Effects of Insecticide Attributes on Within‐Season Insecticide Product and Rate Choices: The Case of U.S. Apple Growers

Abstract

We use a random utility framework to examine within‐season choices of insecticide products and application rates made by U.S. apple growers. Impacts on pesticide choices of insecticide efficacy, environmental safety, user safety, and regulatory attributes, as well as integrated pest management (IPM) practices, are investigated using cross‐sectional data from the USDA Fruit and Nut Chemical Use Survey. The results show that the product and rate choices are most influenced by efficacy and user safety attributes, respectively. Impacts of IPM practices are mainly on the choice of insecticide products, but effects differ by practice and by product.

Keywords: apple insecticides, discrete choice, insecticide attributes, insecticide efficacy, integrated pest management, pesticide regulations, random utility model, Q160