PCO PCO Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following pest control materials is listed as allowed under the USDA NOP National List?
- DDT
- Diazinon
- Neem oil (Correct answer)
- Malathion
Correct answer: Neem oil
Neem oil is listed as an allowed substance on the USDA NOP National List for pest management in organic production.
Question 2: An inspector observes that an operator is using sticky traps for insect monitoring. This practice is:
- Prohibited because it harms beneficial insects
- Acceptable as a non-toxic monitoring tool within IPM (Correct answer)
- Only allowed with advance certification authority approval
- Prohibited in all certified organic operations
Correct answer: Acceptable as a non-toxic monitoring tool within IPM
Sticky traps are a non-toxic monitoring tool that fits within the IPM framework and is acceptable in organic operations.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of an action threshold in organic integrated pest management?
- To set the maximum allowable pesticide application rate
- To determine when pest populations require intervention (Correct answer)
- To establish the required buffer zone distance
- To define the pre-harvest pesticide exclusion period
Correct answer: To determine when pest populations require intervention
Action thresholds in IPM indicate at what pest population level an intervention is necessary to prevent significant economic damage.
Question 4: How does diatomaceous earth function as a pest control tool in organic production?
- As an organic herbicide
- As a systemic fungicide
- As a physical/mechanical insecticide that damages insect exoskeletons (Correct answer)
- As a soil fertilizer
Correct answer: As a physical/mechanical insecticide that damages insect exoskeletons
Diatomaceous earth is a physical control agent that damages insect exoskeletons and is allowed in certified organic production.
Question 5: Which federal agency maintains the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for organic production?
- EPA
- FDA
- USDA NOP (Correct answer)
- OSHA
Correct answer: USDA NOP
The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) maintains and updates the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
Question 6: An organic operator wants to use a pest control material not currently listed in their OSP. What is the correct course of action?
- Use it immediately and report it during the next annual inspection
- Contact the certifier for review and approval before use (Correct answer)
- Apply it in a small test area to evaluate effectiveness first
- Use it if the product label says 'natural' or 'botanical'
Correct answer: Contact the certifier for review and approval before use
Operators must obtain prior approval from their certifier before using any new material not already listed in their Organic System Plan.
PCO PCO Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 2
Which of the following pest control materials is listed as allowed under the USDA NOP National List?