Current Projects:

• Establishment of a Pest Management Communication and Information Network in North Carolina

  Investigators: Stephen J. Toth, Jr.
  Project Period: January 1, 2001 - April 30, 2002
  Funding: University of Florida (Southern Region Pest Management Center)

  Abstract: This project will establish, coordinate and provide a pest management information program in North Carolina to function as the state contact for the pest management information network established by the Southern Region Pest Management Center located at the University of Florida. Activities of the newly-established North Carolina Pest Management Information Program will include the development and maintenance of linkages with pest management stakeholder groups in North Carolina and Southeast U. S. Pertinent information on pest management issues will be provided to program stakeholders in a timely manner; these stakeholders will provide input into the program through their participation on an advisory committee. The North Carolina Pest Management Information Program will facilitate and support the production of crop profiles, pest management strategic plans and other pest management documents for important North Carolina agricultural commodities as identified by federal regulatory agencies for the implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Strengthening of the connection between pest management programs (i.e., Pest Management Information, Integrated Pest Management, Interregional Project 4, Pesticide Applicator Training) and agricultural and other private stakeholders within North Carolina will be an objective of this project. The North Carolina Pest Management Information Program will serve as an information resource for the Southern Region Pest Management Center and the public and private sectors on current pest management practices, problems and issues affecting agricultural commodities produced in North Carolina. The North Carolina Pest Management Information Program will serve as a contact point for the resources and expertise available through the on-campus (Extension specialists and researchers) and field faculty (i.e., county Extension agents) at North Carolina State University. Finally, the North Carolina Pest Management Information Program will actively participate in a process to identify the appropriate boundaries for agroecologically-based pest management centers in the United States for Fiscal Year 2003.

• A National Pest Management Information System for Networking the Regional Pest Management Centers

  Investigators: Ronald E. Stinner and Stephen J. Toth, Jr.
  Project Period: January 15, 2001 - September 30, 2001
  Funding: University of Florida (Southern Region Pest Management Center)

  Abstract: A web-based National Pest Management Information System can facilitate interaction among the developing USDA Pest Management Regional Centers. Without such an effort, we will see the development of a series of independent and non-interoperable systems and an after-the-fact series of structural requirements imposed on such systems with no or conflicting input from system developers.

  We propose to develop and maintain a web-based National Information System for the organization of, and access to pesticide and pest management information through the USDA Regional Pest Management Centers. This system would work with the regional centers and stakeholder groups to facilitate the reporting, archiving, and retrieving of a diverse and vast array of pest management information. We propose to integrate the efforts of the individual regions using current and emerging Internet technology to share resources and databases amoung a network of web servers and data warehouses. Access to all information would be tailored to the needs of specific client groups, as defined by those groups.

North Carolina Pesticide Impact Assessment Program Projects:

• Projects from 1988-2000