Integrated Pest Management: State Infrastructure Status after 50 Yr of Federal Support (1973 to 2023)

Authors

• Daren S. Mueller, Iowa State UniversityFollow
• Laura C. Iles, Iowa State University
• Carol L. Pilcher, Iowa State University
• Adam J. Sisson, Iowa State University
• Roger Magarey, North Carolina State University
• Ryan Adams, North Carolina State University
• Wanda I. Almodovar, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
• Diane Alston, Utah State University
• Patrick Beauzay, North Dakota State University--Fargo
• Ricardo Bessin, University of Kentucky
• Mandy Bish, University of Missouri
• Mary Burrows, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Alejandro Calixto, Cornell University
• Rakesh Chandran, West Virginia University
• Jed B. Colquhoun, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Mary Concklin, University of Connecticut - Storrs
• Amy J. Dreves, University of the Virgin Islands
• Peter C. Ellsworth, University of Arizona
• Paul D. Esker, Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus
• James J. Farrar, University of California, Davis
• Alfred Fournier, University of Arizona
• Daniel Frank, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Kelly Hamby, University of Maryland at College Park
• George Hamilton, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway
• Anthony Hanson, University of Minnesota
• Ann Hazelrigg, University of Vermont
• Natalie Hein-Ferris, University of Hawaii
• David Held, Auburn University
• James Jasinski, Ohio State University
• Heather M. Kelly, University of Tennessee
• David Kerns, Texas A & M University
• Miranda Kersten, Montana State University-Bozeman
• Lauren Kerzicnik, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Missoula, Montana
• Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University--Fargo
• Glen Koehler, University of Maine
• Heidi Kratsch, University of Nevada, Reno
• Christian H. Krupke, Purdue University
• Norman C. Leppla, University of Florida
• Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University
• Casey Matney, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
• Rebecca A. Melanson, Mississippi State University
• Frannie Miller, Kansas State University
• Marion Murray, Utah State University
• David Owens, University of Delaware
• Diane Plewa, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Francis P. F. Reay-Jones, Clemson University
• Silvia I. Rondon, Oregon State University
• Tom A. Royer, Oklahoma State University
• Philip A. Rozeboom, South Dakota State University
• Hilary A. Sandler, University of Massachusetts
• Scott P. Schell, University of Wyoming
• Marissa Schuh, University of Minnesota
• Timothy Seipel, Montana State University-Bozeman
• Danesha Seth Carley, North Carolina State University
• Ashfaq Sial, University of Georgia
• Raghuwinder Singh, Louisiana State University
• Damon L. Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Tim Stock, Oregon State University
• Glenn Studebaker, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
• Adrianna Szczepaniec, Colorado State University
• Lisa Tewksbury, University of Rhode Island
• John Tooker, Pennsylvania State University
• Adam J. Varenhorst, South Dakota State University
• Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, University of New Hampshire, Durham
• Doug Walsh, Washington State University
• Desiree Wickwar, University of Idaho
• Robert J, Wright, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Simon Zebelo, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

ORCID IDs

Mueller https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3005-3317

Sisson https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1223-5301

Burrows https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3765-0405

Ellsworth https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2485-0830

Farrar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1087-6415

Frank https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5217-9072

Hamby https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8425-2018

Hamilton https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7680-8047

Hanson https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5539-0486

Held https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9516-2034

Knodel https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0952-5893

Krupke https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3507-3210

Leppla https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0124-5048

Reay-Jones https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3691-4811

Rondon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7819-6934

Royer https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0912-7115

Sial https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5471-1818

Smith https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3436-3718

Szczepaniec https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9603-4533

Tooker https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9303-6699

Varenhorst https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6239-9860

Wright https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7543-7130

Zebelo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0372-7304

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2025

Citation

Journal of Integrated Post Management (2025) 16(1): 28

doi: 10.1093/jipm/pmaf016

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America

Comments

Copyright 2025, the authors. Open access

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Integrated pest management uses a variety of tools coupled with historical, current, and projected information for economical pest protection of crops and other resources while accounting for risk to humans and the environment. Following the 1972 US Federal IPM Policy, funding for integrated pest management programming has continued for 50+ years. However, multifaceted changes during this time have significantly affected state-level integrated pest management infrastructure, prompting a comprehensive survey to assess conditions, limitations, and growth potential of US integrated pest management programs. A survey was sent to 50 US states and 3 territories with integrated pest management programs in November 2022. Questions assessed integrated pest management-related staffing, funding, challenges, and other subjects. Information on invasive and emerging pests and barriers to providing integrated pest management to underserved populations was also requested. Results indicated 1,000+ integrated pest management specialists exist across state integrated pest management programs. integrated pest management programs involve diverse networks and stakeholders including university-based, federally funded, and society-based entities. The survey identified a clear need for a robust integrated pest management programmatic network containing trained multidisciplinary integrated pest management specialists to address the challenges caused by a changing climate, invasive species, pest and pesticide resistance, regulatory changes, and technological advances. A strong and collaborative group of integrated pest management specialists must be maintained and strengthened to address pressing and pervasive threats to food security and human health and wellbeing caused by existing, new, and emerging pests. A unified vision and stable support are needed to enhance and empower multistate integrated pest management programs, creating a national system so all can access the information, services, and tools for protection of health, home, and livelihood.