APHIS Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine March 2007

Boll Weevil 

Eradication

Q. What is the Boll Weevil Eradication Program?

A. This program is a cooperative effort in which the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and State 

officials work with cotton growers to eradicate the boll 

weevil, in incremental stages, from the United States. 

Since 1892, when it first entered this country, the boll 

weevil (Anthonomus grandis Boheman) has plagued 

U.S. cotton farmers. Boll weevil eradication began 

with a successful trial program in North Carolina and 

southern Virginia in 1978–80. Since then, this 

program has expanded to include cotton acreage in 

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, 

Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, 

New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas, and parts of northern Mexico near 

the U.S. border. All of the 15 million acres of U.S. 

cotton are involved in the program, and the weevil has 

been eradicated from more than 87 percent of that 

production area.

Q. How does the program work?

A. Authorization to operate the program locally is 

usually established through State legislation and 

grower-approved referendums. Most States have a 

boll weevil eradication foundation with cotton-producer 

members, either elected or appointed, along with 

State agricultural officials. USDA cooperates by providing technical support and limited funding. Initially, 

in each new State, program managers implement an 

eradication phase to eliminate the boll weevil and then 

a post-eradication phase to prevent reinfestation.

Q. Where is the program active?

A. The program is currently working to eradicate the 

boll weevil in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. 

Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, 

Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

and Virginia have all successfully eradicated the boll 

weevil, along with large portions of the other States 

listed above.

Q. How is the boll weevil eradicated?

A. Three main techniques are employed over a 

4- to 5-year period: pheromone traps for detection, 

cultural practices to reduce the weevil’s food supply,

and chemical treatments for control. In most areas, 

in addition to the cultural controls, the program begins 

with a series of treatments in the fall. In subsequent 

years, traps are placed around all cotton fields in the 

spring as cotton is planted. Control operations begin 

about 5 or 6 weeks later and are based on trap captures. Continuous, season-long trapping pinpoints 

areas of infestation and triggers necessary treatments 

until all weevils are gone. This process usually takes 

about 4 to 5 years in each area.

Q. What chemicals are used?

A. Malathion is the primary pesticide used to eradicate 

the boll weevil. It is applied to cotton fields at 

ultra-low-volume rates of 10 to 16 oz/acre (43,560 ft2) 

from contract aircraft. That’s like taking a can of soda 

and evenly distributing its contents over a football field. 

High-clearance tractors and truck-mounted sprayers 

are also used to treat fields that cannot be treated with 

aircraft. The application rate for ground equipment is 

approximately 16 oz/acre. 

Q. How many chemical treatments does the program apply in each area?

A. The program applies insecticide only in infested 

cotton fields. In most new program areas, treatments 

begin in the late summer or early fall. Infested fields 

will generally receive an average of seven applications 

during this initial treatment period. Applications are 

monitored, especially around environmentally sensitive 

areas such as schools, hospitals, churches, and housing developments, to guard against exposure. After 

the initial fall applications, treatments in subsequent 

seasons are applied only where weevils are detected, 

from before the cotton blooms until harvest. Based 

on continuous trapping surveys, the number of fields 

requiring treatment in subsequent years usually goes 

down dramatically until eradication is accomplished.

Q. How are aerial applicators hired?

A. The program’s grower organizations, including 

State regulatory officials, solicit bids for the aerial 

application of insecticide. Bids are reviewed by 

program managers, and contracts are awarded by the 

organizations on a competitive basis. All applicators 

must comply with State and Federal regulations and 

the requirements for certification.
Q. Who actually runs the program?

A. The following organizations are responsible for 

daily program operations on a statewide basis:

 • Arizona Cotton Pest Research and Protection 

 Council

 • Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation

 • Georgia Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation

 • Louisiana Boll Weevil Eradication Commission

 • Oklahoma Boll Weevil Eradication Organization

 • Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation

 • The Southeastern Boll Weevil Eradication 

 Foundation, Inc. handles operations in 

 Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, North 

 Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and 

 Virginia.

 In New Mexico, two organizations are active: 

 • South Central New Mexico Cotton Boll Weevil 

 Control Committee 

 • Pecos Valley Cotton Boll Weevil Control 

 Committee 

 USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) provides technical support and limited Federal 

funds. The State departments of agriculture provide 

regulatory support, and USDA’s Cooperative State 

Research, Education, and Extension Service helps in 

disseminating program information and providing other 

valuable information regarding crop production.

Q. How does the program expand into new areas?

A. Expansion of the program has usually required cotton producers within the area of proposed expansion to 

pass a referendum with at least a two-thirds 

majority. State regulatory agencies are authorized 

under State laws to hold such referenda. Once a 

referendum passes, participation becomes mandatory 

according to State law. Without mandatory participation, eradication could not be accomplished.

Q. How do growers benefit from participating in the 

program?

A. Growers benefit two ways: by eliminating all crop 

damage and losses caused by the boll weevil and by 

significantly reducing the cost of production. Once the 

boll weevil is eradicated from an area, growers typically 

experience an increase in cotton yield of at least 10 

percent, and significantly more in some areas. 

Moreover, resurgence of beneficial insects preying on 

other cotton pests further reduces the need for pesticides, resulting in additional cost savings. After eradication, the grower’s cost of production is significantly 

lower, yield is often greater, land value increases, and 

integrated control programs for other cotton pests 

become much more feasible.

