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Successful PSU IPM Program Seeks Expansion - December 2003
December 5, 2003
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA -- How can you use fewer pesticides in the garden and around the home? Consumers in Pennsylvania are able to find out while shopping at their local garden centers and chain stores, thanks to a program based out of Penn State Cooperative Extension.
Over 18,000 free fact sheets on Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, and nutrient management from Penn State and other land grant universities have been distributed to county extension offices, county fairs, garden centers and chain retailers over two and a half years, says Steve Bogash, Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator in Franklin County. "Providing IPM educational materials to consumers where and when they buy plants or other garden materials results in more informed consumer pest management decisions and decreased pesticide misuse," Bogash explains.
IPM aims to control pests -- such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals -- by combining physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible. In the case of home plantings, proper plant variety selection and good site preparation can help avoid many future pest problems. The consumer needs this information at the time they are purchasing plants and planting them.
The fact sheets are distributed to seven retail outlets, including a Wal-Mart and Lowe's. Poinsettia fact sheets are also distributed by Musselman Greenhouses in Cashtown, Pa. "The response from the retailers has been extremely positive. The fact sheets are written in 'plain speak' and the displays are eye-catching. In fact, many of the retailers we've worked with are using the fact sheets for their employee training," Bogash says.
Due to the time limitations of the program and limited travel budget, distribution of the fact sheets have been kept to Franklin County and the surrounding region. "As the program picks up steam, this has become challenging as large numbers of retailers throughout the region are requesting the information," says Bogash.
The program uses a rural mailbox display that can be easily moved and all displays are serviced by Penn State Cooperative Extension Educators in Franklin County. While they will continue to print and distribute the fact sheets and support the mailbox displays for the foreseeable future, additional funding is need to expand the program to other areas of the state.
"The program has clearly demonstrated both the need and the desire on the part of consumers and retailers for IPM materials prepared at the level they need. While the program was able to develop the printed program materials and distribute them locally, the demand for such a program throughout the Mid-Atlantic is enormous," says Bogash. Due to timeline and limited budget, the Pennsylvania IPM Program handled many of the requests for information through their Web site at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu. In order to reach a larger audience, however, a substantially larger and regionally-based program is necessary, Bogash says.
Bogash is currently looking for additional funding to expand the program. The fact sheets are part of a larger program that includes a consumer IPM educational series, green industry IPM training, demonstration gardens and a frequently asked questions reference series for the consumer gardeners.
Seed funding for the project was provided by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. More recently, the project was funded from the Pennsylvania IPM Program's Extension IPM Competitive Grants Program. The project also benefited from support provided by Penn State Cooperative Extension, Franklin County.
For more information on the program, you can contact Bogash at (717) 263-9226 or email at smb13@psu.edu.
The Pennsylvania IPM Program is a collaboration between Penn State and the PDA aimed at promoting IPM in both agricultural and nonagricultural situations. For more information, contact the program at (814) 865-2839, or visit web site http://paipm.cas.psu.edu.