Minutes
National Pest Management Center Meeting
Washington, D.C.
February 27-28, 2001
Attendees during the two days:
John Ayers
Norm Bennett
Wilfred Burr
Mike Fitzner
Michael Gray
Linda Herbst
Al Jennings
Lynnae Jess
Monte Johnson
Dennis Kopp
Rick Melnicoe
Russ Mizell
Therese Murtagh
Norm Nesheim
Larry Olsen
Susan Ratcliffe
Mary Shewan
Kent Smith
Ron Stinner
Ann Marie Thro
Jim VanKirk
Dennis Kopp, Pest Management Centers Program Leader, introduced Ted Wilson,
Deputy Administrator for the Plant and Animal Systems section of CSREES who
expressed his support and interest in the Pest Management Centers. Dr. Wilson gave us
an update on the President’s budget and shared his perspective on the Secretary of
Agriculture, Ann Veneman’s first speech and what it may mean for the future of
CSREES.
Dennis made introductions of new CSREES staff. Monte Johnson is the new Program
Leader for PAT and also has responsibilities as an Environmental Toxicologist. Ann
Marie Thro is the new National Program Leader in the Plant Genomics area. The new
National Program Leader for horticulture is Dr. Thomas Bewick. The new liaison
position with the US Army Environmental Center has been filled with Dr. Herb Bolton.
Herb will handle public health and vector management issues as a member of the
CSREES invasive species team. There are two additional positions, which are vacant,
and CSREES is presently screening for a Plant Pathologist and Biobased Pest
Management person.
Dennis Kopp provided a handout with details of grant funds awarded by Plant and
Animal Systems during FY 2000. The RFP for Integrated Programs is expected to be
available mid-March. The request for continued funding of the Pest Management
Centers was provided to each regional center director with a due date of April 16, 2001.
Al Jennings, OPMP Director, provided an update of activities in his office. His handout
provided the details to the recent NRDC-EPA Settlement Agreement and also the status
of risk assessments underway at EPA. There is concern about the schedule laid out
regarding endocrine disruptors. The FQPA stated endocrine disruptors must be evaluated
but did not specify a time line. The question remaining is whether the new EPA
Administrator, Christine Whitman, will support this agreement.
OPMP is currently reviewing the proposed changes in pesticide labels regarding resistant
management, a definition of “drift,” drift guidelines and how to avoid bee mortality. EPA
is trying to deal with the drinking water component of risk assessments and appears to be
focusing on surface water runoff issues. OPMP is working with EPA on how to build a
model for estimating drinking water exposure. EPA’s Science Advisory Committee will
be looking at proposed ecological assessment models next week.
Dale Moore is the new Secretary of EPA’s chief of staff. He is very knowledgeable
about FQPA.
Vera Smith, Adrienne Woodin and Margaret Bell led a discussion on the new subcontract
review process for the Pest Management Center Grants. They have not received all the
subcontracts but have reviewed a majority of them. Overall they looked very good. The
only issue that was mentioned is that a subcontract awarded for a three-year period can
only be approved on a year to year basis since our prime award has a one-year timeline.
Monty Johnson, PAT Program Leader, provided a handout on PAT activities. Monty’s
major responsibilities will be with the PAT programs in the states. He feels strongly that
the PAT Coordinators need more money in the states. Currently PAT monies come from
EPA and none from USDA. He is currently looking for PAT success stories. His duties
will also include the PMAP research programs and the HATCH funds. As an
entomologist he will be doing departmental reviews.
Monty provided a draft PAT brochure that is being produced through Iowa State
University. EPA is reviewing this brochure and plans to have it available for the National
PAT meeting in San Antonio this June. He is working on a new reporting system for
PAT. They plan to have a web site, housed at Iowa State, for GPRA and Plans of Work.
Hopefully this web site will include a Spray Table which demonstrates how to calibrate
different parts of a sprayer (nozzle types, spray patterns, effects of boom height and spray
pressure).
A suggestion has been made to change of name of the Pesticide Applicator Training
Program to something a little more environmentally friendly.
Leonard Gianessi, Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Food and
Agricultural Policy, made a presentation on the 1992 and 1997 pesticide use database
which is available on the web. Data sources for this database are generated from
NASS/CSREES reports, crop profiles, California 100% Pesticide Use Report and
industry sales information. In the future, Leonard will produce a report on pesticide use
trends using NASS data, as these data become available. Leonard views the Pest
Management Centers as a source of pesticide use information.
A lively discussion about the future of the Pest Management Centers took place. After
much discussion, the bottom line seems to be that the future of the Pest Management
Centers is dependent on getting adequate funding. The number of Centers will remain at
four if no additional funding is allotted in FY 2003 and the Centers continue to be
supported at their current level. It was felt that support for additional Centers would have
to come from growers/commodity groups. The next couple of months are critical if the