This survey found that the typical farm now spends over $10,000 annually on pest and weed control. Interestingly, this is a decrease of almost 50 percent. The ABARES survey found that the average spend on pest and weed management nearly halved from $20,405 in 2016 to $11,576 in 2019.
Monthly Pest Control Cost
Typically, homeowners might expect to pay between $40 and $70 per month for these services. This monthly fee often includes regular inspections, treatments as needed, and preventative measures to keep pests at bay.
Factors like fungus or weeds could have adverse effects on your crops, but pesticides can keep them under control. The four most common pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and bactericides.
True bugs are one of the most common agricultural pests, encompassing all insects of the Order Hemiptera. Some of these insects are more commonly known as cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, and shield bugs. They damage using their piercing mouthpieces to penetrate into the plant and suck out its juices.
U.S. farmers employ a range of pest management strategies to control weeds, insects, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. They till their soils, rotate their crops, scout their fields, and carefully consider factors such as plant density and planting dates. They also apply organic and synthetic pesticides.
Instead, organic farmers often utilize techniques such as crop rotation, planting companion plants, introducing beneficial insects, and using physical barriers to control pest populations.
A good soil fertility program with ample water supply is seen as the first prerequisite for avoiding insect problems. Crop timing is often used to avoid certain pest groups. Crop rotation by family groups, resistant varieties, and floating row covers is used at some times.
Biological control is another one of the industry's viable pesticide alternatives and is an ecologically friendly pest management technique that uses 'natural enemies' to suppress pest populations. These natural enemies might include predators, parasites, or diseases unique to the pest in question.
Pests can cause costly damage to your home and pose health risks. Insects like roaches, mosquitoes, fleas, and rodents can spread diseases and bacteria. Therefore, quarterly pest control inspections and services can help prevent illnesses and protect your home from damage.
Depending on inspection type and home size, pest insepctions can cost between $125 and $450 on average. Whether you're selling or buying a home, pest inspection costs can add anywhere from $50 to $675 to your expenses.
Orkin prices are $150 to $600 for a one-time visit or $500 to $1,000 per year on average for an annual general pest control plan. Orkin offers monthly and quarterly visits in their plans. Bed bugs and termites are harder to remove, so they cost more than a general pest control treatment.
For pastureland, the average rental per acre at $15.50 was up from $15 in 2023. Source: USDA NASS. For irrigated cropland, rates ranged from $81.50 in Wyoming to $484 in California; for non-irrigated cropland, they ranged from $16.50 in Wyoming to $276 in Iowa; and for pastureland, $1.60 in Arizona to $63.50 in Iowa.
“Family farm income” is often written about, but always seems to include a blend of off-farm income. Accountant Leah Herback suggests $45,000 is the minimum annual income all farmers should claim. That breaks down to approximately $24 per hour and a 40-hour week.
All of the interviewed small-scale farmers (210, 100%) used pesticides on their farms. None of the vegetable farmers reported using biological methods or integrated pest management (IPM). They depended on the experience of other farmers to determine the activity level of pesticides.
Lavender. Lavender is a powerful natural pest repellent that can help keep unwanted pests at bay. The plant works by releasing an intense aroma that repels insects, including moths, fleas, and mosquitoes. Lavender has also been shown to be effective against rodents such as mice and rats.
Organic no-till uses tools like the roller crimper to kill cover crops while leaving their residue as a green mulch that feeds the soil and suppresses weeds. Farmers can use a variety of other mulches made from natural materials, paper or plastic.
Prior to beginning harvest, farmers must inspect their field to assess crop's readiness. They check the ripeness, moisture, quality and overall health of the crop to ensure it is at peak quality and ready to come off the field. Once the sun is in the sky and the dew comes off the field, harvest kicks into high gear.
40% Citriodiol (oil of lemon eucalyptus), which is effective against a range of insects. Family-friendly, with a pleasant lemony smell.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is widely recognized as the most effective and least toxic method for managing pest control issues.
Monitoring is the planned, regular visual inspection of an ornamental planting, landscape or structure for detecting pests, pest damage or conditions conducive to pests or pest damage. Monitoring should take place in areas where pest problems do or might occur.
Organic pest management may include the use of pheromone traps, release of beneficial insects, use of trap crops, and other organically approved techniques (see Rules Relating to Pest Management, next page).
In an agricultural crop, this may mean using cultural methods, such as rotating between different crops, selecting pest-resistant varieties, and planting pest-free rootstock. These control methods can be very effective and cost-efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment.
During the first period before the 1870s, pests were controlled by using various natural compounds. The first recorded use of insecticides was about 4500 years ago by Sumerians [8]. They used sulfur compounds to control insects and mites.