Integrated Pest Management (IPM) & Organic Agriculture Mr. Karnbach APES Pd. 7

What is IPM?  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management.  IPM programs use current information on the life cycles of pests & how they interact with environment.  This information is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and using a way that is least harmful to people, their property, & the environment. Integrated Pest Management

How They Work  IPM isn’t just a one step solution. There are many methods of this pest management.  Set Action Thresholds: Before doing anything, they (pest managements) take this step to decide if pest management actually needs to be done. They don’t want to do anything unneeded to the environment.  Monitor & Identifying: Next they monitor and identify the type of pests in the area. Not all pests are a harm to the land it is inhabiting. By observing first, they can decide which pesticides to use and what pests to get rid of. Integrated Pest Management

How They Work cont.  Prevention: The control methods used can be very effective and cost-efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment. The cultural methods, such as rotating between different crops, selecting pest-resistant varieties, and planting pest-free rootstock.  Control: Once monitoring, identification, and action thresholds indicate that pest control is required, and preventive methods are no longer effective or available, the chosen IPM programs are taken into effect. The use the “less risky” method to begin with. If the “less risky” methods aren’t working, then they move on to the stronger pesticides. Less risky methods include trapping, weeding, or disrupting the mating of pests. If these methods prove to be unsuccessful, the application of pesticides may be required.  IPM is used by farmers because it is cost effective and simple. Integrated Pest Management

Where is it Used?  IPM is used in one form or another in almost, if not every, country. Because common sense plays a large role in IPM, farmers may be using it without putting forth much of an effort. For example, simply scouting for pests is considered IPM. Integrated Pest Management

The Effects  Benefits: 1. Reduces agricultural risks by encouraging more ecologically sound pest control techniques (not pesticides) 2. Reduces exposure to pesticides 3. Reduces the potential for air and ground water contamination 4. Cost-effective Integrated Pest Management

The Effects  Risks and Drawbacks 1. As a last resort, pesticides may be used as a method of IPM. Pesticides can be harmful to humans and other organisms which breathe them in as they are made of harmful and even cancer-causing chemicals. They also require frequent updating as pests can develop immunities to them. Integrated Pest Management

Works Cited  "Benefits of IPM." - Integrated Pest Management. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 27 Feb Web. 07 Apr  "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 16 Mar  "IPM Frequently Asked Questions." IPM Frequently Asked Questions. The IPM Institute of North America, 8 Sept Web. 07 Apr  What is IPM? Digital image. Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Rutgers, n.d. Web. 7 Apr Integrated Pest Management