Pests are living organisms that occur causing damage to crops or humans. Insects, rodents, and weeds are all examples of pests. A pesticide is any substance or mixture to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests. Pesticides can be insecticides, herbicides, or plant defoliants. Farmers, ranchers, and homeowners all use pesticides.

Pesticides are very common in our world today. Whether they are used in agricultural practices or in household products such as insect repellents or detergents, pesticides are very abundant. Due to the abundance it is extremely important that pesticides be used, handled, and stored safely. If pesticides are not properly used animal, public, and environmental health can all be at risk. In humans, pesticides can be skin irritants, endocrine and hormone disruptors, or serve as carcinogens. Overuse of pesticides in agriculture may result in pesticide runoff that may eventually enter water sources. To avoid pesticide pollution of water sources both surface and groundwater, both homeowners and agriculturists must be aware and understand the impacts of pesticides.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information with available pest control methods to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment (EPA). Some common practices of integrated pest management include inspecting and monitoring crops, using mating disruption substances or natural predators.

Planning is a key step to an IPM. An IPM is a process or series of well thought out steps rather than a single action. Each step is dependent on the given situation, given pest, and physical and financial resources. IPMs are an excellent solution to managing pests while protecting the environment, human health, and water quality.

To learn more about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) click below.