Welcome to the Department of Pesticide Regulation
The IPM Innovators Program

by Madeline Brattesani, Department of Pesticide Regulation
Associate Environmental Research Scientist
October 18, 1995.
Adapted from an article in Cal/EPA Report, August, 1995.

August 1995 was the first anniversary of DPR's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovators program. The IPM Innovators program was established in 1994 by the Pest Management Analysis and Planning Program (PMAP) of Cal/EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation. Having reached the first year milestone, we thought we would review what has been achieved in the past year and take a look forward to what is yet to be accomplished.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach which, as its name implies, integrates various techniques, using principles of applied ecology, to control pests. The underlying philosophy is to choose a method or combination of methods that are effective and are the least disruptive to the environment. Integrated pest management is based on a thorough understanding of the pest, the system it lives in (for example, farm, home, or school), and knowledge of the best available methods to control the pest.

The first step in IPM is to identify the pest. A pest is any organism (animal, plant, or microbe) that bothers people. Most insects are not pests and many are beneficial. The second step is to determine what damage it is causing by periodic monitoring. If the cost of control is higher than the damage caused, it will not be economical to control it. If control is needed, the last step is to choose one or more control methods.

The three major groups of pest control used in IPM are: cultural, biological and chemical.

  1. Cultural pest control is changing how you grow plants and maintain property to minimize or prevent pest problems. Examples would be covering food to keep ants away, pulling weeds by hand, using cultivators to destroy weeds, proper pruning to reduce disease problems, and using varieties of crops that pests do not like.

  2. Biological pest control is the action of organisms that kill pests. Many organisms (predators or parasites) make their living by eating other organisms. In most situations these beneficial organisms are naturally present and prevent pest problems. In some cases, they do not do their job well enough. However, we may be able to improve their effect by providing better habitat for them. In yet other cases where few effective predators occur naturally, we can release them onto plants. For example, gardeners can buy and release green lacewings, which are very effective predators of aphids. Some biological controls are registered pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis which is used to control a variety of pests from mosquitoes to worms in fruit.

  3. Chemical pest control is the use of pesticides, which are chemicals that kill pests. These must be used in ways that minimize damage to beneficial organisms, the environment, and human health, and should only be used if other methods do not work. Using IPM to manage pests, which involves using several of these methods together, often results in reduced use of pesticides.

As a leader in agricultural production, California has a longstanding commitment to the development of IPM. Since the 1880's, the State of California, the University of California (UC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have pioneered biological approaches to pest management. In the late 1950's, UC researchers introduced the terms "integrated" and "supervised" control of pests to agriculture to describe IPM practices. Continuing this effort, UC formally established its statewide IPM program in 1978. This program has provided international leadership in researching reduced-risk pest management methods.

The IPM Innovators program was established as part of DPR's commitment and legal mandate to encourage the development of environmentally sound pest management programs and to give recognition to individuals and groups that have demonstrated leadership in voluntarily implementing reduced-risk pest management systems. By giving recognition to these "innovators," we hope to encourage others to form Innovator groups. Last year DPR recognized 12 groups in both agricultural and urban pest management situations with IPM Innovator awards.

To identify IPM Innovators, DPR developed guidelines to characterize innovative systems. First, each IPM Innovator--typically a voluntary association or public organization--has a collection of practices for dealing with pests in a particular situation or a pest management system. These practices represent an approach to pest control that stresses the application of biological and cultural pest control techniques. Pesticides are used only when necessary to achieve acceptable levels of control with the least possible harm to nontarget organisms and the environment.

To control pests, the pest manager prefers not to consider control of one pest at a time but tries to look at all pests together and evaluate how control of one pest might influence the control of another pest. A good pest manager not only looks at the pests at a particular site, but considers the influences of neighboring crops and landscapes and other pest control practices in the same region.

Next, an IPM Innovator has established an organization to develop the knowledge and techniques necessary for its particular pest management situation, to determine that these techniques are cost effective.

