ORGANIC PEST MANAGEMENT DECISIONS: A SYSTEMS APPROACH

Organic farmers make system-level crop protection decisions that combine complementary insect, disease, nematode, and weed management strategies. Data from a national survey of U.S. organic farmers were used in a multivariate count data model to identify the farm and regional factors influencing the intensity of adoption across the linked pest management categories. The results showed that weed management is of greatest concern to organic farmers. More intensive information-seeking and on-farm experimentation, higher educational attainment, and intensity of commitment to organic farming were positively related to the number of weed control strategies adopted. Predictions of adoption intensity based on this model and customized to farm and region specifications will give information providers lead time to develop technical support for reduced chemical pest management systems.