Environmental Stewardship
Environmental Stewardship
Integrated Pest Management
Introduction
IPM History
What is IPM?
IPM Basics
IPM is not Organic Agriculture
IPM Adoption
IPM Benefits in the Real World
Syngenta's Commitment to IPM
Precision Ag - A Big Lift for IPM
The Producer is Key to Success
The Future of IPM
IPM Resources on the Web
Stewardship Home
What is IPM?


Insect
The more than 75 different definitions for integrated pest management demonstrate a wide diversity of viewpoints on IPM and the evolution of IPM as a concept. Some recent definitions state that pesticides are only used as a last resort in IPM, but that is not true and would prevent the evaluation of all effective tools in an integrated approach.

Here are some definitions of IPM:

"Integrated pest management (IPM) means the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize the risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms.” (Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides).

"Integrated pest management, or IPM is a systematic approach to crop protection that uses increased information and improved decision-making paradigms to reduce purchased inputs and improve economic, social, and environmental conditions on the farm and in society. Moreover, the concept emphasizes the integration of pest suppression technologies that include biological, chemical, legal, and cultural controls". (Allen, W. A. and E. G. Rajotte. 1990. Annual Review of Entomology. 35: 379-97.)

"Integrated pest management is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks". (National Coalition on Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM). 1994.)