Subject: [PANUPS] 40.000 US Farmers

From: PNEWS <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 1994 13:26:43 -0400 (EDT)

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/* Written by paninfopubs in igc:pesticide.info */
/* ---------- "PANUPS: 40.000 US Farmers" ---------- */
From: PANNA InfoPubs <paninfopubs>

=============================================================
  PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK NORTH AMERICA UPDATES SERVICE
=============================================================

Over 40,000 U.S. Farmers Significantly Reduce Pesticide Use

August 29, 1994

Over 40,000 farmers in 32 states have significantly reduced 
their use of chemical pesticides according to a report 
prepared for the United States Senate Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. The Pesticide Use 
Reduction Assessment, compiled for a June 1994 hearing on the 
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 
indicates that a wide variety of alternative management 
techniques are being applied by U.S. farmers in response to 
both environmental and economic concerns. 

The Senate Agriculture Committee commissioned the survey of 
state Extension Service Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 
Coordinators to collect data on the number of farmers using 
particular strategies, the number of acres of production 
affected, and the overall impacts on pesticide use and net 
farm income. IPM Coordinators were also asked to provide 
specific examples of successful alternative pest management 
practices. 

The survey's findings include:

-- In Alabama, 2,300 cotton growers, farming 420,000 acres, 
reduced their use of pyrethroid and carbamate insecticides by 
40% through the use of IPM pest control methods.  

-- In California, approximately 7,100 almond growers, farming 
on over 434,000 acres, used a variety of monitoring and 
management practices and achieved a 78% reduction in 
insecticide use without a decrease in yield or quality. Also, 
growers utilizing IPM techniques on 20% of California's wine 
grape acreage have reduced insecticide and fungicide 
applications by 50%, while maintaining yields and increasing 
quality.
	
-- Seventy-eight dairy farmers in New York use cultural 
management and biological control agents to manage flies, 
resulting in a reduction of pesticide use of up to 80%.

-- Insecticide use on Texas cotton dropped to about 2.3 
million pounds (nearly an 88% reduction) in less than ten 
years following intensive IPM education programs conducted by 
the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

-- One hundred and thirty-five banana growers in Hawaii have 
eliminated pesticide use against banana skippers by using two 
introduced Hymenopterous parasites to control the pest. 

-- At least 35% of Nebraska's corn acreage is rotated to 
soybeans, reducing the need for insecticides to control corn 
rootworms. Use of crop rotation has resulted in a reduction 
of over one million lbs. of active ingredient per year, and 
an annual savings in farmers' production costs of at least 
$10 million. 

The survey indicates that the implementation of a variety of 
pest management practices, ranging from simple changes in 
application methods to crop rotation and monitoring and the 
use of biological control agents, have had a profound impact 
on farm profitability through reduced pest control costs and 
improved yields. 

Source: "Pesticide Use Reduction Assessment," Michael D. 
Fernandez, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and 
Forestry, June 29, 1994.

Contact: Michael D. Fernandez, Staff Member, Senate Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; phone 202-224-5207; 
fax 202-224-2682. 

=============================================================
The Pesticide Action Network Updates Service (PANUPS) is a 
pesticide-related news service posted weekly by the 
Pesticide Action Network North America Regional Center 
(PANNA). PANNA is located at 116 New Montgomery Street, 
#810, San Francisco, CA 94105. Tel: (415) 541-9140. Fax: 
(415) 541-9253. To receive a standard information packet 
about the Pesticide Action Network send a short e-mail 
message to [email-masked].
=============================================================

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