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Integrated Pest Management Systems (Bernalillo County)

Plan Goal

County Agent will regularly disseminate basic information on IPM, entomology & various arthopods impacting local producers, homeowners, and consumers.

Situation Statement

Bernalillo County has approximately 500 commercial horticultural businesses and 100 farmers with commercial, public, and / or private pesticide applicator licenses. These include nurseries, landscape designers, grounds maintenance, plant producers, and others. Growing interest in planting trees, reducing water use, and environmental safety are on increasing the demand for information by commercial nurserymen and farmers. Up to four times as much herbicides and pesticides are used per acre by urbanites than by farmers. The county population increased over 20% from 1900-2000 with most growth in urban/suburban areas. Having relocated from other states, many new residents have no experience with alkaline or saline soils or water; irrigation practices are unfamiliar with BMP's. Consequently, urban pests affect an increasing percentage of Extension clientele. Casual surveys continue to indicate over-reliance on commercially available pesticides by homeowners and pest control operators to control key and nuisance pests as well as perceived pests. Local advisory groups desire to maintain outreach programs on entomology and pest management and to continue recertification programs for PCO's and Private Applicators.

Target Audience and Actions

Educate at least 150 clientele per year about human, economic and environmental best management practices in landscaping and farming. Increase their knowledge about use of pesticides on urban landscapes and farms. Promote reduction of organic wastes in landfills through composting and recycling. Work with industry associations and organizations to promote the industry. This will be accomplished through preparation of PowerPoint programs, supplementary handouts, displays, presentations, web-site fact sheets, news releases and publications on subjects pertinent to clientele information needs will be prepared and delivered as needed. Attention will be given to commodity organizations in or serving New Mexico producers as well as pesticide applicators, Master Gardeners and garden clubs, youth and the general public. County Extension personnel will coordinate between entomologist(s) and pest management specialist(s) at the state level and their clientele: farmers, ranchers, Master Gardeners, industry, homeowners, youth and other audience groups.
Professional and timely dialogues will ultimately strengthen the relationships among all participants. County Extension personnel will request and coordinate special programs and program materials from specialist(s) to share with clientele as well as any special training needed, such that they feel competent to not only present but also explain or interpret these program materials to clients by themselves, as needed. Clientele survey instruments will be shared between state IPM specialist(s) and County Extension staff, as needed.

Short-Term Objectives

The learners should learn how to use pesticides safely, economize by using proper amounts at the optimum times, and use pesticides at the peak timing to eradicate only the target pests. IPM program participants in pesticide applicator and commodity organization classes will self-report their understanding of key features of selected horticultural and commodity pests, their life cycles, types of damage caused and potential management strategies has increased by at least 50% at the end of the program. Master Gardeners taking Entomology IPM classes will will self-report their understanding of key features of selected horticultural or landscape pests, their life cycles, types of damage caused and controls has increased by at least 10% by the end of the program.

Medium-Term Objectives

Coordinate educational programs through the Think Trees Workshop, and incorporate IPM practices in all agricultural programs, to include Pesticide Applicator Training. Provide Pesticide Applicator Training for 75 NMDA Pesticide License holders to earn Continuing Educational Units (CEU’s) for annual re-certification each year. Provide two or three extra four or five CEU workshops to groups who cannot attend the annual three-day workshop. The intent of the training is that if pesticides must be used, that they be used properly, according to the label to prevent groundwater contamination and damage to the environment. Clientele will be able to to define IPM and list at least three potential IPM strategies for managing certain insect pests. County Agent help develop & review materials for presentation and handouts to clientele.

Long-Term Objectives

Entomology IPM program participants in pesticide applicator and commodity organization classes will self-report at least a 10% increase in their understanding of how to incorporate new information on key existing pests or invasive species into their pest survey/scouting routines and IPM programs. Program participants will be able to describe how to collect samples of unknown arthropods for identification and evaluation by their county agents and/or the entomology specialist(s). After at least 2 years of disseminating and reinforcing IPM program information to clientele, state IPM specialist(s) and County Extension staff will share appropriate survey questionnaires to determine measurable changes in client social, economic or environmental situations as evidence of the impact dynamic IPM programs have on individuals, businesses and industries within each county. Training objectives and course materials will be improved and updated as necessary.

Evaluation Plan

Pre-post workshop surveys will assess increases in knowledge by IPM program participants in pesticide applicator and commodity organization classes. Pre-post workshop surveys will assess increases in knowledge by novice Master Gardeners taking Entomology IPM. Pre-post workshop surveys are also appropriate for returning Master Gardeners taking refresher classes or for those participating in entomology classes at the county level.