SACRAMENTO – A grant is available from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the management of invasive agriculture pests that pose a threat and can have a large effect on various agricultural areas.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, or the CDFA, announced that grant applications are available for the Adaptive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for the Invasive Agricultural Pests program. Administered by the office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis within the office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, applications are available from July 6 to Aug. 31.
This grant cycle has $500,000 of funds available, which are expected to fund one grant for the program.
Public or private colleges and universities as well as local, state and federal government entities, including tribal governments, non-profit organizations and commodity groups, are eligible to apply. The project leads and their institutions must be based in California.
The announcement explained that this program will employ a responsive, dynamic and inclusive approach in order to address the evolving threat of the invasive agricultural pests in California. The program will enable swift action against emerging, resurging and expanding invasive agricultural pests, by supporting research into adaptable IPM strategies.
“The Adaptive IPM program has allowed us to build a network of expertise to monitor for and educate on New World Screwworm,” said Amy Murillo, past recipient of the Adaptive IPM for Invasive Agricultural Pests grant award and an Associate Professor of Entomology at University of California, Riverside, in the announcement.
Murillo added, “This reemerging invasive pest is a direct threat to all animal agriculture in California, and early detection is our best defense to keep livestock, companion animals, wildlife and humans safe.”
This program will also support enhancing management for established invasive pests that lack effective control options, specifically those that have developed pesticide resistance.
The announcement explained the CDFA is committed to IPM methods for pest management activities.
The Adaptive IMP for the Invasive Agricultural Pests program prioritizes biological, cultural and selective low-risk chemical solutions over broad-spectrum insecticides, according to the announcement.
Assistant agriculture commissioner of the Tulare County Agriculture Commission, Christopher Greer, explained in an interview with Mineral King Publishing there are many pests in the Tulare County area that pose a threat to the crops. He highlighted two of them being the Asian citrus psyllid and the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
He noted the importance of the awareness of the spread of pests and how that comes to affect agriculture in the area.
“It’s come to find out that people move pests,” Greer said. “Be mindful (when) you’re moving plants or other fruits and vegetables from not even just out of state, out of the country, but even within California … it could be really devastating.”
Greer added that the Tulare County Agriculture Commission is a resource that is available to the community. He welcomed community members to reach out if they wish to seek more information.
According to fresnocountyca.gov, the county of Fresno has a;sp been working to fight against various invasive pests including: Mediterranean fruit flies, Mexican fruit flies, Oriental fruit flies, Melon fruit flies, spongy months, light brown apple moth, European grapevine moth, Japanese beetle, Khapra beetle, Asian citrus psyllid and the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
