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Revise/reprint “Biological Control of Insects and Mites”

Revise/reprint “Biological Control of Insects and Mites”

Objectives/Performance Targets

On schedule

The project is on schedule, although writing and editing took a bit longer than planned. 2006 was the year of manuscript development. In 2007 the manuscript will be reviewed and finalized. The book will then enter the production phase. The book is scheduled for release and distribution in November 2007, with biological control workshops planned for winter/spring 2008.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Gearing up

Summer 2006 was writer Paul Whitaker's opportunity to research and rewrite sections of the original manuscript to reflect new understanding in the field of biocontrol and to revise text to better meet the needs of farmers. Paul then sent this first draft to farmer editor and the manuscript's original author, Nino Ridgway, for her comments. Nino spent winter weeks tightening up the text in preparation for review by five farmers and five academic entomologists in the spring of 2007.

The other major task in 2006 was locating photos for the new edition. A student photographer worked with author and entomologist Dan Mahr to locate past photos and secure new photos for the second edition.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Future needs

Our most immediate need is to find additional funds to underwrite workshops in some of the states. Teams in IA, IL, IN, OH, MI, NE, and WI are at various stages of planning biocontrol workshops. Some are working with their SARE PDP state coordinator to help fund their workshop. The project coordinator wrote a cooperative grant proposal to the Integrated Organic Program to further underwrite workshops in Wisconsin and Michigan, but the proposal was denied.

A long-term need is to fund a follow-up study to measure the actual impact of the book and workshops on use of biological control at the field level. In expectation of raising the money at a later date, we hope that all workshops will include a request to participants to engage in a future survey to measure impact. The project coordinator is looking into potential funding sources for a follow-up survey, to be conducted after one or two growing seasons (2009 or 2010). It is hoped that such a survey will either document the success of traditional outreach efforts such as this or will provide insight on ways to improve the traditional process to better serve practitioner needs.

Project Content Page

2006 Annual Report

Project Number: LNC05-262
Type: Research and Education Project
Region: North Central
SARE Grant: $87,558

Coordinator:

Michelle Miller
Associate Director
University of WI - CIAS
Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems , 1535 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 6082627135
E-mail: mmmille6@wisc.edu
Website: http://www.cias.wisc.edu

Participants:
Dan Mahr
Principal Investigator
University of WI-Entomology
Department of Entomology , 1630 Linden Drive
Madison , WI 53706
Phone: 6082623228
E-mail: dmahr@entomology.wisc.edu

Nino  Ridgway
Editor
Barthel Fruit Farm
12246 Farmdale Road
Mequon , WI 55947
Phone: 2622422737
E-mail: farmernino@wi.rr.com
Website: http://barthelfruitfarm.com/

Paul  Whitaker
writer
University of WI - Marathon Co.
518 S. 7th Ave.
Wausau , WI 53097
E-mail: pwhitaker@wisc.edu
This project and all associated reports and support materials were supported by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed within do not necessarily reflect the view of the SARE program or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.