Pest Management

A customized system to reduce crop and environmental damage with environmentally sensitive strategies of prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression to manage plant pests.

How it works

Producers use environmentally sensitive strategies such as scouting to identify, monitor, avoid and/or suppress insects, weeds and diseases.

How it helps

• Enhances the quality and quantity of products
• Minimizes negative effects of pest control on soil, water, air, plants, animals and humans
• Prevents over-treatment with custom applications for specific pests on specific areas of a field
• Lowers costs and energy inputs by reducing the number of passes over a field and/or the amount of pesticides applied

Planning ahead

• What are the risks for leaching and runoff for the pesticides you use on your soils?
• Did you establish filter strips along streams?
• Did you consider pest control alternatives?
• Did you use records of crops and pest control for reference?
• Did you rotate crops to reduce the chance of pest problems?

Technical notes

• Complete a pesticide risk assessment of potential environmental damage from leaching or runoff. Refer to this information when selecting a pesticide, and consider using additional practices or measures to offset potential risks.
• Wear protective clothing when applying pesticides.
• Mix and load pesticides in an area that will not contaminate water supplies. Prevent back-siphoning.
• Triple rinse containers before disposal. Burn paper bags.
• Apply pesticides during periods of minimal potential for drift or runoff.
• Use the lowest application rate practical and rotate pesticides.
• Use spot treatment or banding when possible in areas of concentrated pest populations.
• Use proper erosion control.

Maintenance

• Continue scouting to best identify pests and control methods.
• Keep records to track costs and chemical applications.
• Calibrate spray equipment.

< Back to Conservation Planning

Last Modified:  09/10/2007