2004 Annual Report 4.What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report. This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and the University of Illinois. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project #3625-22000-015-00D, Ecologically-Based Management of Selected Insects Associated with Corn. The purpose of this agreement is to contribute to a scientific information framework for managing insect resistance to transgenic plants. This information can provide enhanced support to the public in its deliberations about the use of transgenic plants. This will include an evaluation and integration of insect resistance models. Contributions will be made by Brigham Young University, Texas A&M, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Minnesota, Mississippi State University, and North Carolina State University. The first modeling project meeting was held in Cincinnati, OH on May 11-12, 2004. A group of internationally recognized researchers, all of whom have developed mathematical and computer models exploring the spread of resistance in transgenic crops, were brought together to decide how to best evaluate these models. There were two goals for this meeting. The first goal was to come to a consensus among the modelers on the best way to evaluate different models. Because each modeler has developed different models, determining how to best use the information from each of these models, in terms of their usefulness for providing information on the spread of resistance in transgenic crops, is a top priority. The workshop participants agreed that the models could be compared using a set of simplified assumptions that allow the model to be tested at a basic level. Differences in these tests would provide information on how the models differ and give insight on how these differences might affect the interpretation of each of these models. The modelers have all agreed to test their models using the methods outlined and defined by this meeting. The model testing is currently ongoing. The second reason for the meeting was to revise a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the cooperative agreement.