The speakers before me have touched on the subjects of scouting, scouted acreage, economics, etc. They have set the stage well for my remarks which will deal with the influence of IPM philosophy on the private sector as it relates to: (1) suppliers of scouting services, (2) private consultants, and (3) the impact on industrial suppliers of pest control chemicals. Since this is a cotton meeting, I will confine my remarks to this commodity and how it is influenced by these groups.

First, scouting services. As you may remember, consulting existed in an embryonic state in the forties and fifties. Services consisted mainly of insect scouting and checking to see if insecticides worked. Although scouting, one component of IPM practice was used, very little attention was given to thresholds, conservation of beneficials, cultural practices, varieties resistant to posts, or other current pest management practices. As insect pests' resistance to insecticides and cost of insecticides increased, producers became more aware of the need for professionals to help make insect control decisions. The allocation of funds by the federal government for states to in stitute pilot pest management programs gave impetus to this need.

Second, private consultants. For the purpose of this presentation, I will define a private consultant as an individual who performs pest management services for a fee paid by producers.

As Extension stepped up educational efforts aimed at producers, their awareness of the need for consultants grew. As a result, increasing numbers of producers employed private crop consultants.

Prior to 1972, there were an estimated 61 consultants practicing in the entire cotton belt. They were concentrated in a few states, with many states having no consultants at all.

By 1982, the number of consultants had increased dramatically. Most cotton-growing states now have some private consultant uork with the heaviest con centration in Mississippi, Texas, California, and Louisiana. Their numbers are growing every year. (Table I). If we are to assume, as indicated by Dr. Smith, that pest management pays, numbers should continue to increase.

Extension has influenced these numbers in several ways. (1) Our educational p programs have informed producers of the need for improved insect management; (2) Extension Service has provided the necessary expertise for many of these professionals. For example, an estimated 63 former Extension employees who worked with cotton are now or have been active consultants. These come from the ranks of county employees, and the area and state specialists. (Table II). Many consultants started their careers as summer scouts in Extension sponsored pest management programs.