Unlike organic producers, who widely advertise their produce as organically grown, very few farmers using IPM practices advertise their produce as IPM grown. An IPM poster was developed for farmers asking for help in educating their customers. The posters were displayed in 10 farm markets in New Jersey. The posters and accompanying fact sheets stimulated public interest. Additionally, the poster was well received by the participating growers, and there have been many inquiries about further distribution or availability. The poster is general enough to be used in other states and is available through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office of Pest Management

Holmstrom, Kristian

Infante-Casella, Michelle

Ingerson-Mahar, Joseph

Nitzsche, Peter

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 41 Number 1 Article 24 2-1-2003 Integrated Pest Management Poster for Farm Markets Michelle Infante-Casella Rutgers Cooperative Extension, minfante@aesop.rutgers.edu Peter Nitzsche Rutgers Cooperative Extension, nitzsche@aesop.rutgers.edu Joseph Ingerson-Mahar Rutgers Cooperative Extension, mahar@aesop.rutgers.edu Kristian Holmstrom Rutgers Cooperative Extension, holmstrom@aesop.rutgers.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Infante-Casella, M., Nitzsche, P., Ingerson-Mahar, J., & Holmstrom, K. (2003). Integrated Pest Management Poster for Farm Markets. The Journal of Extension, 41(1), Article 24. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol41/iss1/24 This Tools of the Trade is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesFebruary	2003	//	Volume	41	//	Number	1	//	Tools	of	the	Trade	//	1TOT5Integrated	Pest	Management	Poster	for	Farm	MarketsAbstractUnlike	organic	producers,	who	widely	advertise	their	produce	as	organically	grown,	very	fewfarmers	using	IPM	practices	advertise	their	produce	as	IPM	grown.	An	IPM	poster	was	developedfor	farmers	asking	for	help	in	educating	their	customers.	The	posters	were	displayed	in	10	farmmarkets	in	New	Jersey.	The	posters	and	accompanying	fact	sheets	stimulated	public	interest.Additionally,	the	poster	was	well	received	by	the	participating	growers,	and	there	have	beenmany	inquiries	about	further	distribution	or	availability.	The	poster	is	general	enough	to	be	usedin	other	states	and	is	available	through	the	Rutgers	Cooperative	Extension	Office	of	PestManagement.	IntroductionIn	1993,	the	United	States	Department	of	Agriculture,	the	Environmental	Protection	Agency,	andthe	Food	and	Drug	Administration	worked	together	to	develop	and	initiate	a	plan	to	have	IPMpractices	in	use	on	75%	of	the	total	crop	acreage	in	the	United	States	by	the	year	2000.	Effortswere	made	to	educate	the	agricultural	community	to	assist	with	the	implementation	of	this	plan.	Inaddition,	conservation	grants	were	made	available	to	agricultural	producers	through	the	FarmService	Agency	to	promote	the	adoption	of	IPM	methods.Farmers	use	Integrated	Pest	Management	(IPM)	practices	to	employ	responsible	tactics	whencontrolling	insect,	disease,	weed,	and	other	pests	in	crops.	Many	farmers	realize	the	economic,food	safety,	and	environmental	aspects	of	practicing	IPM	methods.	Additionally,	farmers	would	liketheir	customers	to	be	aware	of	the	efforts	made	to	reach	these	goals.	The	general	public	needs	tobe	educated	on	the	benefits	of	IPM.	Farmers	also	need	the	tools	to	notify	their	customers	about	thestrides	they	make	to	practice	safer	pest	management	practices.The	IdeaMichelle	Infante-CasellaAgricultural	AgentClayton,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	minfante@aesop.rutgers.eduPeter	NitzscheAgricultural	AgentMorristown,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	nitzsche@aesop.rutgers.eduJoseph	Ingerson-MaharVegetable	IPM	CoordinatorOffice	of	Pest	ManagementNew	Brunswick,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	mahar@aesop.rutgers.eduKristian	HolmstromVegetable	IPM	Program	AssociateOffice	of	Pest	ManagementNew	Brunswick,	New	JerseyInternet	Address:	holmstrom@aesop.rutgers.eduRutgers	Cooperative	ExtensionPast	and	current	work	has	focused	on	providing	an	IPM	service	to	farmers	and	teaching	theagricultural	industry	about	how	to	deliver	IPM	programs.	Over	the	years,	farmers	have	clearly	seenthe	impacts	of	using	IPM	related	to	improved	pest	control,	efficient	and	economical	pesticide	use,and	the	increase	in	quality	of	crops.	Farmers	want	to	expand	the	benefits	of	utilizing	IPM	from	thefield	to	their	markets.Farmers	are	always	looking	to	improve	marketing	tactics	for	their	products.	Produce	from	otherstates	and	other	countries	have	made	the	wholesale	industry	extremely	competitive.	Additionally,the	improved	quality	and	diversity	of	fresh	produce	supermarkets	offer	has	hurt	retail	sales	atseasonal	farm	markets.	Therefore,	farmers	may	be	able	to	find	a	marketing	edge	by	promoting	IPMto	entice	consumers	to	buy	produce	fresh	from	the	farm.	