Perseverance pays off: finishing the integrated pest management marathon with economics.

Abstract

Abstract This chapter attempts to combine final philosophical thoughts with practical suggestions for future work. First, it provides an overview of integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. It emphasizes the value of integrating design and control tactics to provide a solid foundation for IPM. Second, it focuses some attention on how funding, or lack of funding, may have influenced the historical paucity of economic analyses. Third, it provides some thoughts on education and Cooperative Extension and outreach to farmers from an economics perspective. Fourth, it looks at future innovations within IPM. The chapter is concluded with encouragement to readers to add economic analysis as a tool to help facilitate scientific decision making.