Defining and Measuring Defining and Measuring IPM Adoption RiskIPM Adoption Risk

April 9, 2000April 9, 2000

IPM Addresses RisksIPM Addresses Risks

Economic

Public health

Environment

IPM adoption risk?IPM adoption risk?

"We've used a crop consultant in the past…

Our concern is what happens if he's wrong?

... the cost of him being wrong is much more that the cost of that additional insecticide or herbicide.”

- Pete Jorgenson, Iowa farmer

Pete’s in good company…Pete’s in good company…

National Research Council

National Academy of Sciences

ERS, GAO, National Foundation for IPM Education…

More than TWENTY STUDIES over the past thirty years cite risk as a major barrier to IPM adoption

Many IPM risks:Many IPM risks:

Sampling error: How many outliers will I encounter this week?

Weather risk: If it doesn’t stop raining, I won’t get my post-infection application on.

Eye-of-the-beholder risk: I’d better let my neighbor try Pete Goodell’s crazy idea first this time.

Existing insurance?Existing insurance?

“The only consultants who get sued

are the ones with insurance.”

Federal Crop Insurance has a 15% farmer deductible or more

Risk creates problemsRisk creates problems

Low adoption

Advisors and IPM systems lose value

IPM systems need lots of built-in conservatism

Too many inputs used “just in case”

Coming to Convention Center Coming to Convention Center 209, tomorrow, 8 AM:209, tomorrow, 8 AM:

The world’s first federal crop insurance policy insuring extension nutrient management recommendations (and regulator mandates) to farmers

Bonus: Opportunity for fertilizer dealers to replace lost product sales with service income

How do crop consultants manage risk?

Pushing IPM envelope for contract growers and risk

See you there!See you there!