Cornell University)
• Dean Sprague (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties)
• Michael Dennis (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County)
• Chuck Kyle (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County)
• Mark Burger (Skaneateles Lake Watershed Agricultural Program)