Safer, more sustainable pest management

Managing pests is essential to healthy, safe and productive agricultural, urban, residential and natural areas. But pesticides can cause air and water pollution and unintended harm to nontarget organisms. Pesticide exposure has also been linked to human health problems. In addition, many pests eventually develop resistance to commonly used chemicals, rendering those chemicals ineffective. Researchers and Extension educators across the Land-grant University System are developing alternative pest control methods and promoting proper pesticide application.

Here are a few examples of that work:

• Extension educators in Texas helped collect and legally and safely dispose of over 1 million pounds of surplus pesticides. This helps keep pesticide chemicals from running off or leaching into soils and water and saved each pesticide applicator an average of $2,000 in disposal costs.
  _{Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; project supported by state appropriations funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Pesticide spray applicators on citrus farms in California’s San Joaquin Valley avoided 7,500 applications (over 768,000 pounds of pesticide) between 2016 and 2021 thanks to Extension recommendations and tools that improved pesticide spray efficiency.
  _{University of California; project supported by state appropriations and Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• In Georgia, pesticide drift complaints have dropped at least 80% since the inception of a pesticide stewardship program in 2015. During 2023, trainings reached pesticide applicators representing nearly 2 million acres of land in Georgia. The value of this program is estimated at over $546 million.
  _{University of Georgia; project supported by private grants & contracts and Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, Pennsylvania researchers and their collaborators made discoveries about tomato fruitworm caterpillars that could shed light on nonchemical ways to enhance plants’ natural defenses to caterpillar feeding and additional stressors like drought and heat.
  _{Pennsylvania State University; project supported by Hatch funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Researchers in Washington used unmanned aerial systems (drones) to detect and map climate-induced changes in insect pest pressures in forest ecosystems, which will help guide fine-scale management of forests in the western United States, including when and where to apply insecticides.
  _{Washington State University; project supported by McIntire-Stennis funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• With a unique approach that uses sentinel insects, researchers in New Mexico showed that natural predator control of insect pest eggs is often over 80% as long as predator populations are not disrupted by frequent insecticide applications. In just alfalfa and pecan, this level of control would save growers over $6.5 million per year in chemical pest control costs and losses.
  _{New Mexico State University; project supported by USDA Capacity – Research, Extension funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Extension educators in Oregon shared weather-based models, insect trap data and other information to help mint growers cut back on insecticide sprays and time applications properly. This is critical for optimum control and minimizing environmental spillover effects.
  _{Oregon State University; project supported by state appropriations funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• After engaging with Extension educators in Wisconsin, gardeners report that they plan to refrain from or reduce pesticide use during peak pollinator activity.
  _{University of Wisconsin; project supported by state appropriations and Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Researchers in Georgia identified which snap bean and squash varieties are most resistant to sweet potato whitefly and most responsive to entomopathogens that can help protect vegetable crops from whitefly infestations.
  _{Fort Valley State University; project supported by USDA Capacity – Research funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Researchers in Pennsylvania made key discoveries about goldenrod’s natural chemical defenses against gall flies that could illuminate ways to enhance crop plants’ defenses against pests without the need for environmentally disruptive pesticides.
  _{Pennsylvania State University; project supported by Hatch funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• Over the last decade, English- and Spanish-language manuals, trainings, certification courses and plant diagnostic services provided by Extension educators across Nevada have led to a substantial reduction in pesticide residues detected in urban sites, including drinking water sources.
  _{University of Nevada; project supported by USDA Capacity – Extension funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• After training by Extension educators in Minnesota, 84% of participants are more likely to consider pollinators and 75% are more likely to consider impacts to water quality before making any pesticide applications.
  _{University of Minnesota; project supported by Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• In 2023, Extension educators in Texas provided training that helped thousands of pest management professionals receive the certification and licenses they need to perform their work safely. The economic impact of these job-sustaining training activities is estimated at more than $255 million.
  _{Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; project supported by state appropriations. See full statement.}
  
  
• Extension educators in West Virginia re-certify around 1,000 pesticide applicators each year, promoting responsible pesticide use in the state and potentially saving participants around $423,000 in pesticide misuse fines.
  _{West Virginia University; project supported by Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}
  
  
• The Pesticide Applicator Report, developed by Extension educators in Vermont, includes up-to-date information about pesticide-related topics. Recipients report they are more likely to apply and use pesticides more safely.
  _{University of Vermont; project supported by USDA Competitive and Smith-Lever (3b&c) funds. See full statement.}

Photo courtesy Heping Zhu, USDA.