Executive Summary

Program:
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in cooperation with state land grant university partners, other USDA agencies, and key private sector stakeholders initiated a program across the United States Corn Belt in 1996 as a means to reduce insecticide usage while providing consistent corn rootworm control. The ARS hopes to reduce rootworm beetle numbers in mulitple fields in an area by using reduced rates of a specifically designed insecticide-bait targeted at adult corn rootworm and applied directly to corn plants.

Vision:
Ultimately, adoption by corn growers of new methods for the management of corn rootworm and other pests that are based on areawide pest management approaches that are both economically and environmentally advantageous over currently used pest control methods.

Mission:
Successful establishment and implementation of a corn rootworm areawide demonstration program that: a) is the result of a partnership of growers, private consultants, applicators and suppliers, research and extension personnel, and local, state and federal agencies who have a stake in the development and adoption of improved crop management technologies; and b) clearly demonstrates advantages of enhanced grower profits, reduced risks, enhanced environmental compatibility, and superiority of IPM approaches compared to current pest control approaches.

Goals:
a) to demonstrate an areawide IPM concept for the control of corn rootworm and other pests of corn such that voluntary adoption will occur throughout all corn-growing regions; and b) to develop a partnership of federal, state, local, and private interests who will be involved in the program from conception to adoption.

Advantages:
a) ensure consistency of control by using standardized management strategies over a broad area; b) reduce the amount of beetle movement among fields; c) potentially provide a more cost-effective program than field-by-field management; d) reduce the number of beetles within a defined area.