Lastly, an IPM Innovator group has a willingness to share technical information both within and outside the group; a research effort so as to continue their innovations; and an administrative organization that unifies and supports the collective effort of participants.

Outreach Activities

Once an IPM Innovator has been identified, DPR works with the group or organization to strengthen its program and to increase adoption of its approach. DPR also identifies groups that would like assistance in developing reduced-risk pest management systems. In addition, DPR strives to help established groups share their knowledge and methods with others so that new groups will form and adopt less chemically intensive methods of pest control appropriate for their local pest management situation.

To promote this program to existing and potential participants, DPR developed an outreach program that began in 1995. Its purpose is to inform growers, organizations, and other interested parties about the IPM Innovators program. DPR works with its Pest Management Advisory Committee, the county agricultural commissioners, California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), University of California including Cooperative Extension, California State University system, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, local resource conservation districts, and others to carry out this program.

Presently, DPR's outreach program includes:

During 1995 and 1996, DPR is holding a series of grape workshops at various locations throughout the state. Lyn Hawkins and Bob Elliott of DPR's Pest Management, Analysis, and Planning Program (PMAP) organize these workshops which are hosted by a local organization, such as the county agricultural commissioner's office. Invited participants listen to innovators describe the different pest management and community problems they faced in implementing their IPM projects and how, by working together, they found effective and profitable solutions to different pest problems. The workshops are one way that DPR "gets the word out," from farmer to farmer. Another objective of these workshops is to encourage the formation of new groups which will use reduced-risk pest management practices.

The first grape workshop was held on March 2, 1995, in the Napa Valley. The workshop brought together growers and agricultural commissioners from several counties in the North Coast area, as well as representatives from the University of California and industry, to share information about alternative pest management practices from growers currently utilizing IPM methods. Among the speakers at the Napa Valley Workshop were members of the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, an IPM Innovator Award recipient. The workshop participants unanimously agreed that they would recommend such a workshop to others and found the information presented useful.

As a result of this and a second workshop held in San Luis Obispo, several groups have expressed an interest in organizing to adopt reduced-risk pest management practices. Other grape workshops are scheduled in Southern California in the fall of 1995, San Joaquin Valley in the winter of 1995-96, and for Sacramento Valley-Mother Lode in early spring 1996.

Future Activities

DPR will continue to recognize groups providing leadership in reduced-risk pest management in agricultural and nonagricultural situations; IPM Innovator awards will be given in the fall and winter of 1995. DPR solicits candidate organizations for the awards in agriculture and urban pest management.

At the May 1995 California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association conference, a resolution was adopted to encourage DPR in its efforts to implement the IPM Innovators program and to include the county agricultural commissioners in developing the program at both the state and local levels. This resolution by the commissioners' association provides the support and establishes the cooperation necessary for continued success of the IPM Innovators program.

New Directions

Two programs which provide funds for reduced-risk activities have been established as a result of recent legislation. These funds are important because they provide incentives to create more innovative projects. One program provides funds to develop demonstration projects in biologically intensive farming systems. Approved pilot projects will be managed by the University of California's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, while DPR administers the funds. In the second program, DPR administers a competitive grants program to provide funds for implementation and demonstration of new pest management systems. DPR issued a request for proposals in August of 1995, with awards for research planned in the spring, 1996. Proposals will be reviewed by the Pest Management Advisory Committee (PMAC) which makes recommendations to the DPR Director. The Director then makes the final selection.

The PMAC was established by law to advise DPR and the CDFA pest management issues. The PMAC is comprised of representatives of growers, processors, industry, public and private research and educational institutions, nonprofit educational organizations, and individuals knowledgeable about pest management. DPR invites the PMAC, the county agricultural commissioners, CDFA, UC and other organizations to help locate groups employing innovative pest management systems.

DPR looks forward to another year of recognizing innovation in pest management. We also look forward to new groups forming whose local efforts will develop innovative ways to manage pests for their particular system.