The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA) is pleased to announce funding available for the Proactive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Solutions grant program.
Donor Name: California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/11/2023
Size of the Grant: $325,000
Grant Duration: 26 months
Details:
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to develop integrated pest management (IPM) program(s) or pieces of IPM program(s) that can be rapidly implemented if a new invasive pest becomes established in California.
California’s agricultural industry is diverse, producing over 400 commodities. New invasive insect pests can pose a significant threat to these agricultural industries and urban communities. Exclusion or eradication of new invasive pests are the preferred first lines of defense, but despite best efforts some pests become established and require long-term management strategies. The urgent need to control a new pest often leads to more frequent use of insecticides. Growers may resort to broad-spectrum insecticides that can disrupt integrated pest management systems and cause secondary pest outbreaks, leading to even greater insecticide use and possibly decreasing profitability. At the same time, growers are under pressure from ever-tightening regulations and need to adopt new pest management methods in order to remain competitive.
Research Priorities
The objective of this research program is to develop and test IPM strategies to control one of the target pests identified by CDFA. The IPM program could be quickly implemented once the invasive pest becomes established in California. It is a priority to first utilize and adapt existing knowledge and technology that may exist outside of California. Additionally, the focus is on targets suitable for long-term IPM control. Pests that are typically successfully eradicated, such as certain fruit flies, will not be a high priority.
Funding Information
- A total of $325,000 is available in this grant cycle.
- Projects should start on January 31, 2024 and end on March 31, 2026.
Project Eligibility
- Public or private colleges and universities, local, state, and federal government entities including California Native American Tribes, and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
- The project lead(s) and their institutions must be based in California, though it is encouraged to subcontract with out-of-state collaborators.
- The project lead(s) and/or collaborators must have access to a quarantine facility if the project involves biological control or testing products on insects that are not yet established in California.
- All necessary federal and state permits must be obtained for work with any non-exempt species.
For more information, visit CDFA.
