Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program
Since 1988, the National Potato Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have worked in partnership to protect the environment and promote the safe and effective use of pesticides. This relationship was formalized when the NPC entered into the EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP), which focuses on reducing the risk from pesticide use in the production of potatoes. The following three programs are critical components of the PESP:

	Environmental Stewardship Award As part of the pesticide stewardship program, the NPC annually recognizes four growers throughout the U.S. who have been engaged in reducing pesticide risk while excelling in potato production. Click here to download the video recognizing the 2006 Environmental Stewardship Awards winners—Sandyland Farms of Howard City, Michigan and Koompin Farms of American Falls, Idaho.
	Integrated Pest Management Survey As part of the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program the NPC implemented the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Survey. The survey is completed by growers across the U.S. and evaluates implementation of environmentally responsible practices. The survey is an important tool in showing the EPA the potato industry's advancements in environmental stewardship.
	Policy Makers and Regulators Potato Field Education Tour Each year the NPC sponsors the Policy Makers and Regulators Field Education Tour to provide a firsthand look at potato production. NPC realizes the importance of having regulators and policy makers who make decisions impacting potato production spend time in a growing region so they can gain direct knowledge of potato production and challenges faced by the industry. Each year this tour proves to be highly beneficial in advancing NPC priorities in Washington, DC. Tour participants include representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, APHIS, the Farm Service Agency, and the Hill.