Strategic Agricultural Initiative
From 2003-2006, SAI helped implement IPM strategies on over 1.2 million acres of farm land, leading to a 30 percent reduction in the use of higher-risk pesticides on those acres. These IPM strategies potentially impacted approximately 4 million acres of farmland, thereby improving the safety and sustainability of American agriculture.
The Strategic Agricultural Initiative (SAI) was a partnership between EPA and the agricultural community. Via grants and other assistance, SAI supported the agricultural community's efforts to transition away from certain pesticides to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. SAI assisted partners in the search for agricultural solutions that are both cost-effective and protect human health and the environment.
SAI provided approximately $1.5 million annually for grants from 1998 to 2009. Although SAI was funded nationally, grants were awarded through each EPA Region - ensuring that funded projects addressed each Region's unique needs.
What Types of Projects Did SAI Grants Support?
Projects addressed one or more of the following goals:
- Use tactics such as demonstration, outreach, and education to increase IPM adoption
- Employ collaboration to discover regional solutions to pest management issues
- Measure and document risk reduction to the environment, human health, and the community
During the Initiative, SAI Specialists implemented grants programs in their Region and developed partnerships with agricultural stakeholders in their regions such as growers, pesticide users, educators, and the research community. These partnerships provided technical assistance to promote adoption of new practices and technologies, outreach and communication to build awareness, and opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders to uncover new solutions. By facilitating a two-way dialogue between EPA and specialty crop growers, SAI ensured that EPA could consider a variety of perspectives when acting on important pest management issues.
