ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMS

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

What Does the Integrated Pest Management Program Do?

- Promotes the use of IPM by Pennsylvania growers, agribusiness and other pesticide users.
- Provides literature on the benefits of IPM to growers and the public.
- Supports IPM through referrals to pest identification resources and other services.
- Encourages the voluntary adoption of IPM in Pennsylvania public and private schools by providing training and materials.
- Works concurrently with Penn State University. Go directly to the Penn State University Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Page.

Why is the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Involved in Integrated Pest Management?

The Department is required by the Pesticide Control Act of 1973, as amended in 1987, to educate all pesticide applicators about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) control methods as a part of license recertification requirements.

In addition, Pennsylvania is a signatory party to the Chesapeake Bay resolution which encourages the promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to citizens as a method to reduce toxics in the Bay.

The Department at the present time has assigned the responsibility to coordinate both IPM and Sustainable Agriculture activities to the contact listed below. Since many pest control practices also have sustainable agricultural value and vice versa, combining the programs makes good sense that our IMP coordinator coordinates IPM activities with Penn State University IPM Coordinator, Dr. Edwin Rajotte on a regular basis to insure continuity of statewide IPM efforts. This collaborative effort is known as the Pennsylvania IPM Program (PA IPM).

A listing of IPM/Sustainable Agriculture materials available through the Department, including handouts, brochures, videos and slide programs, may be had upon request to the above numbers or through any one of the seven Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Regional Offices.