Project Grant 20247000642851

This federal Project Grant award from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM) Competitive Grants Program (CFDA 10.329) provides $313,917 to the University of Vermont & State Agricultural College to develop an integrated pest management (IPM) assessment protocol for grazed pasture ecosystems.

The project aims to measure risks from pests and parasites to livestock and human health, while monitoring the biodiversity of beneficial pasture insects. Key activities include quantifying tick risk, including the spread of the invasive Asian longhorned tick, and evaluating how livestock and habitat management impact tick transmission and associated health risks. The project will engage 5 farmers, 2 veterinarians, and research/extension specialists to develop a 'Grazed Pasture IPM (GP-IPM)' assessment that provides a risk rating for pests, parasites, and beneficial invertebrates, along with tailored management recommendations to support the pasture ecosystem. A sub-award of $62,783 was made to Cornell University to assist in developing the ecosystems-level GP-IPM assessment tool.

The project seeks to increase collaboration between farmers, veterinarians, researchers, and industry to incorporate sustainable strategies that reduce pests and pesticide inputs while improving beneficial species, environmental outcomes, and livestock/human health.