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Webinars

Check out the Pests & Progress monthly webinars to keep up with the latest research related to integrated pest management (IPM). Webinars are hosted by the North Central IPM Center and are held virtually the third Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm Eastern/12:00 pm Central time. These virtual webinars are delivered via Zoom. Click the “Register” button below a presentation to sign up.

Previous webinars are all available for viewing on the North Central IPM Center YouTube Channel.

Our Next Pests & Progress Webinar

We hope you will join us for the next Pests and Progress webinar! Be sure to sign up to receive the link. Thank you for your interest, and we hope you will share details with your network!

Pesticide Risk Tool: Understanding risk and measuring impact

March 18, 2026 at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT)

Abstract:

Join Ariel Larson and Peter Werts from the IPM Institute of North America as they introduce the Pesticide Risk Tool. This webinar will explore how the tool is being integrated into supply chains and certification programs to measure and mitigate environmental and human health risks. Real-world examples will be highlighted throughout the presentation.

Presenters

Ariel Larson

Department Director, Sustainable Food Group

Ariel leads the IPM Institute’s work with food companies and supply chains, helping companies to envision, develop, implement and verify supply chain sustainable agriculture strategies, programs and policies. She has a B.S. in Botany and Conservation Biology and an M.S. in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development with a certificate in Business, Environment, and Social Responsibility, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Peter Werts

Department Director, Specialty Crops

Peter Werts has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. Their work in agriculture and tree fruit production began in college while working on the weekends at an orchard in Bayfield Wisconsin. As Department Director, Peter is the IPM Institute’s lead consultant working with apple farmers across the upper Midwest to help growers implement bio-intensive IPM programs. Additionally, Peter manages the Sustainable Food Group’s Eco Apple and other specialty crop programs with food companies.

Upcoming Topics

Recent Webinars and Recordings

Genetic Biocontrol of New World screwworm (NWS) and spotted wing Drosophila (SWD)

February 18, 2026

Used to suppress the New World screwworm (NWS) in the USA, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) involves releasing mass-reared, radiation-sterilized insects into a targeted area. Because females that mate with sterile males produce no offspring, the pest population naturally declines.

To maximize efficiency, researchers have developed methods to mass-produce only sterile males for both NWS and the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). This work highlights these advancements and explores future gene drive technologies, which offer even more precise and powerful tools for long-term pest management.

Max Scott, North Carolina State University

Breeding Efforts to Curb Cucurbit Downy Mildew

January 21, 2026

Edmund Frost has been breeding winter squash, cucumber, and melon in Central Virginia since 2013, with downy mildew resistance as one of the main goals. During this webinar called, “Breeding Efforts to Curb Cucurbit Downy Mildew,” Frost discusses his work with each of these crops, the varieties he has developed, and what lies ahead.

Edmund Frost, Common Wealth Seed Growers

Spying on Insects with the Insect Eavesdropper

November 19, 2025

Explore the hidden world of insect communication and feeding behavior! Discover how the Insect Eavesdropper uses advanced contact microphones to capture the secret sounds and vibrations insects make as they munch plants.

Emily Bick, University of Wisconsin-Madison

IPM Strategies for Reducing Insect Pest Damage in Midwest Blueberries

October 15, 2025

IPM programs in blueberry have been disrupted by the invasive spotted-wing drosophila over the past decade, requiring a significant increase in control inputs. To reduce economic and environmental costs of these programs, we have partnered with research colleagues and growers to develop new IPM tools to help growers address this pest.

This presentation will review the potential for new cultural and biological controls based on research in Michigan blueberry plantings, and how they can be integrated into current production systems.

Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University

IPM Network – Measuring Capacity, Framing the Future

September 17, 2025

This presentation highlights the continued need for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and outlines strategic goals for strengthening the public IPM enterprise. Despite shifts to competitive funding following the 2008 Farm Bill, a national network of 53 state programs and 4 regional centers has been maintained.

The focus now is on enhancing collaboration, improving infrastructure, increasing IPM awareness, and expanding involvement beyond traditional pest disciplines. Efforts such as capacity benchmarking and infrastructure surveys aim to identify current assets and opportunities for improvement.

By delivering timely, relevant information and investing in education and outreach, the IPM network seeks to protect people and the environment more effectively.

Daren Mueller, Iowa State University

Soybean Aphids are Resistant to Pyrethroids, Now What?

July 16, 2025

Farmers are facing a return of soybean aphid infestations, especially in Iowa. One contributing factor to these outbreaks is the resistance of aphids to the most commonly used insecticides, pyrethroids.

Dr. O’Neal summarizes more than three years of field data, revealing how common insecticide-resistant soybean aphids are and options for managing them.

Matt O’Neal, Iowa State University

Past Webinars