§ 3-381 — Integrated pest management program

A. An integrated pest management program is established in the Arizona department of agriculture for the purposes of managing insects, diseases, nematodes, weeds and rodents, educating the public and agricultural community and integrating crop management and cultural practices, field scouting, economic thresholds and chemical and biological control to reduce the use of chemical pesticides.

B. The integrated pest management program shall include instruction, research and development components. These components shall be developed and administered in a manner which encourages the following:

1. Expanded research on biological and cultural pest management technologies and on crop and pest resistance technologies.

2. Use of sampling methods, economic thresholds, monitoring technology, pest forecasting and the effects of weather on pest and crop parameters.

3. Delivery of current and new integrated pest management technology to the agricultural industry through cooperative extension.

4. Minimized levels of pesticides in feed, food and the environment.

5. Minimized economic losses due to crop, animal and stored grain pests.