Kimberly Steinmann
kpsteinmann@ucdavis.edu
213 Veihmeyer, University of California, Davis
Lab: 530-754-9292
University of California at Davis:
PhD: Ecology Graduate Group: Agroecology, current
Masters: International Agricultural Development, current
Masters: Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2006.
Bachelor of Science: Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Botany minor, 1991.
Analyzing the tradeoffs between environmental impact, economics, and efficacy of different pest management systems in order to evaluate the viability of potential low risk pest control solutions
Link to Assessing FQPA chemical transitions in California
Link to Economic/Environmental Tradeoff Analyses
The role of OP and pyrethroid insecticides in causing secondary pest outbreaks in walnuts. The ability of narrow spectrum controls and ecological engineering to promote the re-establishment of beneficial insects to control secondary pest outbreaks. Assessing environmental impact and economic viability of different pest management strategies. Working to answer questions directly relevant to growers and policy makers, and to present results in easily accessible format with strong outreach component.
DISSERTATION RESEARCH SUMMARY
"Economics versus Environmental Impact: Assessing the Tradeoffs of Pest Management Strategies in Walnuts"
Over time, there has surfaced an increasing body of evidence linking agricultural pest management systems to contamination of water supplies, lower air quality, overtaxed soils, public health concerns, and harmful effects on fragile species. It is imperative that environmental policy be developed that can effectively reduce environmental impact and create change toward long run agricultural sustainability. An important cause of these agricultural externalities can be seen through the environmental impact of grower's pest management choices. A system that can assess the ecological and economic costs of pest management strategies spatially and temporally will be valuable to many stakeholders. Although reduction or elimination of a pesticide can have an immediate benefit of a decline in non point source pollution and health risk, it can also have a negative effect if the remaining alternatives for pest control cause a strong economic impact that results in yield decreases, price of food increases, or supply reductions. Analyzing ecological costs will serve to promote stronger stewardship of natural resources such as land, air, water, and wildlife, and stronger protection of the health of the general public and farm workers who are exposed to the negative externalities of pesticide use. Measurement of the economic costs will ensure that effective agricultural and environmental policy takes into consideration the financial impact on the grower, thus preserving the viability and quality of life of rural agricultural communities, while arming the grower with the economic knowledge needed to best transition toward sustainability. Assessing the ultimate viability of a pest management strategy therefore requires a new, interdisciplinary approach, including fields such as ecology, economics, and agronomy.
Walnuts were chosen as a case study due to a high reliance on pesticides currently under review by the Food Quality Protection act (FQPA) for reduction or elimination (EPA 1997). California walnut growers are responsible for 99% of all walnuts grown in the United States, with an estimated crop value of $539 million in 2005 (USDA 2005). There are three climatically distinct growing regions in California: the San Joaquin Valley, the Sacramento Valley, and the Coastal regions. Organic, IPM, and conventional pest management strategies will be analyzed within each of these three regions, over the years 2000 to 2005, to assess geographical variation and temporal change in environmental impact trends.
Goals and Objectives
The goal of the proposed research is to assess the viability of conventional, organic, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies through an analysis of the potential tradeoffs between economic and environmental impact at both a spatial and temporal level. The goal will be achieved through the following objectives:
1. Develop a tradeoff analysis model to calculate both an environmental impact and economic cost for conventional, organic, and integrated pest management strategies.
2. Conduct a spatial and temporal analysis of the viability of the three pest management strategies, defining strengths and weaknesses in terms of tradeoffs between economic and environmental impact
3. Disseminate the results to stakeholders
Above: Kimberly Steinmann with walnut project partner, Dawit Zeleke,who manages riparian walnut orchards for The Nature Conservancy.