N.Y. Agriculture & Markets Law § 148-d: Vegetable and potato pest management

§ 148-d. Vegetable and potato pest management. Within the integrated

pest management program, there shall be established a vegetable and

potato pest management program. Such program shall be conducted in such

a manner to achieve the following objectives:

1. determine the occurrence and severity of pest problems in

commercial fields, and identify the specific environmental factors

influencing these events. Document the current pesticide usage and

assess the effectiveness of current pest management practices;

2. determine accurate and time-efficient sampling procedures and

forecasting methods which can be utilized by private consultants or

through cooperative extension. Determine the economic relationship of

pest incidence to yield or quality loss. Develop non-pesticide methods

of pest management in the areas of cultural practices, biological

control and crop resistance. In addition the proper timing, selection

and use of pesticides will be integrated into the overall management

programs;

3. aid growers in executing the most optimal crop protection program

by providing them with timely reports on pest presence and population

density levels, forecasted pest occurrences, crop growth, weather and

other environmental information, and providing the most current

interpretation of the data;

4. increase efforts to educate growers in the principles and tactics

of integrated pest management and demonstrate the economic advantages of

such a program;

5. develop concepts, techniques, and cultivars for integration of pest

resistance with other management tactics in potato production (e.g. crop

rotation, biological control, optimum use of pesticides);

6. develop pest sampling procedures, sound action thresholds,

forecasting procedures, and economic data necessary for effective

decisions in use of pest resistant cultivars and other tactics for

management of pests;

7. demonstrate the benefits and reliability of improved pest

management tactics to the New York potato industry; and

8. monitor performance of the proposed integrated pest management

program during its initial phase of implementation by the potato

industry.