Washington, DC, USA
October 23, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced more than $16 million in grants to support research and extension activities addressing critical integrated pest management (IPM) needs. The new resources will protect crops and livestock, ensure greater food security and effectively respond to other major societal challenges.

“A quality food supply starts with protecting our crops and livestock against pests, including insects, pathogens, and weeds,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. “Our Crop Protection and Pest Management program promotes a systematic approach to developing and implementing techniques that reduce potential health risks and environmental impacts that arise in the food production process.”

NIFA made the awards through the Crop Protection and Pest Management program (CPPM), which supports projects that address high priority IPM challenges with coordinated state, regional, and national research and extension efforts. The impact of these research and Extension efforts will be increased by the establishment of communication networks and stakeholder participation in setting priorities. Fiscal year 2014 is the first year NIFA has made awards through the CPPM program.

In fiscal year 2014, the CPPM program awarded grants to 83 projects in three program areas. The Applied Research and Development program area focuses on the development of new IPM tactics, technologies, practices, and strategies. It also funds IPM adoption and implementation projects. The Extension Implementation program area funds projects intended to increase the implementation of new IPM strategies among extension clientele served. The Regional Coordination program area increases the coordination and improves the efficiency of IPM research and extension efforts; facilitates collaboration across states, disciplines, and purposes; and promotes further development and adoption of IPM through regional pest management information networks, team building, and broad-based stakeholder participation. The desired result of these efforts is broader implementation of IPM research findings.

Regional Coordination Program

• University of California, Davis, Calif., $1,000,000
• University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., $1,000,000
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $1,000,000
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., $1,150,000

Applied Research and Development Program

• Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., $194,319
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $250,000
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $124,998
• University of California, Davis, Calif., $249,997
• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $248,836
• University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $248,411
• Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $241,984
• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., $249,585
• University of Maryland, College Park, Md., $150,000
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $124,847
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $244,329
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $240,845
• Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., $249,983
• Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, $250,000
• Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, $247,867
• Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, $244,478
• University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $250,000
• University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $250,000

Extension Implementation Program

• Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., $150,000
• University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, $170,000
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $286,000
• University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark., $106,000
• University of California, Davis, Calif., $285,000
• Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., $92,000
• University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., $165,000
• University of Delaware, Newark, Del., $83,700
• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $40,000
• The University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $135,000
• University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam, $32,500
• University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, $274,300
• University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., $134,600
• Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $190,000
• Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $287,000
• Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $278,000
• University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., $65,000
• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.,$122,000
• University of Maine, Orono, Maine, $119,000
• University of Maryland, College Park, Md., $210,000
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass., $194,000
• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $257,000
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $194,500
• Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Miss., $88,800
• University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., $129,000
• Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., $140,000
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $238,700
• University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, $128,300
• University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H., $160,000
• Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., $70,250
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $285,000
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., $190,000
• North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D., $62,500
• Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $289,000
• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $114,000
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $190,000
• Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., $195,000
• University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I., $161,000
• Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., $168,000
• South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D., $97,700
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $84,000
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, College Station, Texas, $195,000
• Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $105,000
• University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $192,600
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., $271,600
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $155,000
• West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.V., $84,500
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc., $267,600
• University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., $66,850

More information about the grants can be found online.

The three program areas of the CPPM program are aligned with the goals identified in the National IPM Roadmap for Integrated Pest Management. The roadmap identifies strategic directions for IPM research and implementation efforts for all pests, in all settings, throughout the nation. IPM practices in agriculture promote a healthy crop environment while conserving organisms that are beneficial to those agricultural systems. Funded projects may also develop reduced-risk IPM methods for pest-free homes, schools, parks and recreational areas. The CPPM program directly supports USDA goals to develop and extend effective, affordable, and environmentally-sound IPM strategies to reduce food production losses caused by diseases, weeds and pests.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

Published: October 23, 2014