initiation of statewide educational programs for managing boll weevils 

 and other cotton pests in Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, 

 Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North 

 Carolina. Growers are required to pay the costs of field scouting for 

 insects, which averages about $1.50 per acre. 



Starting in 1973 and continuing through 1976, Extension began to expand 

 the program to other major crops. These crops included corn, soybeans, 

 rice, peanuts, tobacco, wheat, grain sorghum, alfalfa, potatoes, vegetables, 

 citrus, pears, apples, peaches, and pecans. 



In 1975 and 1976, in order to maintain progress already made, the "pilot 

 projects" were renewed as "application projects" in order to teach 

 additional farmers the principles of 1PM, and to expand programs to 

 cover additional pests. Renewals were made with the provision that 

 farmers must pay the direct cost of monitoring pests in their fields, 

 and USDA funds would be used for professional salaries and other 

 program costs such as computer services, educational materials, and 

 scout training. 



At the outset, emphasis was placed on managing insects because of 

 the great use of insecticides. As the projects were expanded, most 

 included monitoring of diseases, weeds, and nematodes as well as 

 insects. Most of the projects are now multidisciplinary in that the 

 objective is to manage a complex of pests in multiple cropping systems 

 involving two or more crops. 



In 1978, all states will have the opportunity to initiate pilot pest manage- 

 ment projects on commodities and pests of their choice. A minimum 

 of $25,000 of federal funds will be provided to each state for this 

 purpose, with a maximum of $115,000 to states with greatest pesticide . 

 use. Approved projects must meet USDA guidelines. 



Organizing a State IPM Program 



To carry out such a complex program, the Extension Service had to 

 develop a new system of providing IPM information to farmers. An 

 interdisciplinary State Pest Management Steering Committee with 

 farmer representation is established in each state. This committee 

 decides on the type of technology that is feasible to implement, estab- 

 lishes policies, and identifies the area of the state, crops, and pests 

 to be included in the project. Also, the steering committee suggests 

 grower fees and other financial and legal arrangements. During the 



