INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT | ||||
| Pre - dominant Pest Control Strategy | Cropping system uses multiple, non - chemical practices (e.g. crop rotation, resistant varieties, biological control, etc.). Pesticides are used ju - diciously to respond to pest problems diagnosed through scouting. | Cropping system uses signif - icantly less pest - icides by relying on more than one pre - ventative pest control approach: cultural, biological, me - chanical, in com - bination with chemical control based on scouting. | Cropping system rarely uses pre - ventative practices to control pests. Chemical pest - icides are the primary means to control pests and are based on infrequent scouting | Pests controlled solely by pest - icides and practices to minimize pest pressure are not used. |
| IPM Knowledge and Skills | Farmer and consultant (if hired) understands key pest life cycle factors and exploits "weak links" for effective man - agement. Pest ID and scouting in- formation always used to manage pests and beneficial organisms. | Farmer knows key pest species of crops, has been trained in pest ID, OR employs certified, pro - fessionally - trained consultant. Scouting in- formation is often used to manage pests. in- formation on beneficials is not used. | Farmer knows key pest species of crops and has been trained in pest ID, but does not routinely use scouting in- formation to manage pests. | Farmer has not been trained to ID pests OR does not seek advice from professional consultant when managing pests |
| Pest Monitoring (including weeds, insects, diseases, vertebrates, nematodes) | Crops are inspected weekly in a systematic pattern throughout crop de - velopment. Field records kept for long - term comparisons. Density of insect pests, weeds, diseases and beneficials are calculated. | Crops are inspected for pests at critical periods of crop de - velopment, but pest densities are not monitored. | Crops are infrequently checked for pests and not in a systematic manner. | Crops are not inspected for pests. |
| Crop Rotation | Rotation with more years of small grains (oats, wheat, etc.) and / or legumes than row crops. Additional crop diversity is used, including strip cropping, trap crops, under - seeding, and cover crops. | Three - crop rotation used including a legume and / or small grain. OR Rotation of row crop with legume or small grain every other year. | Rotation of row crops with a legume or small grain at least one out of every three years. | Continuous intense row crop(s) with no rotation. |
| Crop Resistance | Crop variety is usually selected for pest re - sistance (resistant to insect feeding, diseases, competitive with weeds, etc.) above yield potential. | Pest re - sistance is as important as yield when selecting a crop variety. | Pest re - sistance is considered when selecting a crop variety, but is not the primary factor in choice of variety. | Crop variety selected only on the basis of price and potential yield. |
| Weed Man - agement | Cultural and me - chanical practices used to suppress weeds and minimize seed survival (cultivation, crop rotation, certified seed, cover crops, etc.). Weed species and pressure are frequently monitored through the use of check strips, scouting and field maps. Herbicide rate is based on what is observed in the field. | Weeds are controlled through a com - bination of chemical and me - chanical methods. Field is monitored oc - casionally and herbicide rate is adjusted based on weed pressure. | Herbicides are the primary means of weed control and selected based on weeds present in fields. | Field is not monitored for weeds. Broad spectrum herbicide is used without regard to weed species or pressure. |
| Insect Man - agement | Farmer enhances habitat (food and shelter) for beneficial insects, birds, and pest pathogens. Beneficials are introduced to suppress pest pop - ulation when economical. Biological pest - icides (i.e. Bt, pyrethrum, etc.), pheromones or selective pest - icides are used to protect beneficials. | Farmer uses cultural and biological control processes but does not manage cropping system to enhance pop - ulations of beneficials. Selective pest - icides are used when possible to control pest insects and to protect beneficial organisms. | Farmer familiar with cultural and biological control but does not actively use it. In - secticides are usually used as a last resort and in accordance with treatment thresholds. | Farmer unaware of beneficials and reduces their pop - ulations through tillage and pest - icide use. In - secticides are used as insurance / calendar spray regardless of treatment thresholds. |
| Disease Man - agement | Crop diseases are managed through cultural methods (resistant varieties, crop rotation, field and equipment sanitation, certified disease - free seed, etc.). Soil samples for nematodes and tissue samples of diseased plant are diagnosed Fungicide use is based on disease prediction and scouting in- formation. | Crop diseases are managed through some cultural methods. Fungicide rate is adjusted based on scouting in- formation. | Fungicide are the primary means to manage diseases. Spraying done at first sign of disease | Field is not monitored for disease. Spraying is done based on stage of crop growth or by calendar date. |
