GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

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SACRAMENTO, September 15, 2023 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting grant applications for its Proactive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Solutions Program, administered by the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA).  
 
The goal of the Proactive IPM Solutions Program is to anticipate which exotic pests are likely to arrive in California and/or spread from isolated local populations and to develop and test low impact management strategies--especially biological solutions--that can be quickly implemented if these pests become established in the state. Having tested systems in place can lead to a reduction in the long-term use of broad-spectrum pesticides, a key goal of the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap. 
 
"CDFA's proactive IPM program is extremely forward-looking and innovative, and sponsored research is putting California in a very strong position to quickly respond to invasive pests that threaten our agricultural, wilderness, and urban areas,” said Mark S Hoddle, Ph.D., professor of Extension in Biological Control at University of California, Riverside. "This is something every Californian benefits from." 
 
CDFA is responsible for preventing and mitigating the establishment of new invasive pests and controlling the spread of locally established invasive pests within the state. Techniques resulting from this proactive approach allow for rapid deployment of management plans focused on the lowest impact approaches. 
 
A total of $325,000 is available in this grant cycle. Funds for the current Request for Proposal (RFP) come from an annual General Fund appropriation. The application period will extend from September 15, 2023, until October 11, 2023. Applications will be due on Oct. 11, 2023, no later than 5 p.m. PST. 
 
Detailed information on the Proactive IPM Solutions Program, including the application process, and application requirements, is available at the IPM website at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/proactive-ipm.html
 
Information on the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis is available at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/

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