Assessments

Economic Analysis
Agricultural economists at Purdue University are conducting economic analyses of the Areawide Pest Management project. A survey instrument was developed to gather detailed economic and production information for each field planted to corn. The data collected make it possible to benchmark each study site with available USDA-NASS statistical surveys. Data analysis is ongoing.

Marshall Martin, Purdue University

Insecticide Resistance Management
Entomologists in Nebraska are monitoring susceptibility levels of WCR beetles to carbaryl at all Areawide Pest Management sites to determine if susceptibility changes over the life of the pilot program. They also have an ongoing program to study various aspects of the existing WCR resistance situation in Nebraska.

Lance Meinke, University of Nebraska

Blair Siegfried, University of Nebraska

Mike Scharf, University of Nebraska

Robert Wright, University of Nebraska

Sociological Study
For Areawide Pest Management to succeed, support, cooperation, and financial commitment are needed from all of the growers within a specified geographical area. Researchers at Iowa State University's Sociology Extension Unit gathered baseline data from producers at the Iowa, Kansas, and Illinois-Indiana sites. When asked if they would prefer IPM or Areawide Pest Management a majority of producers chose Areawide Pest Management over current practices, assuming costs and controls were equal.

Steve Padgitt, Iowa State University