When these mature in the spring the chinch bugs move en masse to anything green, including cotton. They can injure seedling cotton particularly along field margins if numbers are extremely high. The best way to prevent problems is by controlling the weeds, as with a lot of insects. Also noted on these weeds have been Lygus sp.

Grasshoppers continue to be noted in pastures and rangeland. Keep close watch on crops.

Weevil activity as indicated by the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation is exceedingly low. Please cooperate with trappers so that they can maintain traps and acquire good data. These are the eyes and ears of the program. Without them more dollars will be expended than is probably necessary.

FIELD SCOUT SCHOOL
A training session for those interested in learning more about field scouting will be held Friday, May 31st, at the Ollie Liner Center in Plainview (on Business I-27, just south of town). The scout school will begin with registration at 8 a.m. This program will offer training in pest identification & scouting procedures. CEU's for TDA Pesticide Applicators and Worker Protection Standard Training will be provided as well. For more information, please contact me at 894-2406.

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.

1) IPM is not a rigid program of management techniques. While the tactics and treatment thresholds may vary, successful IPM strategies can be developed for any level of crop production or any commodity regardless of economic value.

2) IPM is not organic farming. While IPM seeks to minimize or optimize the use of high risk synthetic pesticides, it recognizes that pesticides will be needed to maintain highly productive agriculture for the forseeable future and pesticides are currently the best option available for certain situations. IPM selects pesticides that are effective, economical and least disruptive to the production system. Organic farmers are prevented from using some of the low risk techniques and technologies available to IPM growers simply because they are synthetic.

3) IPM is not low input, low yield farming. IPM strategies can be developed for any level of production or any commodity. IPM evaluations over the years generally indicate that IPM maintains or increases yields while reducing production costs resulting in increased net profits.

4) IPM is not being tied to any certain companies products or services but rather seeks current, unbiased, science-based information to solve problems.

5) IPM is not static but rather advances the understanding of agricultural systems and the intelligent use of existing and new technologies through research and demonstrations on growers farms. IPM seeks to put the best science and the best management practices available to work on growers farms.

6) IPM is not risky but rather scientific studies and farmer evaluations indicate that IPM reduces economic, human health and economic risks associated with farming.

7) IPM is not scouting one field on the farm and using the information to treat all fields on the farm alike.

Worker Protection Standard

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a set of federal regulations that applies to all pesticides used in agricultural plant production. If you employ any person to produce a plant or plant product for sale and apply any type of pesticide to that crop, WPS applies to you.

The WPS requires you to protect your employees from pesticide exposure. It requires you to provide three basic types of protection: you must inform employees about exposure, protect employees from exposure, and mitigate pesticide exposures that employees might receive.

The WPS requirements will appear in the "DIRECTIONS FOR USE" part of the pesticide label. For more detailed information, consult EPA publication 735-B-93-001 (GPO #055-000-0442-1) The Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides — How to Comply: What Employers Need to Know, or call Texas Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Worker Protection Program, (512) 463-7717.

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