Plant Healthcare Dot CA

IPM Accredited Organizations

The IPM accreditation process will help reduce reliance on pesticides through the application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Plant Health Care (PHC) principles, with particular emphasis on the implementation of:

1. Cultural practices that promote optimum plant health


2. Pest prevention


3. Application of pesticides only when necessary


4. Use of reduced risk products

How It Works

• IPM accreditation accredits companies and/or organizations that demonstrate commitment to the principles of IPM.


• IPM is an approach that uses all available techniques in an organized process to suppress pest populations in effective, economical and environmentally safe ways.

Governing Body

• The PHC/IPM Council of Ontario


• Includes industry associations, government regulators and community environmental groups who are committed to introducing PHC/IPM as a method for reducing pesticide use.


• Council sets standards for the accreditation procedure and make decisions on conferring and revoking accreditation privileges.

Accreditation Process:

1. Pass an examination based on an IPM study resource package developed by the IPM Council.
2. Materials will vary by sector i.e. Lawncare, Landscape, Structural, Golf Course, and Municipal Parks etc. Training programs will be delivered in a variety of methods through Internet, college, university, private trainers or individual study


3. Commit to ongoing Professional Development by earning at least 10 Continuing Education Units (CEU) of accredited education programs per year. The IPM Council will confer accreditation on seminars run by Associations, schools or private trainers.


4. Follow the IPM Code of Practice. The Code will vary by sector


5. Submit to a company/organization audit, which would ensure that the principles of IPM are upheld. The audit for the lawn care sector may include the following items:
   
   
   
   1. Evaluate marketing/education materials
   
   
   2. Review customer education pamphlets
   
   
   3. Examine employee training activity
   
   
   4. Review pesticide reduction records (active ingredient/sq. metre)
   
   
   5. Gauge the degree to which the company/organization practice the principles of IPM and PHC (Cultural Practices, Pest Identification, Monitoring, Action Decisions, Treatments, Prevention, Controls, Evaluation).

Auditors will be third party individuals with demonstrated experience and knowledge of IPM as determined by the IPM Council.

1. Agree to follow the IPM/PHC Code of Practice.



2. Focus their business on the promotion and implementation of cultural practices such as using optimum soil depth and quality, suitable turf varieties, over-seeding, proper mowing heights, watering, fertilizing, aeration and/or de-thatching as components for maintaining healthy lawns and landscapes and preventing pest problems.



3. Will encourage, educate and solicit the assistance of the property owner/manager in ensuring that optimum cultural practices are followed.

4. Monitor the customers’ lawn and landscape for pest infestation at regular intervals and maintain a log of observations. Will provide the collected monitoring data in support of a province wide monitoring network and database. This information will be relayed to a provincial monitoring database every two weeks from March to November.



5. Support the principles of Integrated Pest Management as defined by Health Canada.
   
   • Integrated Pest Management or “IPM is a decision-making process that uses all necessary techniques to suppress pests effectively, economically and in an environmentally sound manner to sustain healthy landscapes.”
   
   
   • The elements of IPM include:
     
     • Identifying potential pest organisms.
     
     
     • Monitoring pest and beneficial organism populations, pest damage, and environmental conditions.
     
     
     • Managing ecosystems to prevent organisms from becoming pests.
     
     
     • Managing pest populations using strategies that combine biological, cultural, mechanical, behavioural, and when necessary chemical control.
     
     


6. Support mandatory IPM re-certification for all licensed employees.
7. Document pesticide reduction and pesticide alternative strategies through IPM and agree to monitor and keep records of pesticide use (active ingredient/ square metre) for audit purposes.


8. Offer a pesticide free alternative to customers who choose not to use pesticides.


9. Not apply pesticides unnecessarily.


10. Not sell programs that are based on numerous pesticide applications but rather encourage programs and services based on PHC/IPM.


11. Use pesticides only after examination (monitoring) and diagnosing, and in combination with additional horticultural measures.


12. Will prepare all sites for proper application i.e. remove items from the lawn etc.


13. Will apply treatments that are properly timed to maximize effectiveness. (Preventative treatments are discouraged and will only be used based on pest history as locally monitored. A province wide monitoring system will also be utilized.).


14. Utilize spot treatments for the control of weeds and insects. Blanket applications are only used if warranted.


15. Implement an effective staff training and safety procedure.
16. Apply pesticides only to target areas.


17. Implement buffer zones (where necessary) when making applications adjacent to sensitive sites.