Abstract

An updated overview of current activities supporting integrated pest management for livestock and field crops in New York State.

Issue

Insect, disease, weed, and vertebrate pest problems all affect the profits of dairy and cash field crop producers in New York, and decisions regarding management of these pests can also affect the quality of the environment. Arthropod pests of livestock and poultry can affect animal health, production, profitability, and off-farm neighborhood relations. Livestock and field crop integrated pest management (LFC/IPM) efforts take a whole-farm approach to managing pest problems of crops and animals. The program is closely aligned with other Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), state, and federal efforts to optimize production profitability in an environmentally sound manner.

Response

Addressing the LFC/IPM needs of clientele requires effective networking, collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders, capitalizing on outreach opportunities, evaluating needs, and developing new technologies and other promising pest management ideas. To advance LFC/IPM efforts, I constantly network with other crop production and protection specialists. I am active in various Cornell program work teams (PWTs), regional training workshops such as the Northeast Certified Crop Advisor Program, national workshops like the Livestock Insect Workers Conference (LIWC), and, directly and indirectly, with research on animal and crop pest management.

My livestock and field crop IPM team, including CCE extension associates Ken Wise and Julie Stavisky, is very involved in outreach efforts like our Tactical Agricultural (TAg) Team programs. This year, new TAg efforts were launched to address wheat production, and an advanced TAg training program was held for field corn and alfalfa producers. Our team provided weekly updates on seasonal field crop pest activity to extension personnel via an extension list serve.

I also co-led a regional workshop on Livestock IPM that provided training for milk inspectors and extension personnel, and served as co-program chair in 2004 for the 48th National Livestock Insect Workers Conference in Lake Placid, New York. With Raj Smith, Pam Kline, and Russ Hahn, I co-led the development of the Cornell Guide for Integrated Field Crop Management, which can be found at http://www.fieldcrops.org.

Impact

The goal of our program is to encourage growers to adopt IPM principles and practices. Our accomplishments reflect the contributions and collaborations of many campus, county, and regionally based researchers, including CCE educators, local, state, and federal partners, and agribusiness and agricultural producers.

My research collaborations have evaluated new technologies that are important to crop and animal pest management. This year, our studies included IPM approaches to managing soybean aphid and livestock and poultry pests in New York. Results from these projects have been shared through outreach efforts. The online version of the Cornell Guide to Integrated Pest Management, launched in October 2004, will serve as a resource to enhance outreach and provide opportunities to expand CCE field crop education. Regional and national efforts have enhanced the availability of LFC information by improving networks with other crop protection specialists across the country.

Our regional Livestock IPM workshop participants represented six northeastern states. This group also enhances communication about livestock IPM through direct contact with milk inspectors from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and with CCE personnel. We expect to build upon this success with our Cornell veterinary entomology colleagues and to develop additional livestock IPM outreach efforts.

Funding Sources

• Private (e.g., commodity groups, foundations, companies)
• Other USDA (e.g., Water Quality, Special Grants, NRI)
• Federal Formula Funds - Research (e.g., Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, Animal Health)
• State or Municipal (e.g., NYSDAM)
• Federal Formula Funds - Extension (e.g., Smith Lever, RREA)
• NE Region IPM

Topic Description

• Integrated Pest Management

Collaborators

• Many Cornell Cooperative Extension personnel at college, regional and county levels
• Numerous individuals in Cornell CALS including:
• Entomology - D.A. Rutz, P.E. Kaufman, E.J. Shields, J.E. Losey, L.L. Allee, A. Hajek, R. Hoebeke, L. Harrington
• Plant Pathology - G.C. Bergstrom, S. Gray
• Crop, and Soil Science - R. R. Hahn, W.C. Cox, J. Cherney, H. vanEs, P. Kline
• Plant Breeding - J. Hansen, M. Smith, D. Viands, M. Sorrels, W. Pardee
• Animal Science - D. Fox, D. Galton
• Veterinary School - M. Brunner, K. Finnerty
• NYS IPM Program - All
• NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets - R. Mungari, S. Ropel
• Penn State University - Dennis Calvin, David Mortenson
• Northeast Integrated Pest Management Center - J. VanKirk, J. Ayres, L. Thomas
• Many individuals within NYS Certified Crop Advisors, NYS Agricultural Consultants, NYS Agricultural Business Association

Key Personnel

• M. P, Hoffmann, Director, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York
• J. Keith Waldron, LFC IPM Coordinator, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
• Kenneth L. Wise, ENY Area LFC IPM Educator, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County
• Julie Stavisky, WNY Area LFC IPM Educator, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cooperative Extension of Wayne County