There is already evidence that this is occurring. American farmers are now spraying two to five times more than they did 30 years ago. The continued use of pesticides has created what entomologists call a pesticide treadmill. Large companies are starting to get of the pesticide treadmill and are turning to IPM to solve their pest problems. The benefits of IPM is that there is less harm to the environment and the insects will no longer build resistance.
Resistance occurs when a pesticide manages to kill all but the resistant strains of an insect.
These reproduce creating an insect population that is no longer susceptible to the pesticide, soon new chemicals need to be used that are stronger than the last. With IPM chemicals may still be used, but they are only there to supplement the predators of the pest insects. Consumers Union estimates that if all U.S. farmers were practicing biointensive IPM by 2020, conventional chemical sales would drop by half and public health risks from pesticides by 75 percent. The benefits to wildlife and the environment would be equally dramatic.