Lynnae Jess, co-director of the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center, shared highlights about the Center during the November “Pests and Progress” webinar. Jess’s presentation focused on Center activities from 2018 to 2022 and included activities from working groups, funded research projects, an IPM survey, and communication activities.
The Center’s role is to encourage the use of integrated pest management (IPM) practices to support healthy ecosystems and communities in the region. The Center accomplishes this by facilitating collaboration; sharing IPM news and resources; and funding IPM working groups and research.
From 2018 to 2022, 23 working groups were funded. The focus of these groups ranged from human and agricultural health to urban agriculture, ticks and tick diseases to pollinator health. A few of the impacts included
- A 50% to 90% reduction in pesticide use from the Midwest Grows Green turf care recommendations
- Cost savings of $1.8 million in half a year when mowing was reduced on an interstate rights-of-way
- Ways to control Ascochyta blight in chickpeas and downy mildew in hops were identified and shared
- Many more IPM resources are available, from the “I See Dead Plants” podcast, the “War Against Weeds” podcast, the “Vegetable Beet” podcast, the “Hop” podcast, and the Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide.
Center communication activities include webinars, podcasts, pest alerts, a newsletter and social media posts.
The North Central IPM Center is on a 4-year funding cycle and receives its funding from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
To learn more about the IPM survey results, Center impacts or recent critical issue research projects, be sure to watch the full video.
Presenter
Lynnae Jess has been a part of the North Central IPM Center since its inception in 2000 when it was called the North Central Pest Management Center. She has been the Co-Director since 2018.
