Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Animal & Plant Health Protection
Plant Health

Integrated Pest Management

The definition of Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, has been somewhat of a moving target through the years. Answers often spanned the spectrum ranging from simply considering alternatives to pesticides in economic terms, to using pesticides safely and according to the label directions, to incorporating as many alternatives to pesticides as possible, to the complete non-use of pesticides as in organic production settings. Compounding this variability is the wide range of agricultural crops and corresponding pests, pest control options, agronomic conditions, and the economic status of the millions of farmers across the country, who also have a variety of perceptions based on their personal experiences. In general, though, IPM promotes minimized pesticide use, enhanced environmental stewardship, and sustainable systems. And while IPM is often associated with agriculture, it can be applied in any setting having pests, including home gardens, warehouses, schools, hospitals, daycare centers, and residential areas.

The USDA, through its National IPM Network, has adopted the following definition:

"Integrated Pest Management is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks."

Components of IPM include:

Building awareness and being prepared. Obtain the best available information about the pests in your situation. Having knowledge of a pest's habitat, food needs, and life cycle is a must.
Prevention. Use available methods to prevent pest populations from becoming a health or economic risk. Often this can be done by creating environmental conditions that are not favorable for the pest, such as using mechanical cultivation or a crop rotation that interrupts the pest's life cycle. Often new varieties of crops are available that lessen our dependence on pesticides due to their ability to resist certain pests.
Scouting and analysis. Determine if a pest population is present and whether it is at a level requiring action. This should be done to get the most accurate picture possible - more than just a gut feeling.
Selecting a pest management option. Does the infestation absolutely require a pesticide? Will a mechanical cultivation achieve the same result at a lower cost? Will a biological agent, such as a predator or parasite work? Can the pest's environment be modified to be less desirable to the pest?
After choosing and implementing an option, it should be evaluated to determine what worked and what didn't in terms of pest reductions, costs of inputs, returns in yields, etc. This knowledge is then used to shape future actions of a pest management program.

The concept of Integrated Pest Management contrasts with old-school preventative chemical treatments that were made "just in case," or those made in response to any pest presence regardless of how small the infestation. We now recognize that we are dependent on the sustainability of our natural resources, including soils, ground and surface waters, air, and unique features such as wetlands. And this sustainability is dependant on our actions.

Below are a number of links providing more specific IPM information. Many of these also include links to other resources:

IPM in General:
EPA's National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center

IPM in Agriculture:
University of Nebraska's IPM and Crop Production web page
University of Nebraska's Pesticide Education Resources
University of Nebraska's WeedSOFT program
University of Minnesota's IPM World Textbook
USDA's National IPM Network

IPM at Golf Courses and other, highly-managed sites:
Environmental Principles for Golf Courses (search for "environmental principles")
Environmental Institute for Golf
The Groundwater Foundation's Green Sites Program

IPM in Greenhouses:
Michigan State University's Greenhouse Alert newsletter
The National Center for Appropriate Technology's Integrated Pest Management for Greenhouse Crops

IPM in Homes and Landscapes:
University of California's Pest Notes for Pests of Home and Landscape
EPA's Roach Prevention Activity Web Site For Kids

IPM in Schools:
University of Nebraska
EPA
Purdue University
School Pest Facts
Texas A&M University
University of Florida

Files in PDF format can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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