| Additional Cultural Control Methods | Farmer relies on cultural methods to control pests such as: - Planting dates, methods and densities are adjusted to minimize pest pressure. - Cultivation / tillage is used to disrupt pest cycles when necessary. - Harvest is timed to manage pests. - Field residue managed to reduce pests. - Weed - free seed used. - Equipment is cleaned between fields and between uses. | Farmer usually uses cultural methods to control pests. | Farmer oc - casionally uses cultural methods to control pests. | Farmer relies only on chemical control of pests. |
PESTICIDE APPLICATION - Please answer questions that apply to your use of pest - icides. Even if you use a custom applicator, almost all questions should still be answered. | ||||
| Treatment Threshold | Pesticide app - lications are made to reduce pest problems only when they reach a pre - determined treatment threshold. "Weak link" of pest's life cycle is targeted for pest - icide app - lications. | Pesticide app - lication is based on pest pop - ulation levels determined by scouting, but treatment threshold is not used. | Pesticide app - lication is made at first sign of pests. | Pesticide app - lication is based only on calendar date or stage of crop de - velopment. |
| Pesticide training | People who mix, load, and apply all pest - icides are certified through a state regulatory agency, and keep current on pest control strategies between cert - ifications. | People who mix, load, and apply all pest - icides are certified, but do not stay current on new pest control strategies between cert - ifications. | People seek certifi - cation only to mix, load, and apply restricted - use pest - icides. | People who mix, load, and apply restricted - use pest - icides are not certified.** |
|
Pesticide selection | Farmer selects pest - icides for effec - tiveness, to minimize human health concerns, and to avoid en - vironmental impact (e.g. low toxicity, narrow spectrum, no effect on non - target crops and animals, low leaching and runoff potential, low volatility, short persistence). | Impact on en - vironment is considered in selecting pest - icide (e.g. toxicity, effect on non - target crops and animals, solubility, volatility, persistence). | Pesticides selected based on effec - tiveness against known pests. Health and en - vironment are not significant factors in pest - icide selection. | Pesticides selected by price and effec - tiveness only. |
| Label reading | Farmer reads pest - icide label before purchase, before use, before storage, and before disposal of waste. All label directions are followed. | Farmer reads pest - icide label to match the rate with the specific pest. All other pre - cautions are followed. | Farmer reads pest - icide label only to determine the general rate to apply the product. | Pesticide label is not checked for safety pre - cautions or directions for use. Pesticide is used in a manner incon - sistent with its labeling. |
| Application rate | Farmer uses pest - icide below label rates in con - junction with cultural practices (e.g. banding with cultivation or ridge tillage). | Farmer uses sprayer technologies and methods to reduce amount applied. | Farmer applies pest - icides at label rates based on needs determined by scouting. | Pesticides are applied over the label rate, and / or not according to label. |
|
Sprayer calibration and main - tenance | All spray and granular equipment is serviced before the start of each crop season and calibrated several times during the season. Sprayers are thoroughly rinsed between app - lications of different types of pest - icides. | All spray and granular equipment is serviced and calibrated before the start of each crop season. Sprayers thoroughly rinsed between app - lications of different types of pest - icides. Calibration repeated at least once during the growing season. | All spray and granular equipment is serviced and calibrated before the start of each crop season. | Equipment is in disrepair (leaks, clogged, dirty, or cannot be properly calibrated). |
| Drift man - agement | Farmer follows a written drift man - agement plan. Drift reduction measures always used (low - drift nozzles, high spray volumes, drift reduction agents) for both ground and aerial app - lications. | Farmer does not have a drift man - agement plan, but drift reduction measures are frequently used. | Farmer rarely uses drift reduction techniques and methods. | Pesticide app - lications move off - target. |
| Weather conditions ( wind speed and rain forecast) |
