[MPWG] PESP (Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program) Bulletin - Sept. 2005

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

This message has been cross-posted.

This newsletter includes information on:
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
-FY06 AGRICULTURE FUNDING BILL
-MYCOGEN GETS PATENT GRANT ON TRANSGENIC BT IN PLANTS
-CHANGES IN BT COTTON INVESTIGATED
OFFICE OF PESTICIDE PROGRAM NEWS
-NEW PESTICIDE REGISTRATION FEES BECOME EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2005
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
-IPM Partnership Grants Program
-2006 BIOPESTICIDE GRANT PROGRAM
-GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FROM GRANTS.GOV
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS
-FIFTH NATIONAL IPM SYMPOSIUM
-2006 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT

More info on Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) is
available at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/PESP/publications/vol6se/IVA-esb-communications.htm

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 09/26/2005 02:36
PM -----


PESP (Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program) EXCHANGE
September 2005

AGRICULTURAL NEWS

FY06 AGRICULTURE FUNDING BILL
The US Senate has approved its version of the Agriculture/FDA FY 2006
Funding Bill:  The Senate passed a $100 billion spending bill for
agriculture, food and drug programs, averting debate over emergency
contraception and other controversies ... The vote for the bill was 97-2,
with Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., voting no.
Now,
congressional negotiators must work out differences in House and Senate
versions of the spending bill, which funds the Agriculture Department, FDA
and related agencies. Absent from the bill is a $3.1 billion spending cut
for farm programs that Congress ordered earlier this year. Agriculture
committees plan to decide next month how to make the cut. The Senate did
pass several amendments ..." as noted below - The bill is reportedly silent

on a provision in the House bill concerning a delay in mandatory
country-of-origin food labeling.  The complete text of the AP story is
posted at
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8CPD9T01.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db


MYCOGEN GETS PATENT GRANT ON TRANSGENIC BT IN PLANTS
The United States Patent Office has granted patent rights to transgenic
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in plants to Mycogen Plant Seeds, Inc., an
affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC. The newly granted patent for Bt in
plants
gives Dow broad and exclusive U.S. rights to this technology. The patent
was
originally filed in 1988, but a decision by the U.S. Patent Office was
delayed by interference proceedings by another company. The case was
eventually resolved in Dow's favor. Dow's patent on transgenic Bt in plants

(United States Patent Number 6,943,282) will be in effect until 2021.  For
more information about Dow AgroSciences, visit http://www.dowagro.com or
email Garry Hamlin of Dow AgroSciences at garryhamlin at dow.com.

CHANGES IN BT COTTON INVESTIGATED
Bt cotton plants with the Cry1Ac protein have shown varying efficacy
against
field populations of the insect Helicoverpa armigera. This may cause H.
armigera to evolve resistance to the Cry1Ac toxin.   The entire abstract,
http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-abstract&issn=0022-0493&volume=098&issue=04&page=1382
.

OFFICE OF PESTICIDE PROGRAM NEWS

New Pesticide Registration Fees Become Effective October 1, 2005: On June
14, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency published a revised list of
pesticide registration service fees for specified pesticide applications
and
tolerance actions.  Under the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act
(PRIA),
the registration service fees for covered pesticide registration
applications received on or after October 1, 2005, will increase by 5
percent.  The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 established a new
section in the federal pesticide law, which authorized a service fee system

for applicants for specified pesticide registration, amended registration
and associated tolerance actions.  Under this system, applications must pay

service fees for covered applications, and EPA is required to make a
determination on the application within specified decision times.  To view
the list of pesticide registration fees, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-AIR/2005/June/Day-02/a10998.htm.  More
information about PRIA can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/fees

*************************************************************
For general questions on pesticides and pesticide poisoning prevention,
contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC), toll free, at:
1-800-858-7378, by E-mail at npic at ace.orst.edu, or by visiting their
website
at: http://npic.orst.edu/

For information about EPA's pesticide program, visit our homepage at:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/

*************************************************************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

IPM PARTNERSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center is pleased to
announce the availability of funding through its IPM Partnership Grants
Program for 2006 (FY 2005 federal funds). A Request for Applications (RFA)
is posted on the Center's website at http://northeastipm.org/abou_fund.cfm

Approximately $465,000 is available to support projects that will address
or
develop regional IPM priorities and will further the mission of the
Northeastern IPM Center. The Center is seeking applications for six project

types:   (1) IPM Working Groups; (2) State Network Projects; (3) IPM
Working
Group Priorities;  (4) Regional IPM Publications; (5) Critical and Emerging

Issues; (6) IPM Tactics Surveys, Crop Profiles, and Pest Management
Strategic Plans

ELIGIBILITY: Private individuals, public and private institutions or
organizations, businesses, and commodity groups are encouraged to apply.
The
primary project director must be from the northeastern region.

