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 Virginia in 1978 1980.

Since then, this program has expanded to include cotton

acreage in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,

Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana,

Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and

adjacent areas of northwest Mexico. Approximately 95

percent of all U.S. cotton is currently covered by the program, and the remaining areas are likely to be included in

the near future.

Q. How does the program work?

A. Authorization to operate the program locally is usually 

established through State legislation and growerapproved referenda. 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 weevils 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 Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas,

Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Virginia,

North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,

Alabama, Arizona, and California have all successfully

eradicated the boll weevil, along with portions of

Tennessee and Texas. Most recently, Kansas was added

to that list after extensive trapping data in 2000 and 2001

confirmed the State is weevil free.

Q. How is the boll weevil eradicated?

A. Three main techniques—pheromone traps for 

detection, cultural practices, and chemical treatments for

control—are employed over a 3- to 4-year period. 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. Continuous, season–

trapping pinpoints areas of infestation and triggers necessary treatments until all weevils are gone. This usually

takes about 3 to 4 years.

Q. What chemicals are used?

A. Malathion is the primary pesticide used to eradicate

the bollweevil. It is applied to cotton fields at ultra–lowvolume rates of 10-12 ounces per acre (43,560 square

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

soda and evenly distributing it over a football field.

Tractors and truck-mounted sprayers are also used to

treat fields that cannot be treated with aircraft. The 

application rate is slightly higher for ground equipment,

approximately 16 ounces, because it is difficult to 

calibrate the equipment to release smaller amounts.

Q. How many chemical treatments does the program

apply in each area?

A. The program applies insecticide only in cotton fields

where infestations are detected. 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 these initial treatments. 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 pre bloom 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

programoperations in the areas indicated:

Southeastern Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation,

Inc. (VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, TN, and MO);

Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (AR);

Louisiana Boll Weevil Eradication Commission (LA);

Oklahoma Boll Weevil Eradication Organization (OK);

Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine November 2001

APHIS
Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (TX); South

Central New Mexico and Pecos Valley (NM) Cotton Boll

Weevil Control Committees (NM).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 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 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 usually requires 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 referendums. 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 by eliminating all crop damage and

losses caused by the boll weevil and all costs related to

controlling this pest. Once the boll weevil is eradicated

from an area, growers typically experience an increase in

cotton yield of at least 10 percent, 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. The reduced cost of

production results in cotton becoming 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 90 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 long-term 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 involves over 50 different 

program areas or zones. The program has expanded into

these zones in a somewhat orderly sequence, with only a

few zones not yet covered by the program. Many zones

have just started the program within the last year or two.

Once a zone begins eradication activities, it usually takes

about 3 to 4 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 2006.

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, while a combination of APHIS and State appropriations pays for the

remaining 30 percent. In some areas, the State contribution has been as high as 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 have allowed 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 weevil free areas. These measures are

designed to keep boll weevils from being transported into

an area from which the pest has 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.

Q. What are the post-eradication costs?

A. Typical post-eradication costs, in the eight States

where eradication is completed, range from $5 to $10 per

acre initially and then level out to about $3.50 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 the

Congress. Active eradication is likely to continue until

2006, when nationwide eradication is expected. In the

interim, Federal funds are expected to offset a portion of

the program’s cost, making it possible 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

use early in the season to control weevils also eliminate

many beneficial insects. As the need for early-season boll

weevil sprays is eliminated, these beneficial insects can

increase in number and become effective in controlling

other cotton pests, like worms and aphids. Growers in

eradicated areas can now delay 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: Southeastern Boll Weevil

Eradication Foundation, Inc. (VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL,

MS, TN, MO) at (800) 269-9925; Arkansas Boll Weevil

Eradication Foundation (AR) at (877) 678-2292; Louisiana

Boll Weevil Eradication Commission (LA) at (225) 952-

8105; Oklahoma Boll Weevil Eradication Organization

(OK) at (800) 246-4810; Texas Boll Weevil Eradication

Foundation (TX) at (800) 687-1212; South Central New

Mexico Cotton Boll Weevil Control Committee at (505)

541-0584; and the Pecos Valley (NM) Cotton Boll Weevil

Control Committee at (505) 746-8700. In addition APHIS’

national program office can be reached at (301) 734-8676.

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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.