Smith-Lever 3(d) Extension Integrated Pest Management Competitive Grants Program (new EIPM)

Summary

In May 2008, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) was passed into law. The Research Title (Title VII) of the legislation was amended such that there are two major changes defined that effect Smith-Lever 3(d) programs, including the Pest Management program.

As enacted on May 22, 2008, section 7403 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 includes two significant outcomes to the Smith-Lever Act:

1. The funds previously distributed on a formula basis will now be distributed on a    competitive basis due to amendment 7 U.S.C. 343(d).

2. The eligibility to compete for EIPM funds is broadened to include institutions eligible to    receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 321-329, specifically 1890 land grant institutions, Tuskegee    University and West Virginia State University. Further amendments of FCEA provide    eligibility for the University of the District of Columbia. Previously eligible 1862    institutions remain eligible.

As a result of these administrative provisions of the FCEA, some restructuring is required of the Smith-Lever 3(d) funding provided for Pest Management. However, these funds will continue to serve Extension Service programs exclusively.

Background and Purpose

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is soliciting stakeholder input on the implementation of the Smith-Lever 3(d) Extension IPM Competitive Grants Program (new EIPM), which is authorized under section 3(d) of the Act of May 8, 1917, as amended by section 7403 of the FCEA (7 U.S.C. 343 (d)). The significant changes to the program are 1) conversion to a competitive program and 2) expanded eligibility to include and 1890 land grant colleges and universities, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State University. Section 7417 of FCEA amended section 208 of the District of Columbia Public Postsecondary Education Reform Act also provides eligibility to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) for programs authorized and appropriated under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act. Under the new EIPM program, eligible institutions may compete for and receive funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide, for a specific period of time as identified in the agreement, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programming to the clientele of the state and any other geographic area defined by the agreement.

As part of the stakeholder input process, CSREES is conducting a public listening session to solicit comments regarding the implementing regulations to be developed for the new EIPM program

Listening Session

A public listening session will be held Monday, October 6, 2008, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm EDT to hear the concerns and ideas of eligible partners, 1862 land grant institutions (including UDC) and 1890 land grant institutions, including Tuskegee University and West Virginia State University. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC, at the CSREES offices, Waterfront Centre Room 1410 A-C. Written comments are also welcome until November 15, 2008. A conference telephone (listening-only or moderated) connection will be available to the listening session, on request. The telephone audience may submit questions by e-mail to newEIPM@csrees.usda.gov.

CSREES would specifically like stakeholder input on the following questions:

1. What should be the primary goals and objectives of the program?
2. How can CSREES funding be optimized?
3. Should there be a limit on the number of proposals that can be submitted by each eligible institution?
4. What criteria should be used in the proposal review and selection process?
5. Should regional, multi-institutional or multi-state proposals be encouraged?
6. Should proposals addressing gaps in current program coverage (organic, small farms, etc.) be given greater emphasis in the evaluative process?
7. What limits should be set on funding and project duration?

Implementation Plans

To ensure that the legislatively-mandated requirements of FCEA are implemented in a way that effectively addresses the needs of all stakeholders, CSREES plans to promulgate the Extension IPM Competitive Grants Program (new EIPM) based on provisions with input from this meeting and written comments submitted by November 15, 2008. Written comments may be submitted to newEIPM@csrees.usda.gov. CSREES plans to release a Request for Applications for this program in January 2009. For additional logistical information on the listening session, please contact Elizabeth Ley, eley@csrees.usda.gov or (202) 401-6195. For additional program information please contact Martin Draper, mdraper@csrees.usda.gov or (202) 401-1990 or Michael Fitzner, mfitzner@csrees.usda.gov or (202) 401-4939.

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