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CROP PROFILES
The Food Quality
Protection Act instructs USDA and EPA to obtain pesticide use data on
major and minor crops. Pesticides in the organophosphate and carbamate chemical
groups, and any pesticide classified as a possible carcinogen have been identified as top priority
for examination by EPA.
These same pesticides
are vital to the production of many New England crops. Because some of these
uses may be modified or canceled, it is important to identify where we stand
now, where we need to be in the future, and what research efforts are needed to
get us there. In order to better understand where future research pest
management efforts should lead, it is necessary first to identify areas of
critical need (i.e. those crops or situations where few if any alternative
control measures are available to producers).
Crop Profiles
are proving to be very useful in helping USDA and EPA obtain this information.
Each profiles provides the production story for a commodity,
including current pest management practices. Crop profiles show all
available options, and also indicate typical pesticide use patterns. They
also include other information, as listed below.
Production Facts:
State's ranking in
national production of the commodity.
States contribution to total US production of that commodity
(percent).
Yearly production numbers (total acres grown; total acres
harvested; cash value).
Production costs on a yearly basis.
Percent of crop destined for fresh market, processing,
feed, etc.
Production regions for the commodity within your state.
Cultural Practices:
- Cultural practices used for producing this commodity (e.g. soil types, irrigation practices, land
preparation, planting times, thinning practices, etc.).
- Intrastate or regional differences if they exist.
- Worker activities that may occur during
the growing season. Include such items as hand weeding, pruning,
thinning, spot-treating, mowing, hand-harvesting, hand pollination,
etc. This information is very important as EPA is
looking at worker re-entry Intervals (REIs) as possible risk mitigation
tools.
Insect/Mite Control:
- Identify and discuss the insect/mite pests on this commodity,
include: frequency of occurrence (yearly, sporadic, weather related),
the damage they do, percentage of acres infested with the pest (for
each growing season or crop cycle), critical timing of control
measures, yield losses attributed to each pest, etc.
- Note any regional differences that may occur within your state.
Chemical Controls: For each pest
discussed above identify the active ingredients that are used to
manage that pest, include: chemical name, formulations, percent crop
treated, type of application (aerial, ground, chemigation, banded,
broadcast, in-furrow etc.), typical application rates, timing
(pre-plant, foliar, 5-leaf stage, etc.), typical number of
applications per growing season or crop cycle, typical pre-harvest
interval, typical reentry intervals, etc.
- Identify any use of the chemical in IPM programs.
- Identify any use of the chemical in resistance
management programs.
- Discuss efficacy issues for each active ingredient.
Alternatives:
Discuss availability and efficacy issues associated with
the alternatives for the pest/pesticide combinations
discussed above.
Cultural Control Practices:
Identify and discuss any cultural practices (e.g.
planting dates, resistant varieties, row spacing) used to
manage the pests.
Biological Controls:
Discuss any biological control programs that are
relevant for the pest/commodity, include pheromone use if
applicable.
Post Harvest Control Practices:
Discuss any post harvest management practices that are
relevant for the pest/commodity; include pre-harvest and/or
post harvest practices that are used for post harvest pest
management, include storage treatments.
Other issues:
Discuss any export or food processor restrictions that
may limit the use of a given active ingredient or management
practice.
Describe on-going research activities that address a
possible replacement strategy for the chemical under
discussion. If possible discuss time-frame for
implementation.
Discuss any other relevant issues involving pest
management practices used on this commodity.
Weed Control:
Follow same format as for insects/mites.
Disease Control:
Follow same format as for insects/mites.
Nematode Control:
Follow same format as for insects/mites.
Key Contacts:
Cite References
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