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Next Steps for IPM Measurement Systems - Conclusions of the Workshop

• EPA - measuring pesticide risk reduction in the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP).
  • Keep momentum going by recommending series of workshops and channel resources into measurement systems.
  • Convene critical thinkers on developing a diversity index.
  • Maintain partnerships, establish connections, especially with agency people and non-agency people.
  • Propose test cases such as atrazine in surface water and test systems and/or field testing such as the diversity index. It is critical to get agency commitment.
• USDA - needs to keep momentum going as well.
  • Project in Tifton, GA, (ARS) could potentially test the diversity index.
  • Industry and farmer involvement/participation is critical.
• Measure IPM programs against the four critical elements (PAMS) - use the risk circle diagram to illustrate the concept.
• Distribute a list of email addresses to all participants.
• The Ag Impact discussion group can be utilized to continue discussion.
• Archival internet site - EPA or USDA (ITAP)
  • Academic site might be best, e.g. Cornell University.
• IPM coordinators need to be working on GPRA/measurements meeting later in 1998 - Harold Coble tasked to develop conceptual paper on diversity index (PAMS) - July 7 to 8, 1998 (attached).
• Link PAMS concept to NASS survey questions (see Coble's paper).
• Meet in Las Vegas as well (Entomological Society of America/American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting, November 8-12, 1998)
• For the move from conceptual level to field level, will need grower/industry input.
• PAMS needs to be empirical. Experience will change numbers in the diversity index score card.
• Charles Benbrook, Lois Levitan, Karen Hamernick - get data/measures up on the world wide web. Use Cornell web pages including instructions as to how to retrieve data and involve Ron Stinner (IPMNet, North Carolina State University).
• Develop world data centers which can be accessed by all people involved in measurement systems.