Food security is best served by a national infrastructure of private and public professionals who routinely monitor crop health and pest incidence then translate this knowledge to a shared platform enabling rapid dissemination of mitigation measures to limit crop loss. The iPiPE CAP, funded by a 2015 USDA AFRI 5-yr $7 million grant, provides such an infrastructure with cyberage tools, information products and expert commentary for detection and management of new, foreign, or emerging target pests and endemic pests that threaten U.S. crops.
The iPiPE CAP will fund 7 new CPPs in 2018. We are seeking Extension professionals to coordinate CPP extension and education activities. The CAP will provide approximately $40,000/yr in 2018 and 2019 to each CPP Coordinator to conduct program activities focused on engaging stakeholders to submit pest observations and mentoring undergraduate student interns. The iPiPE CAP will also support programs that focus on organisms that are beneficial to crop production. No-cost extensions may be available for the subsequent year.
The CPP grant application process involves two steps: (i) submitting a 1-2 page Statement of Interest and (ii) adapting Plan of Work and Budget template documents provided by the iPiPE CAP PDs to fit the needs of the proposed CPP. The first step does not require the involvement of your institution and thus is designed to be accomplished quickly. Only individuals selected to lead 2018 iPiPE CPPs will be asked to complete the second step.
Please see the full RFA for new iPiPE Crop-Pest Programs. Please pass it along to anyone in your networks who may be interested. The deadline is May 4th.
Prospective applicants should feel free to contact their regional IPM Center Director, iPiPE CAP Co-PD Scott Isard or Co-PD Jim VanKirk for answers to questions regarding iPiPE CPPs and the application process.