DEADLINE: The original and fourteen (14) copies of each proposal must be
received by the Northeastern IPM Center by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December
16,
2005. See the complete RFA for full submission instructions. If you have
questions or need paper copies of the RFA,  please contact grants manager
John Ayers, Co-director of the Northeastern IPM Center, Pennsylvania State
University (phone 814-865-7776; fax: 814-863-8175; email jea at psu.edu).

2006 BIOPESTICIDE GRANT PROGRAM
The IR-4 Biopesticide Research Program
announces a request for grant proposals for funding of efficacy research in

2006. With newer targeted conventional chemicals there is interest in
resistance management to maintain the utility of those products. Therefore,

IR-4 is especially interested in proposals containing biopesticides as
resistance management tools, rotated with conventional products. While
resistance management is an important interest, the proposal must still
have
a majority focus on biopesticides. Selection of treatments and experimental

design should be considered to elucidate the contribution of each component

to the pest control system. Project proposals will be accepted in three
different stage categories. The three project stages are Early, Advanced
and
Demonstration. The total amount of funding available will be around $
400,000. Most successful grants have generally ranged from $5,000 to
$10,000
with the largest grants generally around $20,000. The primary objective of
the IR-4 Biopesticides Research Program is to further the development and
registration of biopesticides for use in pest management systems for
specialty crops or for minor uses on major crops. NOTE: The three project
stages: Early, Advanced and Demonstration have specific proposal forms. If
you are submitting a proposal for the Early or Advanced stage project,
please use the forms on pages 13-24. If you are submitting a proposal for a

Demonstration project, please use the forms on pages 25-34. Proposals will
be due November 18, 2005.  You can download Grant Procedure and Application

in Word format HERE
http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Docs/Early,%20Advanced%20&%20Demo.%20Guidelines%20&%20Forms-2006.doc


GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FROM GRANTS.GOV
The grants listed below are from the Federal Grants Website at
http://www.grants.gov.  Grants.gov is a single Federal website where users
can find and apply for over 900 grant programs awarding more than 400
billion annually. Through a streamlined electronic process, Federal
grant-making agencies can leverage a cross-government service model, while
maintaining their autonomy and flexibility to efficiently manage their
grant
programs. The editor of PESP Exchange regularly filters new grant
opportunities that may be relevant for our PESP members.  You may find out
more information on these grants by going to the site and entering the Fund

number.

Fund number : USDA-GRANTS-080905-001
Title : Fiscal Year 2006 Regional Integrated Pest Management Competitive
Grants Program - North Central Region

Fund number : USDA-GRANTS-080905-002
Title : Fiscal Year 2006 Regional Integrated Pest Management Competitive
Grants Program - Northeastern Region

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

FIFTH NATIONAL IPM SYMPOSIUM
"Delivering on a Promise," will be held in St. Louis, MO on
April 4-6, 2006 at the Adams Mark Hotel. Symposium sessions
will address state of the art strategies and technologies to successfully
solve pest problems in agricultural, recreational, natural and community
settings in a way that makes sense.  To receive future notices about the
symposium, send your e-mail address to ipmsymposium at ad.uiuc.edu    For
information on lodging and accommodations, visit the Adams Mark Hotel
website at http://www.adamsmark.com/stlouis/index.asp:

2006 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT
"Stewardship in Action: Our Responsibility – Our Environment";
May 8-11, 2006; Sheraton Atlanta Hotel - Atlanta, Georgia
During four days of interactive sessions, workshops and site visits,
environmental assistance policy-makers, providers and recipients will
explore stewardship activities in pollution prevention, compliance
assistance, and performance based environmental leadership. Attendees will
examine partnering, science and systems-based approaches, multi-media and
'whole toolbox' strategies, measurement, transferability, sustainability
and
more in the context of a vision of stewardship.
Join your colleagues for the third annual National Environmental
Partnership
Summit - dedicated to and created by individuals who inspire, lead, fund,
create, deliver, and receive environmental assistance. Be inspired as you
renew and create relationships with as many as 800 environmental leaders
and
innovators from all over the country.
For More Information: http://www.environmentalSummit.org/  Phone:
303-690-4245

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The PESP Exchange is a monthly electronic update of activities and
available
funding opportunities.  If you have something you would like mentioned in
the Exchange, or have questions or comments regarding its contents, please
contact the editor, Sherry Glick  at glick.sherry at epa.gov or call her at
702-784-8276.