Multiplier Effect of Collaborative Nursery Crops Programming On Outputs and Outcomes

Extension nursery crops professionals in five Southeastern states formed an unofficial working group, the Southern Nursery IPM (SNIPM) Working Group, to foster regular collaboration, thereby enhancing programming, increasing synergistic opportunities, expanding delivery of specialized expertise to growers across a region, and leveraging resources.  The group is composed of entomology, horticulture, plant pathology, and weed science faculty and field staff.  The SNIPM Working Group was awarded a Southern Region IPM Enhancement Grant in 2009 to develop a multi-state pest management strategic plan (PMSP) and crop profile (CP), outputs that originated from a focus group of nursery growers representing the five states.  Financial support from the grant served as a catalyst for this group.  Since receiving funding, the SNIPM Working Group produced a 200 page PMSP, which captures stakeholder-identified research, Extension and regulatory pest-related priorities and a 150 page CP, which profiles the highest priority nursery pests.  The SNIPM Working Group also published six state association newsletter articles and two popular press articles, developed one intellectual property, created a website, delivered one regional and one national presentation, and was recently awarded a second grant.  In addition, the SNIPM Working Group conducted a survey of nursery growers’ pest management practices in the five state region, from which two refereed journal articles were developed.   The initial funding has had a multiplier effect by stimulating multi-state Extension publications and spin-off research projects that resulted from closer association of the SNIPM Working Group members and greater awareness of individual expertise.  Grant dollars awarded to the SNIPM Working Group for direct expenses were $14,995.  To date, the SNIPM Working Group has a resource to output productivity ratio of 833:1; for every $833 grant dollars awarded an output was generated.  Comparisons with other resource to output productivity ratios indicate that the SNIPM Working Group is a prolific and resource-efficient working group.  Outcomes for nursery growers include increased knowledge due to information exchange among growers at the focus group meeting and increased resources (articles, publications, etc.).  Mid- and long-term economic and environmental outcomes are anticipated due to greater alignment of the SNIPM Working Group research and Extension goals with stakeholder input due to the extensive needs identification process undertaken by the focus group.