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Minutes
National Pest Management Center Meeting
Washington, D.C.
May 23-24, 2001
Attendees during the two days:
John Ayers
Norm Bennett
Wilfred Burr
Harold Coble
Kathy Davis
Mike Fitzner
Linda Herbst
Al Jennings
Lynnae Jess
Denise Keehner
Dennis Kopp
Martha Lamont
Rick Melnicoe
Russ Mizell
Therese Murtagh
Norm Nesheim
Larry Olsen
Susan Ratcliffe
Kent Smith
Ron Stinner
Jim VanKirk
Larry Elworth
Vicky Scharlau
Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Dennis Kopp provided a CSREES update. Ted Wilson, was unable to attend, but asked Dennis to welcome all of us and
tell us that what we are doing is making a difference to USDA. Ted would like Harold Coble, Dennis and Eldon Ortman to
brief the Administrator about the Pest Management Centers.
The competitive grant process is underway. The 406 and 401 grants have just closed. There is $160 M in those programs.
There has been a reduction in the number of applications in these competitive grants programs. Biotechnology programs had
more applications than last year. PMAP had 35-40 proposals. CAR had 18 proposals. RAMP had 13 proposals and MB
had 15. Organic transitions had only 4 proposals. Peer panels for all the grants are in place and approved. There will be an
emphasis on teaching and education, not just research.
Interviews are currently underway for the Plant and Animal Systems Associate Administrator position. It is expected that a
decision will be made soon. Interviews are underway for a Biobased Pest Management System scientist and Plant
Pathologist. CSREES will be fully staffed when these two positions are filled.
Plant and Animal Systems wants one year of Eldon Ortman’s time to help with some of the major stumbling blocks with the
integrated programs. He would also enhance programmatic accountability and help with the Plan of Work and reporting
systems. Eldon may be asked to work with Harold Coble to do a Pest Management workshop within the next year.
Al Jennings gave an OPMP update. His first question was “How do we improve communication?” Al would like to keep us
updated on issues. The OPMP Monthly was discontinued when the IPA left. Wilfred is sending updates as well as Al. We
will have conference calls as needed.
Michael Schechtman was recently hired as the Biocontrol specialist for OPMP. He came from APHIS.
Under the heading of “Hot Issues,” EPA is working on how to define exempt methyl bromide uses under quarantine and
shipment. This needs to get out very soon.
GAO folks are looking at integrated pest management in the department. The IPM report should be out sometime in July.
The NRDC settlement agreement is still in question. The judge opened up a comment period that closed on May 21. A
hearing is schedule in the middle of June. The first deadlines under the current agreement are the middle of August for
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Phosmet and Azinphos methyl. EPA believes there are significant worker risks. The next deadlines are at the end of
September for chlorpyrifos and propargite. By the end of the year, EPA must make a decision about the cumulative risk
assessment process for OP’s.
The registrant canceled Reldan due to data costs.
OPMP has $250,000 from the Commercial Ag Credit Association for use on alternatives. This would be for short-term
data gathering, not research.
Al presented an OPMP budget update and provided a handout of the FY2001 budget.
There is not a written strategic plan for OPMP. Al would like to get the office away from the Quality Assurance and Quality
Control process they are in of reviewing EPA’s data and the quality of the data. He is hoping that Jean-Mari Peltier at EPA
could do this. The ecological, worker, and drinking exposure methods are opaque. Al wants to get the regional centers built
up and get the budget. His goal is to insure that EPA risk assessments are based on the best possible data. This means
obtaining adequate funding for the programs that provide this data NASS, PDP, etc.
Science policies need to be more involved in this area instead of QA. This would mean a larger role for the Science Advisory
Panel (SAP). They are going to allow OPMP to make recommendations for additional panel members.
Martha Lamont presented an overview of the Pesticide Data Program (PDP). This presentation was very informative.
These data are being used by the EPA in dietary exposure risk assessments. Some meat and water sampling is now taking
place as well as determining residues in individual servings of selected fruits and vegetables
Norm Bennett made an encore presentation to update the members on NASS activities. NASS has to tighten their belt due
to funding shortfalls. This is resulting in changes in the fall with their fruit program. All of the commodities are in the program
but the number of states has been reduced. Norm suggested that commodity groups may wish to write to NASS if they are
concerned that their crops are not being surveyed or how important it is to have NASS data.
Centers need to evaluate the use of NASS data needs for PMSP/Crop Profiles. Ron Stinner is working with Norm on
providing NASS data on the web site. A prototype will be available in the summer. These are the published data in a
searchable format.
Norm would like to see the Centers as a whole write a letter addressed to Fred Vogel, Deputy Administrator for Program.
Also send a letter to Ron Vosak. Therese will provide these names and addresses.
Jim VanKirk lead a discussion on how to link PMCs into other funding sources such as EPA, OPMP, APHIS may have
funds available. It was suggested that Rick Dunkel be invited to our next meeting. Harold Coble suggested a need to build
the Centers’ infrastructures. These should be federal dollars to alleviate worries from year to year. We should get the word
out to commodity groups to support the Centers when they come to Washington.
Is there a better name for agroecological regions? Crop regions is as good a name as anything else. Calling them pest
management regions is good, too. Harold suggested that there might continue to be 4 regions to handle the administrative
work. Additional regions would be mini-centers with less administrative duties.
Harold presented a draft National IPM Road Map. He would like written comments by June 1, 2001.