Distribution of Pest Management Information:

• Program personnel make pest management information available to program stakeholders (i.e., University personnel, U. S. Department of Agriculture, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, grower groups, commodity organizations, and other interested persons and groups) through newsletters (e.g., North Carolina Pest News and Pesticide Broadcast), Extension bulletins and fact sheets, research publications, presentations at national, state and county meetings, electronic mail and news groups, the Internet, and additional means of communication.

• The National Pesticide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) at Purdue University is used routinely by program personnel to provide extension and research scientists at North Carolina State University with current information on pesticide products registered with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The Extension and research scientists use the timely information on registered pesticides to assist their clientele in managing agricultural and non-agricultural pests.

Pest Management Use Data Collection and Reporting:

• The North Carolina Pest Management Program provides leadership in the production of crop profiles for North Carolina agricultural crops. The program leader provides pest management and pesticide use data to the Extension specialists and researchers developing crop profiles for individual commodities, and reviews and edits completed crop profiles before they are submitted to USDA's Office of Pest Management Policy. Also, a national database of crop profiles has been developed and is being maintained at North Carolina State University.

• The North Carolina Pest Management Program supports the production of pest management strategic plans for agricultural crops produced in North Carolina and the Southeastern U. S. The program leader assists in establishing workshops for the development of pest management strategic plans, provides pest management and pesticide use data to workshop participants (university scientists and stakeholders), and reviews and/or edits completed pest management strategic plans before they are submitted to USDA's Office of Pest Management Policy. Also, a national database of pest management strategic plans has been developed and is being maintained at North Carolina State University.

• Since 1988, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service (via the North Carolina Pesticide Impact Assessment Program) has conducted mail surveys of peanut, potato, tobacco, cucumber, apple, sweetpotato, cotton, tomato, poultry, and Christmas tree growers in North Carolina to determine pest management and pesticide use on these crops. Pest management data collected through grower surveys are maintained and made available to stakeholders (i.e., University personnel, U. S. Department of Agriculture, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, grower groups, commodity organizations, and other interested persons and groups) upon request. Because these data must be updated periodically, grower surveys conducted five or more years ago are repeated, as needed. Whenever possible, surveys for additional agricultural commodities in North Carolina are conducted and the data added to the pest management use database. These data are a valuable resource for the development of crop profiles and pest management strategic plans.
• Pest management and pesticide use data is provided to the Southern Region Pest Management Center (University of Florida) and stakeholders upon request. The program leader collects the requested data from the pest management use database and/or Extension specialists and researchers in the State.

Monitoring of Pest Management Needs in North Carolina:

• The North Carolina Pest Management Information Program serves as an information resource for the Southern Region Pest Management Center and stakeholders on current pest management practices, problems and issues in North Carolina. The program leader remains informed of current pest management and crop production practices in North Carolina through attendance and participation in national, state and county meetings with growers and agricultural commodity groups. The program leader also participates in university commodity overviews where industry representatives (growers, buyers, etc.) have the opportunity for input into the direction of research and Extension programs conducted by university scientists.
• The program leader works in cooperation with national and state IR-4 (Minor Use Pesticides), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and Pesticide Applicator Training personnel to identify and address pest management problems in North Carolina. Linkages are established with county Extension agents, commodity organizations, pesticide dealers and industry representatives, agricultural consultants, the North Carolina Farm Bureau, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and others to identify pest control needs.