Which statement best describes a goal of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

• A. Increase crop yields without regard to cost
• B. Protect the environment
• C. Eliminate all pests at any cost
• D. Rely exclusively on chemical controls

Answer: (B)

IPM aims to manage pest problems in a way that protects the environment while keeping pest-related damage at acceptable levels. It uses a mix of tactics—monitoring pest populations, applying action thresholds, and combining cultural, biological, mechanical, and, when needed, chemical controls—to reduce risks to people, non-target organisms, and the ecosystem. By prioritizing environmentally sound methods and using pesticides only when necessary and as targeted as possible, IPM emphasizes sustainability over simply eradicating every pest.

Choosing an option that focuses on increasing yields without regard to cost ignores environmental and long-term sustainability; aiming to eliminate all pests at any cost is unrealistic and can cause unnecessary harm; and relying exclusively on chemicals contradicts IPM’s approach of using multiple strategies and minimizing pesticide use.