Weather forecasts are used to plan pest - icide app - lications. No spraying or chem - igation is done when wind would move it off - target. Pesticide app - lications are made during label - required rain - free periods. | Weather forecasts are considered when planning to spray. Pesticide app - lications are made during rain - free periods and at low wind speeds. | Spraying or chem - igation is done on windy days OR post - emergence pest - icides are applied when rain is imminent. | Weather forecasts are not considered when planning to spray. Spraying in weather conditions contrary to the label. |
| Resistance Man - agement | Active ingredients and pest - icide classes are rotated with every app - lication to delay pest - icide re - sistance. | Tank mixes or sequential app - lications with multiple modes of action are used to delay pest - icide re - sistance. | Pesticide classes are rotated oc - casionally to delay re - sistance. | Pesticide classes are not rotated. |
| Record - keeping | In addition to legal require - ments (see column 3), farmer records all field operations, including pest man - agement practices and pest - icide app - lications, immediately after they are completed. Records are easily accessible and kept for several years. Records are used to design the pest man - agement program. | Farmer keeps records for all pest man - agement strategies and pest - icides applied (restricted - and non - restricted), including: - target pest and pop - ulation - stage of crop de - velopment - weather conditions - soil conditions
Records are easily accessible and kept for at least 2 years. | Farmer keeps records in accordance with state and federal laws for restricted - use pest - icides, including at least: - trade name and EPA registration number - total amount applied - date of app - lication - location, size of area, and the crop, commodity or site treated. - name and certifi - cation number of applicator Records are created within 14 days, easily accessible and kept for 2 years. | Records are incomplete and difficult to access. OR No records are kept. |
| Distance from Water Sources | Field - mixing of pest - icides is done on impervious surface or portable pad, AND more than 100 feet from a well or surface water. Setback distances, indicated on pest - icide label, are used for streams (inter - mittent or perennial), wetlands, tile drain inlets, buffer strips and grass waterways. | Field - mixing of pest - icides is done more than 100 feet from a well or surface water. Setback distances are used for open surface water, inter - mittent streams, and tile drain inlets Buffer strips and grass waterways do not receive pest - icide app - lications. | Pesticides are mixed and loaded 50 - 100 feet from a well or open surface water. Buffer strips and grass waterways receive pest - icide app - lications. | Pesticides are mixed, loaded and applied adjacent to or over surface water, tile drain inlets, or a well. Buffer strips and grass waterways are not used. |
| Spill Response Plan | Spill response plan is written, kept current, and reviewed by family and employees. Copies of the plan are filed with the county's Local Emergency Planning Committee. Authorities are notified immediately after a spill of a hazardous compound. | Spill response plan is written and routinely reviewed by family and employees. Phone numbers of emergency response personnel are next to the phone. | Spill response plan is developed but not routinely reviewed by family and employees. | Farm has no written spill response plan. |
| Irrigation Man - agement | Irrigation scheduling tools (rain gauges, computer programs, etc.) are used for all fields to reduce risk of leaching pest - icides below the root zone while meeting the water demands of the crop. | Irrigation schedules are adjusted according to trans - piration and rainfall rates for the area, but field in- formation is not collected. | Irrigation is based on soil and crop moisture need as estimated by farmer without mea - surement. | Irrigation is based on a schedule regardless of soil and crop water demand, weather forecasts, or pest - icide app - lication timing. |
| Residue Man - agement and Cover Crops | Crop residues and cover crops are always used to minimize pest - icide leaching, runoff, and erosion by wind. | Crop residues and cover crops are frequently used to minimize pest - icide leaching, runoff, and erosion by wind. | Crop residues and cover crops are sometimes used in fields highly susceptible to leaching, wind erosion, or runoff of pest - icides. | Crop residue and cover crops are not used anywhere on the farm. |
| Pesticides under Special State Rules | Pesticides under special state rules are not used (atrazine, aldicarb, metam sodium). Alternative pest control strategies or lower - risk pest - icides are used in prohibition areas. | Use of pest - icides under special state rule is reduced by rotating with lower - risk pest - icides or alternative pest control strategies. | Pesticides applied at lower than maximum rates allowed under special rule. | Maximum allowable rate used for pest - icide under special rule. Alternative pest control strategies are not used or not the first choice. |
July 23, 1998
Dennis Hoffman, Project Leader
Steve Dagitz, Webmaster