Research and IPM

Grants Programs: UC IPM - UC SAREP Educational Events

Through a joint mini-grants program launched in 2001, the UC Statewide IPM Program and the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP) support educational programs, including workshops, field days, symposia, seminars, and other educational events. This program has been cancelled for 2003-04. No request for proposals will be issued.

UC IPM and UC SAREP, both statewide special programs within the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, serve farmers, farmworkers, ranchers, pest management professionals, researchers, educators, regulators, policy makers, industry professionals, consumers, and community organizations throughout California. Together they fund educational events that advance the mission and goals of their programs. These educational events include workshops, field days, symposia, and seminars.

Educational events. UC IPM funds educational events involving integrated pest management in agricultural and urban systems. Among the areas that SAREP funds: the sustainability of crop and livestock systems, and connections between farmers, consumers, and communities in sustainable food and agricultural systems. Proposals are evaluated in these areas:

• Relevance to topic area addressed as well as to UC SAREP and/or UC IPM program goals.
• Identification of educational needs and objectives, including explanation of why this event fills a void not normally filled by existing meetings.
• Evidence for expertise of instructors. Speakers and presenters should be qualified to teach the subject matter; and expertise drawn from a range of backgrounds (farmers and ranchers, Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, university or government researchers, private consultants, etc.) is desirable
• Educational methods. Many successful educational programs combine "classroom" activities with tours, demonstrations, on-farm experiences and other activities that help participants put ideas and concepts into action. An event format that allows adequate time for periods of discussion, debate, problem solving, or other types of audience interaction is desirable. Participants will benefit from publications, manuals, handouts, web sites, or videotapes that may be used when they return to their farms, schools, homes, and businesses.
• Interagency participation. The level of participation and the quality of educational programs can be improved through cooperation among complementary organizations (e.g., Cooperative Extension, private non-profits, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and/or industry). Proposals should include as a coordinator or cooperator at least one career academic member of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (e.g., farm/home/4-H advisor, Cooperative Extension specialist).
• Likelihood that the proposed event will achieve the stated objectives.
• Funds requested are reasonable in relation to the expected benefits of the event.

UC IPM funds educational events focusing on integrated pest management:

Integrated Pest Management in Agricultural and Urban Systems
Proposals should include at least one career academic member of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources as a coordinator or cooperator. Topics in this area include, but are not limited to:

• Ecologically based, integrated approaches to managing pests in agricultural, landscape, and urban environments, which would include:

• pest and beneficial identification and monitoring
• use of cultural control practices (rotations, vegetation management, habitat modification, sanitation, etc.)
• biological control
• reduced-risk pest management practices (such as use of mating disruption, Bt, etc.)
• pesticide mitigation issues (e.g., reducing pesticide runoff, drift, etc.)
• organically acceptable pest control methods

UC IPM and UC SAREP issue a request for proposals annually. For the 2002 grants program, the deadline to submit proposals was March 13, 2002, with the events scheduled between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003.. Grant applicants are individuals affiliated with California public or private educational institutions; with California non-profit, tax-exempt organizations; or with federal or state government agencies. Each proposal should include at least one career academic member of the UC DANR as a coordinator or cooperator.

The UC IPM Educational Events Review Committee, appointed by the director of the UC Statewide IPM Program, reviews the IPM proposals and recommends funding priorities to the director, who then makes the final funding decisions.

Total funding available for the educational event grants changes annually. Awards are limited to $1,500 per event.

In 2002, UC IPM funded six grants through the UC IPM-UC SAREP educational event grants program, awarding a total of $15,000. UC SAREP separately funded other grants.

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