W' Eugene Thilsted, PhD

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W. Eugene Thilsted, PhD Strategic Agriculture
Initiatives Coordinator EPA Region 6 Pesticide
Section
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EPAs partnership program committed to reducing
the risks from pesticides in agricultural and
nonagricultural settings
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MISSION

• The Environmental Stewardship Branch (ESB) of the
  Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division
  (BPPD) within EPAs Office of Pesticide Programs
  (OPP) works to promote environmental stewardship
  nationally to protect human health and the
  environment by reducing risks of pests and
  pesticides through public-private partnerships,
  education, and other non-regulatory efforts.

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PESPs History

• Joint testimony by EPA, FDA, and USDA
• Fall 1993
• committed USDA to implementing IPM on 75 of
  agricultural acreage by 2000
• committed EPA to working with commodity groups to
  reduce pesticide use
• Meeting with stakeholders in Winter 1994
• use reduction was very controversial
• program should be focused on ag and non-ag

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History

• Program initiated by EPA in December 1994
• voluntary partnership between EPA and pesticide
  users to reduce pesticide risk
• Charter Partners
• National Potato Council
• American Corn Growers
• International Apple Institute
• California Pear Growers/California Pear Advisory
  Board
• California Citrus Board
• Utilities companies

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History

• Groups who did not represent pesticide users
  asked to be involved in PESP
• Supporter category added in 1996
• Aqumix, Inc. General Mills, Inc.
• Bay Area Stormwater Mgt Agencies Gerber
  Products Company
• Campbell Soup Company Glades Crop Care,
  Inc.
• Del Monte FarmASyst/HomeASyst
• Gemplers Inc. US Golf Association

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Pesticide Risk Reduction

• Major goal of pesticide regulation at EPA
• Achievable through
• regulatory actions
• incentives/priorities
• regulatory relief
• partnership programs

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Why a Partnership?

• A regulatory approach cannot always address
  site-specific needs
• Pesticide users are in the best position to know
  how to achieve pesticide risk and use reduction
• EPA is in a position to provide assistance to
  meet risk and use reduction goals

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Use versus Risk Reduction

• Use reduction is one tool to risk reduction
• Other tools
• alternative pest control practices
• improved application technology
• expert systems
• education
• communication
• Most participants in PESP use IPM/IVM adoption to
  reduce risk

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IPM Tactics

• Cultural
• Physical
• Genetic
• Biological
• Chemical
• Regulatory

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EPA Supports IPM
Pesticide Users
IPM Partners
LeveragingOurResources
GovernmentPartners
EPA
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Scope of Turf/Ornamentals

• Landscapes in urban areas
• households
• golf courses
• parks
• athletic fields
• schools
• commercial and institutional facilities
• 40 million acres of turf in U.S. (NASA)
• Would be 4th largest crop by acreage
• 1st largest crop by sales or value added
• Pesticides used on 58 of properties
• including do-it-yourself and commercial
  applicators (NGA)
• Potential for application rates to exceed most
  agricultural crops (Kline and Company)

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Performance Framework for Turf Measuring
Progress

• Build healthy soils
• adequate microorganism activity
• drainage
• oxygen flow
• Correctly identify pest problems
• Change underlying conditions that invite pest
  problems
• Spot treat when the conditions warrant
• Use less-toxic products when practical
• Follow label directions for use and disposal
• Use pesticides only when and where they are
  needed
• Increase benefits of residential landscapes (
  valued added)
• OPP, OW, and LE developing cross-media measures

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Diversity of PESP Members Involved in
Turf-Related Activities

• Bay Area Stormwater Management Agency
  Associations (BASMAA)
• Professional Land Care Network (PLANET)
• Center for Resource Management
• Florida Yards and Neighborhoods
• Golf Course Superintendents Association of
  America
• NaturaLawn of America
• San Antonio Water System

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IPM in the Urban Environment

• How do we accomplish this?
• Outreach / Communications
• Coordination with Regions and other HQ offices
• Collaboration with other federal agencies, state
  lead agencies and tribes

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IPM in the Urban Environment

• Low Income Housing
• Healthy Homes programs - CDC and HUD
• Developed IPM marketing package to sell IPM as a
  cost effective approach to pest management in
  public housing
• Worked with HUD on the development of new IPM
  policy and implementing guidance for public
  housing authorities
• Collaborating with CDC's National Center for
  Environmental Health to have an IPM track
  included in their annual meeting (700 people to
  attend)
• Providing technical expertise and guidance in the
  implementation of new IPM pilot programs in low
  income housing in NYC, Washington DC,
  Providence, Boston and Cleveland

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PESP Strategies

• Goal-oriented approach to keep all participants -
  Partners, Supporters and EPA - focused on the
  goal of pesticide risk reduction
• Intended to
• encourage thinking about risk reduction in a
  consistent, goal-oriented way
• elicit information that measures progress toward
  risk reduction
• focus EPA on helping members achieve risk
  reduction goals

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PESP Value Added to Members

• Access to EPA
• Liaison
• Recognition
• PESP Champion Awards
• Information-Sharing
• PESP Update
• Press Advisories
• Workshops
• Website - www.epa.gov/PESP
• Networking

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PESP Value Added to Liaisons

• Educational opportunity
• Professional growth
• Develop expertise

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Collaboration

• Armed Forces Pest Management Board
• OPP RD participation over 7 years
• Mosquito management techniques
• Tick management
• Joint award
• Fire ant control research
• DoD provides on-site staff - worker protection
  training/certification issues

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Wrap up

• IPM is important
• EPA has a lot of partners
• Adding value is essential for all
• Documenting success -- new focus
• BPPD/FEAD small staff working to make a big
  difference with the pesticide user community
• PESP Website http//www.epa.gov/pesp/

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Wrap-Up

• Contacts
• Steve Hopkins _at_ OPP BPPD EFD
• 703-308-0334 or hopkins.steve_at_epa.gov
• Edward Brandt _at_ OPP BPPD EFD
• 703-308-8699 or brandt.edward_at_epa.gov
• Eugene Thilsted _at_ EPA Region 6
• 214-665-2782 or thilsted.eugene_at_epa.gov