Transcript NRCS Pest Management

IPM in NRCS Programs
Joe Bagdon ([email protected])
USDA - NRCS National Water & Climate Center
Amherst, Massachusetts
NRCS Pest Management
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Primary NRCS roles:
• Evaluate site-specific environmental risks
– “SWAPA+H”
• Plan appropriate mitigation techniques
– IPM and other management techniques
• Including pesticide application rate, method & timing
– Conservation Practices
• Including Residue Mgt., Irrigation Water Mgt. & Buffers
• Help support the adoption of IPM
– Available IPM is required by the NRCS Pest
Management (595) standard - “PAMS”
Pest Management
Environmental Risk Analysis
Biological control risks?
 Cultural control risks?
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• Erosion & soil quality impacts (tillage)
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Pesticide control risks?
• Direct impacts
– Applicator safety
– Worker protection
– Beneficials (including pollinators)
– Wildlife (in the field)
Pest Management
Environmental Risk Analysis
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Pesticide control risks?
• Indirect impacts
– Soil quality - leaching to soil microorganisms
– Air quality - drift and volatilization
– Water quality - runoff and leaching
• Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST)
– Human drinking water
– Fish habitat
Basic Mitigation Categories:
1. Reduce quantity of pesticide applied
(IPM)
2. Utilize less hazardous pesticides (IPM)
3. Prevent pesticide from moving away
from point of efficacy in the field (IPM)
4. Prevent pesticide from leaving the field
- bottom of root zone - edge of field
(Conservation Practices)
NRCS Pest Management
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Applying the NRCS Pest Management
Standard (595) means that:
• Environmental risks are evaluated for
natural resource concerns (WIN-PST)
• Appropriate mitigation (including IPM) is
included in the conservation plan to meet
Field Office Technical Guide quality criteria
• Pest management is integrated with other
components of the conservation plan
NRCS Pest Management
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Applying the 595 standard helps:
• Producers get credit for their mitigation
– Many practices are already in place!
– Environmental benefits of IPM are recognized!
• Justify USDA program payments
• Reduce the regulatory burden
• Conserve natural resources!
NRCS Programs
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Most challenged resources get first priority
• Incentives to try new practices (3 year limit)
• Conservation Innovation Grants
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Conservation Security Program
• To maintain and enhance natural resources
• Rewards the best farmers and ranchers who are
meeting the highest standards of conservation and
environmental management on their operations
Conservation Security Program
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Tiered structure for contract payments
• Tier I, Tier II, Tier III
– More conservation equals more contract dollars
• Multiple payment components
– Annual stewardship component for base level treatment
– Annual existing practice component – maintenance
– Enhancement component - exceptional conservation
effort and additional practices beyond the minimum
– One-time new practice component
Conservation Security Program
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“Enhancement activities” include:
• Exceeding the requirements of a participation tier
• Improving a priority resource
• Participating in an on-farm conservation research,
demonstration, or pilot project
• Gaining the cooperation of at least 75% of the
producers in a targeted watershed
• Assessment and evaluation activities like water
quality sampling
Conservation Security Program
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Level 1 Enhancement:
• Apply more mitigation than required
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Level 2 Enhancement:
• Use only “Low” hazard alternatives
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Level 3 Enhancement:
• Use “High Intensity” IPM Systems
– Focus on pest prevention and avoidance
– Utilize low risk biological controls and pheromones
– Judicious use of other low risk suppression techniques
only when monitoring indicates action threshold exceeded
– Sustainable Ag and Certified Organic practices OK
– IPM specifications for high intensity system will be state
and commodity specific so they must be developed in
cooperation with local IPM specialists
“Enhancement Activities”
FY04 CSP - Pest Management
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Agrichemical Handling Facility (Interim)
Alley Cropping
Conservation Crop Rotation to break pest
cycles and decrease pest pressure
Establish Filter Strips or Riparian Buffers
Incorporate pesticides with tillage or irrigation
water to reduce runoff potential
Increase area of Constructed Wetland to trap
runoff and drainage flow)
“Enhancement Activities”
FY04 CSP - Pest Management
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Reduce pesticide application by using low
rates, spot treatment, banding etc.
Substitute non-chemical control methods
Use pesticide formulations/adjuvants that
reduce drift
Use 2 crop types in 3 years
Use 3 crop types in 4 years
Use beneficial insect control
“Enhancement Activities”
FY04 CSP - Pest Management
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Use only pesticides with WIN-PST hazard
ratings of “Low” or “Very Low”
Utilize GPS technology for banding and spot
treatment of pesticides
Utilize only pesticide application equipment
such as: Hooded sprayer, direct injection
sprayer, GPS guided sprayer, band
applications, spot treatments
Utilize organic pesticide management
“Enhancement Activities”
FY04 CSP - Pest Management
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Utilize pesticides which have a WIN-PST
Soil/Pesticide Interaction Loss Potential and
Hazard Rating of “Low” or “Very Low”
Develop refuge habitat for beneficial insects,
use pheromones, etc.
FY04 CSP
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FY 2004
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2,200 participants
$41 million
1.9 million privately-owned acres
18 watersheds in 22 states
37% Tier I ($20K max)
40% Tier II ($35K max)
23% Tier III ($45K max)
FY 2005
• Greatly expanded nationwide based on funding?
Suggestions
 Have strong IPM representation on NRCS
State Technical Committees
 Offer to help NRCS with the state-specific
versions of their conservation practice
standards for Pest Management (595)
• IPM by commodity
• IPM principles - PAMS
 Focus on the primary goals of NRCS
programs - reducing non-point source
pollution to protect water, air and soil quality,
and IPM should get its share of the pie!