Agricultural IPM

En español

Agricultural professionals like farmers, fisherman and ranchers have been using IPM techniques for centuries. Crop rotation is one example because it disrupts the life cycle of many pests. In many agricultural settings, the principles of IPM apply. See some IPM methods below.

• Use knowledge about the pest's habits, life cycle, needs and dislikes.
• Use the least toxic methods first, up to and including pesticides.
• Monitor the pests' activity and adjust methods over time.
• Tolerate harmless pests.
• Set a economic threshold to decide when it's time to act.
• Determine if promoting beneficial insects may help prevent or control pests on your crop.

In agriculture, IPM strategies can be large-scale, even nation-wide. Quarantines and import inspections help to exclude pests from counties, states, or whole regions. Open communication helps everyone monitor the activity of important pests. Weather information can be used to predict pest activity, as well. The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports a network of IPM Centers around the country to promote research and information sharing.

Additional Resources:

• Natural Enemy Releases for Biological Control of Crop Pests - University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Crop and Pest Data - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Crop Profiles - Southern Integrated Pest Management Center
• Crop IPM - Canada Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs
• National Plant Diagnostic Network - Supported by USDA and many others
• Pest Tracker - Purdue University
• Sustainable Pest and Weed Control Database - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
• National Organic Program - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Pest Management Guidelines: Agricultural Pests - University of California Statewide IPM Program
• Agricultural IPM - University of Florida
• Pesticides: Water-Related Risks of Active Ingredients - University of California Statewide IPM Program
• IPM Pest and Plant Disease Models and Forecasting - Integrated Plant Protection Center
• Integrated Pest Management for Farming - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.