2005| 2004| 2003

News and Events from 2005

• Grape Harvest Festival
  On September 1, the Center for Viticulture and the Center for Biological Control, FAMU, and the ARS Center for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, participated in the Grape Harvest Festival, an annual community outreach event.  There were guided tours of viticulture research activities and biological control research on pests and beneficial insects in pepper, tomato, sunflower, and cactus field plots.

News and Events from 2004

• Grape and Biocontrol Field Day 2004
  On August 27, the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research and the ARS Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit (IBBRU), Tallahassee, FL, co-hosted this year's Grape and Biocontrol Field Day.  The field day included a grape-stomping competition, grape tasting, muscadine juice tasting, and highlights of research programs at the two research centers.  The public toured the 30-acre facility.  Jesusa Legaspi, IBBRU entomologist, and FAMU personnel coordinated the event.
  
  
• International Entomology Conference 2004
  On August 12-21, several ARS scientists presented research at the XXII International Congress of Entomology--Strength in Diversity, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.  Michael T. Smith, entomologist, ARS Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, Newark, DE, presented research findings on detecting Asian longhorned beetle infestations with new ARS acoustic detection technology developed in cooperation with Richard Mankin, entomologist, ARS Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit, Gainesville, FL, and others.
  
  
• Center for Biological Control Newsletter
  Stephen Hight, Jesusa Legaspi, and Stuart Reitz serve as faculty at the Center for Biological Control, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Florida.  Their mission is to conduct research on the biological control of weeds and insect pests of vegetable crops.  The May, 2004 newsletter is now available ( pdf formatted newsletter).
  
  
• Scientists Judge Annual Florida State Science and Engineering Fair 2004
  On April 15, scientists from the ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, served as judges at the 49th Annual State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida, in Jacksonville. A judging team consisting of Everett Foreman, engineering technician, and Rob Meagher and Jeff Shapiro, entomologists, ARS Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit, awarded USDA Certificates and a 1-year subscription to Agricultural Research magazine to the top three projects in each of 13 junior and senior sections. The fair is administered by the Florida Foundation of Future Scientists, an organization that promotes excellence in science and engineering education.

News and Events from 2003

• Florida A&M University (FAMU) Small Farm Field Day:  On September 18, scientists from the ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, stationed at the Institute for Biological Control, Tallahassee, participated in the Small Farm Field Day at the FAMU research farm in Quincy. The public toured research plots demonstrating new integrated pest management practices for vegetable crops. This collaborative research with FAMU Cooperative Extension Service and University of Florida scientists is funded, in part, through a grant from the Center for Cooperative Agricultural Programs, titled "Demonstrating Emerging Pest Management Technologies to Resource-Limited Producers."
  
  
• Center for Biological Control Newsletter
  Stephen Hight, Jesusa Legaspi, and Stuart Reitzserve as faculty at the Center for Biological Control, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Florida.  Their mission is to conduct research on the biological control of weeds and insect pests of vegetable crops.  The April, 2003 newsletter is now available ( pdf formatted newsletter).