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New Jersey Information Network for Pesticides & Alternative Strategies (NJinPAS)
The New Jersey Information Network for Pesticides & Alternative Strategies is part of a grant-funded network designed to provide a structure to gather and transmit information on issues relevant to both current and transitional pest management strategies. The NJinPAS project is directed by Dr. George Hamilton, Specialist in Pest Management for Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Funded by the Northeastern Pest Management Center (NE PMC), the NJinPAS is part of a larger collaboration including land-grant universities of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. New Jersey's participation in this network maximizes regional resources and communication, and assures New Jersey's representation at the national level.
Its purpose is to improve the level of knowledge, awareness, and understanding of local, State, regional, and national pest management practices. New Jersey stakeholders will be instrumental in identifying State pest management issues; these will be clearly outlined in crop profiles and strategy plans. The information gathered and distributed by NJinPAS is key to informed decision-making by Federal regulators on pest management issues that will impact New Jersey. Further, New Jersey stakeholders will receive timely advisories of regional or national changes in pest management strategies or regulations that may impact them.
NJinPAS goals and objectives will be guided by an Advisory Committee comprised of New Jersey stakeholders representing a diversity of perspectives and technical expertise. This committee will include representatives from commodity groups, grower organizations, environmental and public interest groups, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, research faculty of the Rutgers University College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, the Pesticide Control Program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, and pesticide registrants.
Current goals funded for NJinPAS include:
- Deliver pesticide regulatory information to growers, crop consultants, pesticide users, and Extension faculty and staff in New Jersey;
- Gather pest management data and input from researchers, growers, crop consultants, pesticide users, regulators, and Extension faculty and staff in New Jersey;
- Analyze information gathered and impacts of changes in pesticide regulations on agricultural productivity in New Jersey; share this information with New Jersey stakeholders, other mid-Atlantic states, the NE PMC, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); and
- Solicit similar information from other states in the mid-Atlantic region on shared commodities.
Specific objectives of the NJinPAS currently are:
- Expedite delivery to New Jersey stakeholders of more timely pesticide-related information (such as regulation advisories or requests for comment). Accordingly, NJinPAS will set up an email listserv and mailing infrastructure that includes growers, crop consultants, pesticide users, public interest groups, environmental groups, and Extension faculty and staff. To minimize mass mailings, current listserv subgroups are as follows:
| NJinPAS Network (all) | NJinPAS Mosquito |
| NJinPAS Advisory Committee | NJinPAS Fruit |
| NJinPAS State Partners | NJinPAS Turf, Ornamentals, Greenhouse, & Nursery |
| NJinPAS Crop Profiles | NJinPAS Field & Forage Crops |
| NJinPAS Peach PMSP | NJinPAS Vegetables |
| NJinPAS Institutions & Interiors |
- Compile and analyze New Jersey pesticide survey results for regional and local distribution subsequent to the transmittal of raw pesticide user survey data for 2001. This data will be used in the preparation of crop profiles and pest management strategy plans (PMSPs) that will be utilized by government agencies making regulatory decisions.
- NJinPAS-funded Workgroups will prepare new crop profiles for apples, carrots, green pepper, and field corn in New Jersey. Previously published crop profiles for asparagus, cranberry, blueberry, alfalfa, peaches, spinach, and squash will be reviewed and revised as new data becomes available.
- An NJinPAS Peach PMSP Workgroup will produce a Pest Management Strategic Plan for Peaches in New Jersey.
- Announce the availability of pesticide surveys, crop profiles, and pest management strategy plans in the appropriate edition(s) of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Plant & Pest Advisory, and by NJinPAS listserv(s).
For further information, contact NJinPAS Project Leader Dr. George Hamilton by phone at 732-932-9801, or by email at hamilton@aesop.rutgers.edu.