Council members in attendance: Dustyn Nelson (CNLA), Darryl Newman (Planter’s Choice Nursery, LLC), Connie Trolle (CT Fed of Lakes), Jatinder Aulakh (CAES), Victoria Wallace (UConn), Simon Levesque (D Ag), Denise Savageau (non-profit environment association)
A. Call to order: The meeting was called to order @ 2:07 pm.
B. Minutes of the June 16, 2022 meeting was approved. Motion to approve was made by D. Newman, seconded by D. Nelson. Motion passed.
C. Updates from Council Members:
D. Nelson reported that he contacted the Dept. of Agriculture legislative representative (Kayleigh Royston) to discuss the possibility of having the municipal preemption deadline extended. She relayed that is not within her purview and was going to supply a name at DEEP to further that conversation. D. Nelson expressed the need to pursue this conversation since IPC had requested this approval in past IPC annual reports. D. Nelson also mentioned that CNLA members were sent a survey developed by UConn Extension that would help identify producer insight into invasive tendencies of Callery pear.
D. Newman – no report
S. Levesque updated the IPC re: the Farmland Restoration Grant Program. The grant is currently open until early December. A Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Farming Grant will open in November and will award grants that support the implementation of climate smart practices. Applications for the Environmental Analyst position are being received.
D. Savageau relayed that she has had communication with members of some conservation districts about the imbalance of populations of native plants and invasive plants on these properties. She asked that the IPC consider a review and potential update of the Invasive Plant List. She said the IPC should re-visit the process and time frame for review of the list over time.
C. Trolle- no report
V. Wallace mentioned that UConn Extension is receiving applications for both the Pesticide Safety Education – IPM Extension Educator position and the Soil Health Extension Educator position. She mentioned that the 2022 CIPWG Symposium will be held on 11.3.22 and will be virtual. To date, registrations are strong. She also mentioned that she was to work with CNLA to survey the members about Callery Pear and hopes to report the results at a later IPC meeting.
d. Old Business
MOU for Invasive Plants Coordinator: V. Wallace reported that S. Everhart is waiting for DEEP to receive final approval and transfer of funds to support the IPC position. The expectation is an RFP will be refined and the position will be advertised late 2022.
e. New Business:
Savageau asked S. Levesque if the DoAg should consider a broader definition of climate smart as opposed to USDA NRCS definition, in the future might allow more opportunity for applications to the climate smart grant? She believes the NRCS standards are narrow and focused on carbon sequestration. She supports a broader definition that would include practices to support climate adaptation/resiliency not just GHG mitigation.
D. Nelson mentioned there is still a demand and economic value to some potentially invasive plants. Legislators and the general public have trouble distinguishing cultivars/variety and may mistake a non-invasive cultivar/variety as an invasive cultivar/variety. Ongoing research is occurring at UConn that involves the development of sterile cultivars/varieties of existing invasive plants. IPC must encourage the use of non-invasive plants and substitute species. NY State has a list of plants they consider regulated and they must be sold with a tag that clearly states it has the potential to be invasive. Maybe this process is something CT growers consider as they phase out certain economically important invasive species and encourage interest in non-invasive alternatives.
V. Wallace suggested that CIPWG review the IPC list and report decisions at a later IPC meeting. After the symposium, the CIPWG steering committee can discuss the document. There is potential to review plants with the new Invasive Plant Coordinator once that person is in place. Could possibly have the IPC member of CNLA review the plant list once CIPWG makes their recommendations.
D. Lauippa asked about the status of the soil transport report recommendation made by the IPC. Was it officially adopted by the Environment Committee? V. Wallace relayed that that R. McAvoy did send as part of his annual report but did not hear whether it was or was not adopted. V. Wallace will reach out to R. McAvoy about discussions related to best practices. It was mentioned that when Logan Senack was Invasive Plant Coordinator, he had drafted a document and maybe this document could be compared with the IPC soil report recommendation. D. Nelson believes that there should be a bill introduced by the legislature to support the guidelines/recommendation.
V. Wallace mentioned that the February IPC meeting and other 2023 meeting dates need to be determined. In the past IPC has had 2-3 meetings/year. If there is a subgroup meeting as an outcome of the new business discussions, those meetings could be independent of the IPC scheduled meetings. She will send a doodle poll for a virtual meeting on Tues or Wed of the week of Feb 13. Time will be 2-4 pm.
Adjourn: The motion to adjourn was made by D. Nelson, seconded by D. Newman.
Meeting adjourned @ 3:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Victoria Wallace, IPC Chair