PCO PCO Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Question 1

What is the first line of defense in an organic IPM program?

Accepted Answer

Prevention through cultural practices

Answer

IPM prioritizes prevention through cultural practices before any intervention method.

Question 2

Under NOP regulations, copper sulfate used in organic crop production is considered a:

Accepted Answer

Restricted material requiring annotation compliance

Answer

Copper sulfate is on the NOP National List as a restricted material with specific use conditions that must be documented.

Question 3

Which of the following is an acceptable biological pest control method in certified organic production?

Accepted Answer

Beneficial insect releases

Answer

Releasing beneficial insects such as ladybugs or parasitic wasps is an accepted biological control method in organic systems.

Question 4

An organic contract inspector finds evidence of a prohibited pesticide residue on a certified field. What is the most likely regulatory consequence?

Accepted Answer

Suspension or revocation of organic certification after investigation

Answer

Detection of prohibited substances can result in suspension or revocation of organic certification following a formal investigation.

Question 5

What is the purpose of a buffer zone in an organic operation?

Accepted Answer

An area separating organic fields from potential contamination sources

Answer

Buffer zones protect organic fields from pesticide drift or contamination from adjacent non-organic operations.

PCO - PCO Organic Contract Inspector Certified Practice Test