The Realities of IPM: Challenges and Solutions for Pest Prevention in Food Safety

By Frank Meek

One of the major challenges in implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is understanding the definition of the program by all parties involved. If we asked 100 different people to define IPM, we would get about 75 or more different answers.

The concepts of IPM are not new. According to Cornell University, the first known pesticide use was in 2500 BC, using Sulphur to control insects and mites. Then, a thousand years later in 1500 BC, the first non-chemical cultural controls were implemented in farming to reduce insect issues.

Sanitation in a true IPM system involves removing at least one of the pests’ basic needs: food, water, shelter, or proper temperatures.

American entomologist R.J. Prokopy defined IPM as, “A decision-based process involving coordinated use of multiple tactics for optimizing the control of all classes of pest in an ecologically and economically sound manner.”

Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) have modified that definition to fit their organization’s understanding. The definition used by Rollins Inc. is “The use of all available technology and management practices to bring about pest prevention and suppression in a cost-effective, environmentally sound manner.”

To many PMPs, the most important aspect of that definition is the prevention of pests – the remediation of the pest is a given. If they are present in a food processing or any other type of facility for that matter, they must go. Prevention is critical to prevent the adulteration and contamination of food and pharmaceuticals.

The general concept of IPM from the professional’s viewpoint consists of several steps or actions.

• Inspect
• Identify
• Analyze, including things like threshold levels, product contamination, etc.
• Plan actions
• Provide service
• Monitor
• Document

Simplified, one should assess the situation through inspection and interview, implement a solution based on the assessment, establish a monitoring program then document everything. Repeat on the next visit.

When possible, the solution should be prioritized as non-chemical, then moving to a judiciously determined pesticide.

The steps and the data obtained by following the steps are used to create the IPM Plan. This plan outlines the actions that the PMP should follow on every service visit. The monitoring should be reviewed and analyzed on each service call. At least annually, sometimes more often, the documentation and data should be reviewed and the IPM p should be updated based on the need.

The process does not work if all parties involved do not understand the plan and if all parties do not work together to maintain sanitation and facility maintenance.

Sanitation is not only an important part of overall food safety but also critical to the success of the IPM program. When we consider sanitation, it is more than just keeping the floors clean. Consider that all pests have four basic needs or requirements: food, water, shelter and proper temperatures. Sanitation in a true IPM system involves removing at least one of those basic needs.

Cleaning reduces food and water; exclusion can remove shelter or harborage. Temperatures are not always an easy condition to modify as the average temperatures’ humans need are also ideal for insects and rodents. Remember, insects and rodents are cold-blooded animals, meaning their body temperature is the same as their surroundings.

Since the food processing facilities themselves contain food, removing the food is not possible. If humans are in the facility or if the facility is conditioned, there will be moisture available to the pest. Removing harborage or shelter is the easiest modification to make in most cases.

Harborage reduction or removal is a combined responsibility of the location and the PMP. The PMP’s role is to help determine what harborage areas are suitable for the types of pests that are or could be found in the facility. This will change based on the geographical location as well as the season of the year. It is important that the search for pest harborage is not just at the floor level. Ceilings, wall voids, and processing equipment all can become harborage.

When is IPM not IPM?

Over the years in the pest control and food safety industries, the role of a pest management professional has changed. Nearly every request for proposal includes language requiring pest control services to follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. However, requirements for routine pesticide treatments on exteriors are hidden within many scopes of work, whether monthly, quarterly, or at another frequency. These proposals often also specify the constant use of active rodenticides. Such routine, calendar-based applications are not part of a true IPM program. While pesticides are not excluded from IPM, they should only be applied as necessary based on a thorough analysis, risk assessment, and other relevant factors.

When the pest management professional and location personnel work as a team, a true IPM plan can and will work. It only takes understanding and cooperation to achieve success.

About the Author:
Frank Meek, BCE, PHE, PCQI, is the International Technical and Training Director at Rollins Inc., where he has worked since 1986. With decades of experience in pest management, Meek has contributed to the development of IPM standards for healthcare and authored key industry publications. He is a sought-after speaker and recognized for his expertise in both national and international pest control practices.