Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 84 (2001) 267–275 Short communication Profiles of California farmers by degree of IPM use as indicated by self-descriptions in a phone survey C. Shennan a,* , C.L. Cecchettini a , G.B. Goldman b , F.G. Zalom c a Department Environmental Studies, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA b Division of Education, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA c Statewide IPM Project, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA Received 13 May 1998; received in revised form 27 July 2000; accepted 11 August 2000 Abstract Increasing numbers of growers in the USA report that they use integrated pest management (IPM) as their method of controlling agricultural pests. This study measured IPM adoption based on growers’ account of practices used to control a specific pest and self-descriptions of their general approach to pest management. Responses from telephone interviews with 195 California vegetable and fruit crop growers were used to develop five categories of intensity of IPM use. The majority of growers practiced at least a minimum level of IPM for key insect pests on their crops. Growers with relatively small farms and very large farms were the most intensive users of IPM. There was no difference between the intensity of IPM used by growers of different crops, even though the availability or economic feasibility of reduced risk control options for the key pests differed among the crops. Grower responses tended to elevate estimates of IPM use level through self-descriptions when compared with their account of practices used to control specific pests on these crops. Higher intensity of IPM was used by growers whose pest control advisors (PCAs) were not affiliated with agricultural chemical distributors than for those who were. Further, PCAs not affiliated with agricultural chemical distributors influenced growers to change their practices to a greater degree than did those affiliated with agricultural chemical distributors or employed in-house by growers. The combined use of growers’ control meth- ods used for a specific pest and self-description of their approach to pest management proved an effective tool for estimating the degree of adoption of IPM among selected growers in California. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Integrated pest management; Adoption; Survey method; Pest control advisor; Apples; Broccoli; Sweet corn; Grapes; Tomatoes; USA 1. Introduction Integrated pest management (IPM) is an ecologi- cal approach for addressing potential pest problems utilizing biological, cultural and selected chemical * Corresponding author.: Tel.: +1-831-459-4540; fax: +1-831-459-2799. E-mail address: cshennan@cats.ucsc.edu (C. Shennan). controls. Biologically based control approaches have been studied for many years, but the philosophy of IPM coalesced with the notion of developing eco- logically yet economically-based production systems which emphasize ‘management’ of pests below eco- nomic levels of damage (Stern et al., 1959) rather than eradication of pests. Adoption of IPM in United States of America agriculture was urged by President Nixon’s Council 0167-8809/01/$ – see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0167-8809(00)00248-6