D3246: PICOL: The Pesticide Information Center OnLine, a vital resource for integrated pest management (IPM)

The Pesticide Information Center OnLine (PICOL) is a free, searchable database with Washington and Oregon pesticide labels approved by Washington State Department of Agriculture and Oregon State Department of Agriculture, known as State Lead Agencies (SLA). PICOL allows 24/7 access to quality information, empowering users to critically review and find pesticide options that achieve their plant health and pest control goals while protecting human health and the environment. PICOL is the most reliable and a fast means for finding the multitudes of pesticide labels which enables growers and pest control operators to quickly respond to pest damage and public health concerns. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) includes the well-timed use of pesticides to control insect and arthropod pests. Access to SLA-approved labels provides a means to review legal pesticide products to plan and review IPM decisions such as developing a resistance management spray plan; purchasing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE); and finding or avoiding products for site-specific environmental or health considerations. Persons involved with pest control recommendations can easily search PICOL by both crop or site and pest to find potential products to meet their client’s needs. PICOL supports rapid response to emerging pest pressures such as invasive species and public health emergencies including COVID-19. PICOL serves all sectors of pest control including agriculture, urban landscapes, rights-of-ways, buildings, forestry, public health, pest control operators, master gardeners, and home and garden use.