2nd Breakout Session - Red Team: G. Hamilton, Leader
For expanding commercialization opportunities for biocontrol, what alterations or alliances would you recommend to make existing paradigms more successful? Consider two of the following: a) individual grower-initiated efforts, b) cooperatives c) small companies, d) large companies
- Create check-off to support education and implementation
- Increase contact by industry sales personnel
- Sponsor on-site demonstrations
- Sponsor educational opportunities
- Identify specific research needs
- Improve government contact and visibility
- Production and registration of biological pesticides by Cooperatives
- Improve contact with environmental and other groups to foster better understanding of needs and issues
- Meet with industry to find fits specific to their commodity.
List at least five unconventional ideas that might be tried.
- Modify product labels to require or suggest use of biocontrols (sell them together).
- Foster and promote combinations to fit special niches.
- Develop whole-system programs that impact other areas of the country (i.e., Spodoptera control in Florida).
- Plants that contain predators, parasitoids and/or microbials at point of sale.
- Encourage biocontrol companies to work together on educational or others efforts.
As a group: Drawing upon Tasks #1 or #2, or any other workshop discussions, construct a scenario or paradigm for a new enterprise that could commercialize some particular aspect of biocontrol. What would it take to develop and implement such an enterprise? (For example, consider possible roles of academia, growers, government, and industry; consider legal, financial/business, scientific and education/communication issues).
- Combine growers based on commodity.
- Create or designate one farm to try out and demonstrate new ideas or techniques(Need: extension, university research and grower support)..
- Conduct on-site demonstrations (Need: extension, university research, and grower support)..
- Suggest and implement pest management practices(Need: extension, university research, and grower support)..
- Impose a check-off system to support these activities (Need: an economist).
- Conduct an overall before and after evaluation (Need: economist and social scientist).
- Develop an information delivery system for pest information and site specific recommendations (Need: computer expertise and help with data collection and analysis).
- Conduct a publicity and/or advocacy campaign (Need: public relations firm).
- Overall Need: a manager to run the program and a marketing manager to work with the check-off and public relations..
Considering all the discussions throughout this workshop, list the five action steps that could have the most positive impact on the commercialization of biocontrol. (Identify who could do what).
- Partnering with other groups.
- Development of fundamental scientific data.
- Coordinated efforts by Biological Control industry to improve or assist with current educational efforts.
- Develop coordinated market research efforts.
- Yearly National Biological Control Workshop to include industry, growers, university staff (research, extension, and intellectual property staff).
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