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PRIA2 Partnership Grants
Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act Partnership Grants
December 4, 2008 - EPA has awarded $1 million in grants to fund five projects that use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches to reduce pesticide risk. The grants are provided to advance public-private partnerships that focus on stewardship efforts that result in reduced risk associated with the use of pesticides.
These grants, funded under the Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act, will support the demonstration of innovative IPM practices and technologies, as well as outreach and education, in California, Florida, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
The 2008 Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act Partnership Grant recipients are:
- California
Department of Pesticide Regulation (Sacramento, CA): $159,494
for “Reducing
Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Pesticide Use in Nuts and
Tree Fruit Orchards in California’s San Joaquin Valley.”
This project will reduce surface water runoff and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from pesticide use in almond, peach, and walnut (nut and tree fruit) orchards in California’s northern San Joaquin Valley. Almond, walnut, and peach orchards encompass 324,000 acres and contribute $1.1 billion to the agricultural economy. Pesticides used to produce these crops are found in surface water, and VOCs from pesticide applications contribute to reduced air quality in the project area.
- IPM Institute of North America (Madison, WI):
$250,000 for “High-level
IPM in All U.S. Schools by 2015.”
This project will establish and verify high-level IPM in all public K-12 schools in the United States by 2015. IPM is a continuum beginning with basic inspection and monitoring. Full implementation of high-level IPM requires a thorough understanding of pest biology by pest managers, careful inspection and monitoring for pests and pest-conducive conditions, and prevention through effective education, sanitation, and maintenance. In high-level IPM, pesticide use is infrequent, and only reduced-risk products that minimize toxicity and potential for exposure are used. This project will use an established national network of professionals and proven tools and methods to establish four new IPM demonstrations.
- University of Florida, College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences (Gainesville,
FL): $246,418 for “Reduced Pesticide Use for Bermisia tabaci
and Greenhouse Whiteflies [GHWF] on Greenhouse Tomato using Protected
Culture, IPM Techniques, Parasitic Wasps, and Papaya Banker Plants.”
This project will result in a pest management system that greatly reduces continuous use of high levels of pesticides in a concentrated area, reducing risk to workers, consumers, and the environment. The project entails using papaya banker plants as a continuous source of parasitic wasps, including Encarsia sophia and Eretmoserus mundus, by hosting papaya whitefly (Trialeurodes variabilis) on the banker plant itself. The efficacy of incorporating IPM and biological control of both B. tabaci and greenhouse whiteflies on greenhouse tomatoes grown under controlled conditions at University of Florida facilities will lead to determining the effectiveness of the papaya banker plant system to control whiteflies and thus viral spread, as well as the economics of using a biocontrol system versus common chemical application.
- Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI): $91,508
for “Increasing Adoption of Reduced-Risk Pest Management Practices
in Midwest Blueberries to Prepare for FQPA Implementation.”
This project will prepare the Great Lakes’ blueberry industry for the phaseout of broad-spectrum pesticides, including azinphos-methyl, as mandated under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). The project will increase the adoption of reduced-risk alternatives to azinphos-methyl, while also addressing the need to increase adoption of other IPM methods, with the overall goal of reducing the dependence on broad-spectrum pesticides.
- Central Coast Vineyard
Team (Paso Robles, CA): $225,000 for “Reducing Pesticide
Risk through the Adoption of Integrated Farming Practices in Central
Coast Vineyards and Marketing Certified Sustainable Products.”
This project will support in-field research and demonstration of alternatives to high-risk pesticides used in vineyards, outreach and education programs, and marketing and distribution programs for wines made with Certified Sustainably Grown grapes. The project will also educate and guide growers towards reduced risk farming alternatives, increase the use of integrated farming systems through the implementation of self-assessment using “Certified Sustainable Standards,” and educate the public and trade on the environmental and economic benefits of products that are “Certified Sustainable.”
For additional information on the Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act Partnership Grants, contact Todd Peterson (703-308-7224; peterson.todd@epa.gov)