A	marketing	tool	was	needed	that	wouldcatch	they	eye	of	the	consumer	visiting	the	farm	stand.In	order	to	develop	an	IPM	marketing	tool	for	farm	markets,	members	of	the	Rutgers	CooperativeExtension	Vegetable	IPM	Working	Group	applied	for	and	received	a	$1,000	grant	from	theNortheast	Regional	Center	for	Rural	Development.	This	grant	funded	the	development	of	a	posterand	correspondence	related	to	the	project.A	brainstorming	meetings	were	held	and	resulted	in	the	development	of	a	poster	titled	"What	isIPM?"	(Figure	1).	The	group	sieved	through	their	collections	of	photos	to	choose	examples	thatcould	best	tell	the	message	of	IPM	practices.	The	poster	was	meant	to	be	easy	to	read;	wordstructure	was	chosen	to	be	to	the	point;	and	colors	were	strategically	placed	to	catch	the	attentionof	farm	market	visitors.Figure	1.The	"What	Is	IPM?"	PosterDescriptionThe	general	use	poster	was	developed	in	March	of	2000	to	provide	farmers	with	a	tool	to	informtheir	clientele	about	IPM	practices	used	on	the	farm.	The	poster	highlights	the	use	of	pest	resistantvarieties,	cultivation,	pest	monitoring,	natural	controls,	and	responsible	chemical	use	as	commontools	of	an	IPM	program.	Three	bullets	at	the	bottom	of	the	poster	point	out	why	consumers	shouldcare	about	IPM	on	the	farm.	This	section	mentions	that	IPM	conserves	the	environment,	producesquality	crops,	and	helps	to	maintain	farm	profitability.The	poster	was	printed	in	color,	was	laminated,	and	measured	2	foot	by	3	foot	to	draw	theattention	of	customers.	It	was	mounted	on	a	corkboard	to	be	easily	hung	in	a	prominent	space	inthe	farm	market.	Also	included	in	a	holder	next	to	the	poster	was	a	fact	sheet	also	titled	"What	isIPM?"	If	consumers	voluntarily	picked	up	this	fact	sheet,	they	also	found	a	pre-postedquestionnaire	card	attached.	This	method	was	used	to	measure	pubic	response.DistributionDue	to	limited	funding	for	this	project	($1,000),	10	farm	markets	throughout	the	state	of	NewJersey	were	selected	to	test	the	poster's	impact.	Because	New	Jersey	is	often	divided	into	threeregions	of	North,	Central,	and	South,	an	even	distribution	of	posters	was	established.	Three	posterswere	displayed	in	farm	markets	in	the	Northern	region,	3	in	the	Central	region,	and	4	in	theSouthern	region.	Sixty	survey	cards	per	poster,	for	a	total	of	600,	were	distributed	to	the	farmmarkets.	Team	members	from	this	project	visited	the	farm	markets	in	their	region	on	a	regularbasis	to	evaluate	the	dissemination	of	the	IPM	information.	Additionally,	the	team	memberscommunicated	with	the	farmers	about	the	effectiveness	of	the	poster.AssessmentOf	the	600	questionnaire	cards	distributed,	the	return	rate	was	a	7.8%.	Thirty-three	peoplesurveyed	were	aware	of	IPM	before	viewing	the	poster.	Ninety-five	percent	of	the	customers	didnot	realize	that	the	farm	they	visited	used	IPM	practices.	Ninety-seven	percent	felt	that	IPM	was	apositive	practice	for	farmers.	Ninety-eight	percent	said	the	poster	helped	them	to	betterunderstand	IPM.	Seventy-five	percent	replied	that	they	would	like	to	learn	more	about	IPM,	and47%	indicated	that	they	would	prefer	to	purchase	IPM	produce.Farmers	who	received	the	IPM	posters	and	fact	sheets	were	pleased	with	the	success	of	thematerials	and	felt	that	the	information	generated	a	heightened	awareness	among	their	customers.They	are	unsure	about	whether	or	not	it	increased	sales	of	IPM	produce;	however,	they	believe	ithas	created	a	more	loyal	and	informed	customer	base.Since	the	initial	10	posters	were	developed	and	displayed,	more	farm	market	operators	havebecome	interested	in	purchasing	the	posters	and	fact	sheets	to	use	in	their	sales	areas.	The	posterand	fact	sheet	are	general	enough	to	be	used	in	any	farm	market	selling	IPM	produce.	It	is	nowavailable	to	other	states.	Distribution	of	the	poster	is	being	handled	by	the	Rutgers	CooperativeExtension	Office	of	Pest	Management	<http://www.pestmanagement.rutgers.edu/>.	To	order	aposter,	email	stopek@aesop.rutgers.edu.Copyright	©	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Articles	appearing	in	the	Journal	become	the	property	of	theJournal.	 Single	 copies	 of	 articles	may	 be	 reproduced	 in	 electronic	 or	 print	 form	 for	 use	 in	 educational	 or	 trainingactivities.	Inclusion	of	articles	in	other	publications,	electronic	sources,	or	systematic	large-scale	distribution	may	bedone	only	with	prior	electronic	or	written	permission	of	the	Journal	Editorial	Office,	joe-ed@joe.org.If	you	have	difficulties	viewing	or	printing	this	page,	please	contact	JOE	Technical	Support©	Copyright	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Copyright	Policy

Integrated Pest Management Poster for Farm Markets

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Integrated Pest Management Poster for Farm Markets

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