1. Vegetable IPM Advisory Group: Focus Areas Joseph Ingerson-Mahar Vegetable IPM Coordinator

2. Projects Projects n PAST n Sweet Corn n Peppers n Tomatoes n CURRENT n Tomato PEG grant

3. Mission Statement n The Vegetable IPM Program is dedicated to developing and improving integrated pest management techniques and practices that will enhance vegetable production in the state of New Jersey.

4. Statement continued n Program objectives are accomplished through the development and delivery of pest monitoring and field scouting programs, grant-funded and sponsored research, and educational outreach.

5. What is the focus for the Vegetable IPM Program? n Need to be relevant n Major focus area? n Many smaller projects possible n Need for an advisory committee

6. Advisory Committee Makeup n farmers n consultants n agribusiness people n opinions on research, training and education, transfer of information to private sector

7. Suggested Priorities - Research n Focus on high value crops (pumpkins) n Anticipate future regulations (nutrient management) n Identify crops with pesticide overuse (butternut squash) n Cooperate with other institutions

8. Priorities continued n Focus on strengths of our institution: fresh market vs processing n Develop growers’ season-end questionnaire on pest concerns and costs n Collaborate with NJDA on biological control projects

9. Suggested Priorities - Training/education n Need consumer education about IPM n Scout and farmer IPM training n Twilight meetings

10. Priorities continued n Regional training n Training materials n Communication

11. Suggested Priorities - Program transfer n Public versus private scouting programs n Lack of private services in some areas n Private/Public Competition

12. How we are responding to these suggestions? n Preparing a proposal for educating general public in IPM - IPM poster n More projects involving biocontrol n Development of a weather network providing more useful temperature data for predictive models and degree day accumulations

13. Your comments?