Stephen J. Toth, Jr., Pest Management Information Specialist
Wayne G. Buhler, Pesticide Education Specialist

Volume 14, Number 2, March 15, 2004

RALEIGH – It’s health and safety first for public schools making pest control decisions, according to a Declaration signed March 4th by state officials and community partners. Representatives including NC Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb signed a Memorandum of Understanding that they hope will pave the way for the adoption of Integrated Pest Management in North Carolina public schools.

Several North Carolina school districts including Wake, Nash-Rocky Mount and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County already use Integrated Pest Management to control pests and reduce students’ exposure to pesticide residues. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a system that focuses on facility inspections, sanitation, and structural repairs to eliminate pest habitat, prevent infestations, and thereby reduce or eliminate the need for costly pesticide applications in sensitive areas such as schools. North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb summarized the purpose of the agreement: "This MOU represents the critical first step: making a commitment to a healthier learning environment for children."

“In partnership with these other agencies, Cooperative Extension brings the research-based knowledge of N.C. State University to address the problems of citizens. Just as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can help farm operators to limit the pesticides used on crops, it can also help school systems learn effective ways of controlling pests, while limiting pesticide usage around students,” said Dr. Joseph Zublena, Director of N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, based in N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Dr. Linker, Integrated Pest Management Director in Crop Science Department at North Carolina State University, organized the memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Linker says that IPM is like good medicine.

“You don’t take antibiotics to keep from getting sick, just like you don’t use pesticides to try to keep pests away”, he says. “You use all kinds of tools, and what we want to see is schools adopting these smarter methods of pest control”.

“What IPM really comes down to is doing the right thing for kids,” stated Jim Reuter, Facilities Director for Nash Rocky-Mount Schools and President of the NC Public Schools Maintenance Association (NCPSMA). His association along with several others, are represented in the agreement.

“Children are more sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of pesticide exposures,” said Fawn Pattison, Executive Director of the Agricultural Resources Center, another partner in the agreement. “It is important to minimize the use of toxic chemicals around them whenever possible, and this agreement represents our commitment to do just that.”

Representative Marian McLawhorn of Pitt County welcomed signatories to the event and praised the efforts of Pitt County schools, her home district, where IPM has been successfully used for years. The signatories represented in the MOU include: NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources, NC Department of Health & Human Services, NCSU Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Resources Center, NC Pest Control Association, NC Public Schools Maintenance Association, and the NC School Boards Association.

Source: Press Release, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, March 5, 2004

Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

Last modified on March 15, 2004 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.