Profile: National Biological Control Institute

The National Biological Control Institute (NBCI) is part of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) -- the agency charged with protecting American agriculture. NBCI was established in 1990 to "promote, facilitate, and provide leadership for biological control". The NBCI staff has strong scientific expertise in biological control and IPM, and naturally promotes the use of biological controls. They want to increase awareness and understanding of the potential for biological control to reduce pest populations in an environmentally safe and sustainable way. To further this goal, the Institute has developed the NBCI Bulletin Board System for electronic access to biological control information (including this newsletter!). The staff members present talks on biological control and IPM to scientific and general audiences, and provide thousands of information packets and brochures every year.

NBCI also funds facilitation projects for biological control training, information, communication, and education. It has awarded $1.35 million in grants for biological control implementation projects, education and information projects (including support of students in areas important to biological control and IPM), publications, and support of meetings or workshops over the last four years. Some of the projects supported in the Midwest include: an evaluation of biological control of aphids (Kansas); an evaluation of the quality of commercially available natural enemies (Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue); publication of Pests Have Enemies Too!: Teaching Biological Control to Children (Illinois); publication of Biological Control of Insect and Other Pests of Greenhouse Crops (Wisconsin); and a Biological Control Workshop (Wisconsin).

In addition to these activities, NBCI provides leadership in pest management policy, offering guidance in strategic planning and program development concerning biological control at all national and international scientific and administrative levels. It offers expertise, information, and guidance in rewriting regulations and implementing procedures for introduction, interstate movement, and release into the environment of biological control agents.

If you have any comments or wish to receive more information, contact NBCI at:

Or find NBCI on the WWW

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