2019 Proactive IPM Solutions Program
OPCA's new 2018/2019 funding also supports its Proactive IPM Solutions Program. The goal of this program is to anticipate which exotic pests are likely to arrive in California and to develop a library of integrated pest management (IPM) programs which can be rapidly implemented when the pests becomes established in California. New invasive pests can cause major problems for California's agricultural industries. The urgent need to control a new pest often leads to more frequent use of insecticides. This can disrupt integrated pest management (IPM) systems that have been in place and cause secondary pest outbreaks, leading to even more insecticide use and possibly decreasing profitability. At the same time, growers are under pressure from ever-tightening regulations and need to phase in new pest management methods in order to remain competitive. CDFA is responsible for preventing and mitigating invasive pests. Many pests which plague California's agricultural industry first become established through urban areas owing to global travel and unintentional import of exotic pests. CDFA expends considerable effort controlling pest outbreaks in urban areas before they can spread into agricultural regions. Because affected communities have become increasingly concerned about insecticide sprays, it has become difficult to employ standard synthetic chemicals to control pest infestations. There is need for selective, low risk chemical and biological options which may be used. These options and plans take years to develop, during which exotic pest populations may expand well beyond the initial infestation. The proactive approach allows for rapid deployment of new management plans. Funding for this type of proactive pest management is awarded through a request for proposals (RFP), the first of which will be available in March 2019.
Questions and Answers
Q: Is the grant restricted to people residing in California?
A: Yes. Research must be focused on providing IPM solutions for potential invasive pests in California agricultural systems. Proposals must be submitted by a qualified institution within California, though institutions outside California may be listed as subcontractors.
Q: Is this program strictly for insect pests?
A: The only pests that can be included in proposals are those on the target pest list in the RFP. The current focus of this program is insect pests.
Q: Is the Indirect charge limited to salary and fringe costs only?
A: The applicant should use what is written in their institutions policy to calculate the Indirect Cost amount (such as Personal Services, Total Direct Cost, or Modified Total Direct). Indirect cost categories are not limited to salary and fringe benefits as long as the categories are within the applicant organization’s policy.
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