Q. How does the general public benefit from boll 

weevil eradication?

A. As the weevil and its damage are eliminated from 

an area, the local cotton industry becomes more 

stable and cotton acreage tends to increase. Reduced 

production costs make cotton more profitable, allowing 

growers to spend greater amounts in the local community for equipment, goods, and services. In Georgia, for 

instance, the economic benefits have been dramatic, 

with average gross crop revenues increasing from $70 

million per year prior to eradication to $400 million per 

year afterwards. As a result of this increased profitability, rural and ultimately statewide economies are 

strengthened.

Q. Are there long-term environmental benefits from 

eradicating the boll weevil?

A. The long-term environmental benefits that come 

from eradicating the boll weevil are significant. After 

the boll weevil is eradicated from an area, the need for 

insecticides is significantly reduced, and in many areas 

nearly eliminated. Cotton growers experience a 

40- to 100-percent reduction in their overall use of 

insecticides. In addition, a weevil-free environment 

allows growers to rely less on insecticides and to make 

full use of beneficial insects in developing their longterm integrated pest-management strategies.

Q. How long will it take to complete the program?

A. Although areawide boll weevil eradication began 

in 1983, the nationwide effort still involves nearly 50 

different program areas or zones. The program has 

expanded into these zones in a fairly orderly sequence, 

with all zones now involved in the program. Many 

zones have just started the program within the last year 

or two, while others have been completed for as many 

as 22 years. Once a zone begins eradication activities, 

it usually takes about 4 to 5 years for weevil populations to be eliminated. At that point, the zone moves 

into the post-eradication phase to guard against reinfestation. Nationwide eradication is expected by 2009. 

Q. How is the program’s cost financed?

A. Boll weevil eradication is a cooperative effort in 

funding as well as in field operations. Growers typically pay at least 70 percent of the program’s cost, with 

APHIS paying for the remaining 30 percent. In some 

areas, State contributions have offset the growers’ 

share by more than 50 percent. The growers’ share is 

collected as an assessment, based either on the number of acres grown or bales produced. In addition to 

APHIS’ cost-share cash contributions to the program, 

USDA’s Farm Service Agency has provided critical 

loans to grower organizations involved in eradication. 

These loans allow growers to spread the program cost 

over a few more years, thereby reducing the amount of 

their annual assessments to more affordable levels.

Q. What is done to prevent reinfestation? What will 

keep the boll weevil from returning?
A. Domestically, seed cotton, trash from cotton gins, 

and used cotton-harvesting equipment are inspected, 

treated if necessary, and certified “pest free” before 

they can be moved into or through weevil-free areas. 

These measures are designed to keep boll weevils 

from being transported into an area from which they 

have been eliminated. In addition, the planting of 

noncommercial (ornamental or experimental) cotton is 

restricted during the active eradication phase. During 

the post-eradication phase, trapping continues around 

cotton fields to detect any reinfestation. Localized 

treatments are applied quickly if reinfestation occurs. 

Internationally, APHIS continues to cooperate with the 

Government of Mexico to implement the eradication 

program in adjacent cotton-growing areas of northern Mexico, providing increased long-term protection 

against reinfestation in the United States.

Q. What are the post-eradication costs?

A. In the 10 States where eradication is completed, 

typical post-eradication costs range from $5 to $10 per 

acre initially and then level out to about $3 per acre per 

year. Eventually, as nationwide eradication is accomplished, these costs will decline significantly because 

the risk of reintroduction will decrease, reducing the 

need for trapping and other preventive work.

Q. How long will Federal funds be needed to 

support the program?

A. Federal funding decisions are made each year 

by Congress. Active eradication is likely to continue 

through 2008, with nationwide eradication expected 

in 2009. In the interim, Federal funds are expected to 

offset a portion of the program’s cost, making it feasible 

for growers to participate. The amount of Federal funding needed is expected to decline steadily over the next 

few years. 

Q. How will the eradication program affect other 

cotton insects?

A. The boll weevil is considered the key pest in cotton production because the insecticides that cotton 

growers traditionally use early in the season to control 

weevils also eliminates many beneficial insects. As 

the need for early season boll weevil sprays is eliminated through the eradication effort, these beneficial 

insects can increase in number and become effective 

in controlling other cotton pests, like bollworms, budworms, plant bugs, and aphids. Growers in eradicated 

areas can now delay or even eliminate their initial spray 

operations, reduce pesticide rates, use alternative 

pesticides or genetically engineered cotton varieties, or 

lengthen the intervals between sprays to reduce their 

operating costs while controlling any remaining cotton 

pests. 

Q. Who can answer additional questions about the 

program?

A. You may contact the following offices for more 

information about the program: 

Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council: 

(602) 438–0059

Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation: 

(501) 223–2763

Georgia Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation: 

(800) 269–9926

 Louisiana Boll Weevil Eradication Commission: 

(225) 952–8105

 Oklahoma Boll Weevil Eradication Organization: 

(800) 246–4810 

Pecos Valley Cotton Boll Weevil Control Committee 

(New Mexico): (505) 746–8700 

South Central New Mexico Cotton Boll Weevil Control 

Committee: (505) 541–0584

Southeastern Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Inc. 

(AL, FL, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA): (800) 269–9925

Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (Texas and 

eastern New Mexico): (800) 687–1212 

 In addition APHIS’ national program office can be 

reached at (301) 734–8676. 

 

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should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice 

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United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture