IPM


The National Coalition on Integrated Pest Management has
developed a straight forward, easily understood definition of
IPM:

"IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining
biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that
minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks."
National Coalition on IPM, January 1994.

Recently, Oregon State University has developed a publication
called Integrator, Integrated Pest Management Resources for a
Sustainable Agriculture. The following information, excerpted
from their Sept., 1995 issue of Integrator, sheds further light
on what IPM is, by describing what it is not.

What IPM is Not...

Defining IPM was nearly a minor growth industry in itself. Now,
in a landmark paper sponsored by an agrichemical group with a
great deal of input from specialists in IPM related activities
comes a list of "What IPM is Not." The paper's authors noted
that, "It is critical to know what it is not to prevent
unrealistic expectations of what the concept can and cannot do
for agriculture." Their list suggest that: 

* IPM is not new: in one form or another, it has existed since
  the advent of agriculture. Science based IPM programs,
  however, are only a few decades old.

* IPM is not implemented overnight: an IPM program involves many
  players farmers, advisors, scientists and can take years to
  fully develop and implement.

* IPM is not organic farming: organic farmers, who use no
  synthetic inputs, are prevented from using some low-risk IPM
  techniques because they involve synthetic inputs.

* IPM is not a formula to eliminate or reduce pesticide use: 
  IPM can often result in reduced, safer, and more judicious
  pesticide use. 

* IPM is not a rigid program of management techniques: It is a
  mix of suitable techniques and options designed to manage
  pests under a specific set of circumstances.

* IPM programs are not universal: the applicable techniques and
  options vary with geography, crop, and socio-economic factors. 

(excerpted from: "An Overview of Integrated Pest Management," a
West. Agric. Chem. Assn. white paper.)

(Submitted by:  Marcia McMullen, Plant Pathologist )