Economics of Integrated Insect Management in Stored Corn

Abstract

Insects can cause substantial damage to stored grain. In addition, consumers and therefore food processors are increasingly interested in chemical-free products. Integrated pest management (IPM) may increase farmers' profits while reducing their use of pesticides. This study uses a stochastic dynamic programming framework to model the economics of optimal insect control in corn, Zea mays L., stored on-farm with multiple controls conditional on the biophysical conditions of the grain in the bin. We find that for farmers who have a contract with a food processor, where there are quality premiums, the optimal management strategy depends on monitoring the biophysical conditions of the grain and the time period under consideration. For farmers who deliver to the commodity market, their current practices are optimal.

Quality assessment of corn batches received at a feed mill in the brazilian cerrado

“…Corn humidity is low year round in the regions supplying the corn. This probably affects these traits, inhibits mould growth, and makes it more difficult for insects to damage the corn grain (Yigezu et al, 2010).…”

Distribution, abundance, and seasonal patterns of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) in a commercial food storage facility

“…The cost of sampling programs for stored product insects have been quantified in only a few recent studies on insect pests in stored grain (Adam et al, 2010;Yigezu et al, 2010). In food facilities, treatments such as fumigation and aerosol application are much more expensive and disruptive, thus the primary focus should be on prevention and containment.…”

“…Guidelines for trap placement supplied by manufacturers have not been scientifically evaluated in the literature, nor have the economics of monitoring programs and methods of processing traps. The cost of sampling for stored-product insects in bulk grains has been addressed on a limited basis (Adam et al, 2010;Yigezu et al, 2010), but there are no comparable studies evaluating pheromone trapping programs. Campbell et al (2002) evaluated data from a monitoring study using re-sampling to assess how changing the number of traps impacted the estimated mean capture level; however; impact of trap density on labor and material costs of a sampling program have not previously been evaluated in the literature.…”

Sanitation's impact on the effectiveness of the pest management programs of food processing facilities

“…Past attempts to link improved management techniques with cost savings in stored grain and processing facilities have been mixed (Fox and Hennessy, 1999;Lukens, 2002;Adam et al, 2010;Yigezu et al, 2010). While empirically integrated pest management (IPM) techniques may prove to be equally cost-effective (Lukens, 2002), facility managers must internalize the value of these programs in order to justify the additional time and labor costs they require (Adam et al, 2010).…”