2nd Breakout Session - Yellow Team: J. Lashomb, 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
- Bundling of products and services through partnerships with companies and consultants.
- Cost sharing through monetary rewards for use of biocontrol or hiring.
- Possible role of county agricultural colleges in training and production.
- Guarantee success of products.
- Use of prison inmates in production of biocontrol agents.
- Starter kit business.
List at least five unconventional ideas that might be tried.
Insectary located in an urban environment.
- Target Markets:
- turf grass on golf courses, landscapes, and roadsides.
- vegetable growers and gardeners.
- greenhouse crops.
- interior plantscapes.
- Products:
- natural enemies, generalist predators.
- service, scouting.
- repackaging, reselling.
- starter kits for education and use.
- Butterflies.
- surplus insects sold as food for reptiles at zoos.
- cut flowers on urban enterprise zone land from heavy metal contaminated soil – obtain superfund cleanup money.
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).
- Financing:
- advantages of urban enterprise zone.
- SBIR money for technology development.
- EPA pollution reduction grant.
- Landscape companies and growers association.
- Alliances:
- university for technical support and use of incubator facilities.
- extension for promotion and training.
- 4H.
- local government – DOT, board of education.
- grower associations.
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).
- Education of public, politicians, and growers.
- Identify customers and communicate with them better.
- Identify key influences of the decision making process and demonstrate efficacy to them.
- Target the market quality and reliability.
- Build consortia with other sectors of the pest management industry.
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