Program Staff: Curtis H. Petzoldt

Vegetable IPM Coordinator (since 1985) Assistant Director, NYS IPM Program (since 1988) NYSAES, Geneva, 315.787.2206 cp13@cornell.edu

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Ph.D., Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, 1982

• M.S., Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, 1980

• B.A., Biology, Bates College, 1974

• Worked as a representative for Lilly Research Laboratories and Elanco Products, 1982-85

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Responsibilities

• As assistant director, support the director in determining program direction, tracking research and extension projects, and coordinating IPM efforts throughout the state. Supervise several staff.

• As Vegetable IPM Coordinator, lead vegetable IPM team, participate as resource person for Vegetable IPM Commodity Committee, conduct IPM research and implementation projects on a statewide and multi-state basis.

Current/Ongoing Projects

• Ongoing Vegetable IPM Systems Evaluation Project evaluates pest and crop management systems (conventional, IPM present, IPM future, and organic) on the basis of economic return, environmental impact and pest control efficacy. This is a long-term project that has been ongoing for 7 years.

• Primary resource for Cornell on IPM labeling. Works with Wegmans Food Markets and Agrilink and growers to develop and define IPM Elements for 20 crops.

• Cofounder, member of Board of Directors of the IPM Institute of North America, a non-profit organization devoted to national an international programs to identify IPM products in the marketplace.

• Coeditor of Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable Production. Led project to revise this annually published grower guide to include extensive IPM information. The document has been used as a model for other commodity publications in New York and for guides in other states.

• Webmaster for Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable Production. The online version of the annually produced grower guide which contains links to many other websites with IPM and crop production information.

• President and co-founder of the Northeast Weather Association, a non-profit organization that links electronic weather instruments owned by growers and processors to computers that download data on a daily basis and calculate pest forecasts based on pest and crop models developed in the northeast. Results are displayed in near real time on a website accessible to members of NEWA.

• Co-author of the widely used Environmental Impact Quotient, an index that allows users of pesticides to choose pesticides that are least harmful to the environment. Leader of a current project to update the beneficial organism component of the EIQ and update pesticides that are in the index.

• Coordinates linkages of the IPM Program to Cornell Cooperative Extension through the IPM Program Work Team and other Program Work Teams.

Accomplishments (Past Five Years)

• Co-founder of the Northeast Weather Association (NEWA), which provides growers and other members with specific and timely weather information, pest and crop forecasts.

• Co-founder of the IPM Institute of North America.

• Lead revision of Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable Production to include IPM information and make it available on the internet.

• Author of "IPM Elements for New York Crops."

MEMBERSHIPS & SERVICE

• Vegetable IPM Commodity Committee

• Chair, Vegetable IPM Implementation Committee

• Member, IPM Operating Committee

• Co-chair IPM Program Work Team within CCE

• Co-chair of the Northeast IPM Commodity Working Group (through the NE Pest Management Center)

• President, Northeast Weather Association

• Vice President and Board Member, IPM Institute of North America

• Member, Vegetable Program Work Team within CCE

HONORS & DISTINCTIONS

• Excellence in IPM Award, 1998

• Outstanding Extension/Regulatory Display, 1999 Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting