Innovative agronomy tools and resources: Pesticides

Nicolle Ritchie<ritchi67@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - June 09, 2026

Innovation and adaptability are important for farm success. Explore these free tools and resources on pesticide products, certification and safety.

A sprayer in an agricultural field. — Photo by Nicolle Ritchie, MSU Extension

Being able to innovate and adapt is important for farm success, but it can be overwhelming to make changes. A good tool or resource should make your life easier in some way. It might inform decision-making, simplify calculations or analyze and organize data in a practical way. It should be user-friendly, affordable and reliable or trustworthy. The following is a list of free tools and resources on pesticide products, certification and safety. It is not an exhaustive list but a starting point.

Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management (IPM) is the use of multiple methods to control or manage a pest. IPM also depends on thresholds, which consider the economic cost of management and the need to manage the pest based on potential crop loss. Crop protection products, or pesticides, are a chemical form of pest management, and they are one of the more flexible costs for growers. Because IPM is so broad, these tools are subdivided into multiple categories. Check the article “Innovative agronomy tools and resources: Pests” for additional IPM tools and resources.

Pesticide application for-hire

Pesticide Applicator Certification Credential: Be an informed consumer. If you are contracting pesticide applications, make sure your applicator has a commercial certification through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). This helps reduce liability to you.

Pesticide Application Businesses Currently Licensed to do Business in Michigan: Be an informed consumer. If you are contracting pesticide applications, make sure the business you contract has a business license through MDARD to apply pesticides. This helps reduce liability to you.

Crop protection products

Fungicide Efficacy Tables: Updated annually through the Crop Protection Network, these tables list the efficacy of various fungicides on different diseases in corn, soybeans and wheat. Available as a free downloadable PDF.

Fungicide Efficacy Tool: Searchable, filterable version of the fungicide efficacy charts from the Crop Protection Network.

Weed Control Guide for Field Crops: Updated annually by Michigan State University Extension, this guide lists the efficacy of various herbicides on different weeds in field crops. Available as a free downloadable PDF.

Pest Management Guide for Field Crops Insects: Updated in 2025 by Michigan State University Extension and Ohio State University, this field guide lists various insecticide products and pest damage, scouting, threshold and management information. Each chapter focuses on a different crop.

Herbicide-Resistant Weeds Map: Map showing herbicide-resistant weed species confirmed in Michigan. These are from samples submitted to MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics and may not accurately reflect the full extent of herbicide-resistant weeds in each county.

Tank Mix Calculator App: App from TapLogic that allows you to make a product list and calculates product needs based on rate and field size.

Fungicide ROI Calculator: This tool from the Crop Protection Network estimates the return-on-investment (ROI) of applying fungicides to corn, soybeans or alfalfa. This is not necessarily going to reflect your personal ROI; it is just a tool to give you a rough idea and serve as a starting point.

Bulletins Live! Two: A tool from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that creates a location- and product-specific bulletin of pesticide use limitations in areas with endangered species. Legally required to use this tool to comply with Endangered Species Act pesticide use limitations on all products.

Pesticide App for Label Mitigations (PALM): EPA tool for identifying and mitigating runoff/erosion risk and drift risk for pesticides. Legally required to use this tool when label or bulletin directs you.

DriftWatch: A map by FieldWatch and MDARD for pesticide applicators that shows voluntarily registered beehives and organic fields throughout the region. Must make a free account to register a field.

Bee Precaution Pesticide Ratings: A tool from the University of California Integrated Pest Management for estimating individual pesticide product risk to bees.

Applicator Credit Report: Searchable spreadsheet from MDARD to check on restricted use pesticide (RUP) credit accumulation for certified applicators. Applicator license number required.

An older red barn and adjacent outbuilding sit beside a rural road, surrounded by grass and fields under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Photo by Nicolle Ritchie, MSU Extension

Fun!

This bonus tool is a quiz to test your field crop identification skills. Take it yourself and send it to your friends and neighbors to improve agricultural awareness in a fun way.

Field Crops Identification Quiz: Take this quiz to test your field crops identification skills from afar. Focused specifically on field crops in southwest Michigan. Train yourself first with the article “Drive-by crop identification in southwest Michigan” from Michigan State University Extension.

MSU Extension Field Crops