The Nursery and Floriculture Chemical Use survey provides detailed information on chemical use and pest management practices in the nursery and floriculture industries. The data are used by EPA to conduct risk analysis regarding environmental impact and worker exposure to chemicals. The data are also used by industry organizations and the EPA for economic impact analysis and improved product labeling. This study provides a comprehensive look at chemical use and pest management practices used in the nursery and floriculture industries.

Over 2,000 operations from the six largest producing nursery and floriculture states representing different types of products and production practices are surveyed. The six states involved are California, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas. These six states account for nearly 70 percent of nursery gross value of sales and over 50 percent of floriculture gross value of sales. Any operation from these states that had gross sales in excess of $10,000 for either nursery or floriculture crops had the opportunity to be selected for this survey.

Publications

NASS publishes the Nursery and Floriculture Chemical Use Summary in September. The published report includes: levels of pest management practices by state and six state total; total pounds of chemicals applied by pesticide class for each plant production category by state, all floriculture, all nursery, and combined floriculture and nursery; percent of operations using each chemical by plant production category, all floriculture, all nursery, and combined floriculture and nursery, by state and six state total; chemical application rate and total pounds applied by plant production category, all floriculture, all nursery, combined floriculture and nursery, and all non-production areas, six state total only; percent of applications by type of applicator by production category, six state total only; percent of operation by method of application by production category, six state total only; percent of operations by where applied by production category, six state total only; and a listing of all chemicals and corresponding trade names reported in the survey.

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Program Content

Chemical data collected include product name, what it was applied to, where it was applied, how much area was treated, the rate of application, number of times applied, method of application, who applied it, and total quantity used. Questions about integrated pest management practices are also included. The survey collected chemical use as applied to nineteen different plant production categories and areas not currently producing plants.

Uses

Representatives of nursery and floriculture producers and distributors have strongly supported implementation of this program, largely to establish facts about their industry=s use of agricultural chemicals and alternative pest management strategies. Agencies within USDA and Land Grant Universities use the published data to establish educational programs and provide production and economic guidelines. The EPA uses the data for product registration issues and risk and benefit assessments. Growers and chemical manufacturers use the data to assess market trends, future needs and product alternatives. The general public is served by the availability of factual information on nursery and floriculture products purchased in everyday life.

Frequency

The first time NASS collected chemical use and pest management data from nursery and floriculture operations was 2001. The survey is conducted every three years. The reference date is the preceding calendar year.

Methods

This survey collects total chemical usage and pest management practices by sampled operations for an entire year to all nursery and floriculture crops and non-producing areas. The questionnaire is formatted in a way to emulate some of the standard record keeping forms used by this industry and provide needed flexibility in reporting capabilities and units. This approach allows the operators to return to work, while enumerators examine their chemical use records and transcribe data into the questionnaire, thus minimizing the burden on the operator. Some firms who use computerized record keeping systems are able to provide us with electronic data that we load into our edit system after some manipulation. Data are collected by personal enumeration.

Related Programs

Floriculture
Nursery and Christmas Tree Production
Census of Horticultural Specialties
Fruit and Vegetable Chemical Use
Agricultural Resource Management Study (Phase II)
Post Harvest Chemical Use
Livestock Chemical Use

Last modified: 12/04/09

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