Ensure_content_relevance / strategic plan / University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UCIPM)

Ensure_content_relevance

UC IPM has a broad clientele including pest control advisers (PCAs), commodity boards, regulatory agency personnel and the public in urban, agriculture and natural resources.

The Program serves as the comprehensive resource for integrated pest management information in California and coordinates teams of experts to identify and address research and extension needs. UC IPM conducts research to solve specific pest problems, develop new IPM practices, and package practices into eco-system-based IPM programs. The Program provides online and print outreach tools and educational materials. Through existing and new collaborative partnerships UC IPM will assess needs, find resources to expand capacity, form collaborations to engage stakeholders in content development and foster cooperative opportunities to increase IPM research.

This strategic goal identifies key objectives and actions that will enable UC IPM to assess needs, identify processes and resources to address needs and engage external pest management experts and academics to deliver sound pest management.

Objectives

Assess stakeholder needs to be aware of current and relevant pest management issues.
Identify processes and resources to address stakeholder needs.
Engage pest management experts external to UC in content development.
Engage UC ANR academics to develop multidisciplinary approaches to complex pest management problems.
Leverage more research opportunities/funds with UC ANR academics, other academics and external partners to increase research in IPM.

Intended Outcomes

UC IPM is a resource for communicating and addressing current and projected pest management needs.
UC IPM coordinates Teams to solve pest management problems and strengthen the UC ANR network and other partnerships.
UC IPM increases IPM research.

**OBJECTIVE 1A.** Assess stakeholder needs to be aware of current and relevant pest management issues.
KEY ACTIONS	IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITY	MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES
Utilize existing, ongoing needs assessments being done within the program (such as by IPM advisors and through Crop Teams and the urban and community advisory/stakeholder group).	Agricultural, Urban, and Natural Resource Associate Directors, Urban Educator, proposed Agricultural Coordinator¹	New section to UC IPM Annual Planning Meeting summary specifically to capture critical clientele needs New internal mechanism to collect IPM academics’ needs assessments Improved communication about Crop Team priorities (such as posted list) Leadership communication to Program staff and advisors on statewide priority needs (includes PAC input)
Solicit input on priority pest management issues from the existing UC IPM Program Advisory Committee (PAC).	UC IPM Director	Meetings held at least annually
Consider expanding the PAC as needed.	UC IPM Director	Decision made during annual PAC meeting.
Enhance strong, ongoing relationships with stakeholders to have a two-way communication about issues (such as the PAC, CAPCA crop committees, NRCS field staff).	UC IPM Director working with IPM CE Advisor Coordinator, Agricultural and Urban Associate Directors, Urban Educator, proposed Agricultural Coordinator¹, and IPM CE Advisors and Affiliated Advisors	More regular communication and updates with the PAC during the course of the year Commitments with key stakeholder agencies and organizations documented, delegated and report backs added to IPM advisor annual meeting agenda
Consider developing annual online needs assessment surveys with key external stakeholders to inform program planning.	Agricultural, Urban, and Natural Resources Associate Directors	Decision made on whether an online survey is needed
¹The Agricultural Coordinator position is currently a new proposed position

**OBJECTIVE 1B.** Identify processes and resources to address stakeholder needs.
KEY ACTIONS	IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITY	MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES
Evaluate program capacity needed for Natural Resources program area.	UC IPM Director	Decision made on staffing (consider Associate Director and/or Coordinator and CE Advisors)
Explore using an ad hoc, issue-based communication mechanism (e.g. blog, Collaborative Tools, other discussion tools) to share current information on innovations, trends, policies, invasive pests.	Communications Associate Director and appropriate Associate Directors (Agricultural, Urban, Natural Resources)	Pros and cons of considered communication mechanisms documented Decision made
Establish ad hoc teams as needed to work together to strengthen response to invasive species issues affecting crop systems, urban and wildland areas, including writers, communications staff, regulatory agencies (e.g. CDFA, APHIS), public, commodity groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).	Appropriate Associate Directors (Agricultural, Urban, Natural Resources)	Ad hoc teams appointed to develop IPM response to invasive species Formal communication on IPM response to particular invasive species developed as they arise (such as through the annual report and Collaborative Tools)

**OBJECTIVE 1C.** Engage pest management experts external to UC in content development.
KEY ACTIONS	IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITY	MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES
Involve PCAs and other non-UC experts (including those outside California) in Crop Teams and other technical advisory groups to participate in education and outreach product development.	Appropriate Associate Directors (Agricultural, Urban, Natural Resources), Pest Management Guidelines (PMG) Coordinator, Content Development Supervisor	Process developed and implemented Participation of PCAs and other non-UC experts

**OBJECTIVE 1D.** Engage ANR academics to develop multidisciplinary approaches to complex pest management problems.
KEY ACTIONS	IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITY	MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES
Make UC IPM resources more visible to UC ANR academics (campus-based, county-based, other academics, leadership); explain how to access the program.	UC IPM Director	Regular meetings with campus-based partners (such as seminars)
Continue to have UC IPM actively outreach to new UC ANR academic hires (relevant disciplines). Specifically, communicate how UC IPM can help campus-based UC ANR academics meet the land grant mission.	UC IPM Director	Formal welcome letters sent Participate in UC ANR orientations for new hires
Broaden formal invitation mechanism/affiliate model to include CE Specialists and AES faculty to actively engage them.	UC IPM Director working with Deans	Meeting with Deans Increased number of campus-based academics engaged in program planning and decision-making
Provide specific examples of how linkage with UC IPM can benefit non-UC IPM UC ANR academics in their research and outreach efforts.	UC IPM Director working with Communications Associate Director	Communication sent to UC ANR campus-based academics (such as publication opportunities/UC IPM resources list, grant opportunities, Extension opportunities/success stories)

**OBJECTIVE 1E.** Leverage more research opportunities/funds with ANR academics, other academics and external partners to increase research in IPM.
KEY ACTIONS	IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITY	MILESTONES/DELIVERABLES
Emphasize, develop and coordinate a more formal process to engage and organize funding efforts, while ensuring that the UC IPM CE Advisors’ current networking relationships continue. (Does not necessarily include writing proposals nor managing the grants.)	UC IPM Director	Resources identified for bringing team together Number of communications on identified strategic grant opportunities, working with the existing PAC, the Strategic Initiative, Program Team, Specialty Crops groups to submit grants, e.g., UC ANR grants, NIFA, large grants Number of collaborative grants applied for and successfully granted
Continue to engage in setting state and national research priorities.	UC IPM Director	Participation in certain groups or meetings (such as APLU National IPM Coordinating Committee meeting, Regional IPM Centers Meetings, and state government agency meetings)
Get involved early on for collaborative grants by providing Extension expertise (offering assistance to academics in developing the Extension description and associated budget for outreach).	Communications Associate Director, Urban Associate Director, PSEP/OPIC Coordinator, and proposed Agricultural Coordinator¹, possible future Natural Resources Coordinator, and UC IPM CE Advisors (Affiliated Advisors as appropriate)	Number of Principal Investigators (PIs) that contact UC IPM to collaborate on Extension Number of grant proposals funded on which UC IPM was a collaborator
¹The Agricultural Coordinator position is currently a new proposed position

Acronyms and abbreviations