WSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
Pest Management Recommendations Agreement

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WSU policy regarding pesticides is included in the WSU Business Policies and Procedures Manual, section 45.65-70.  Policy applicable to WSU Extension Master Gardeners (“Master Gardeners”), including Pest Management Recommendations is included in the Master Gardener Program Handbook (2020).  The relevant passage from page 14 of the handbook is included below:

“When asked for pest management recommendations, WSU Extension Master Gardeners are required to provide an integrated pest management approach which includes information about cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods. Pesticide recommendations must be made from home and garden sections of relevant current WSU publications or other WSU-approved materials. Only certified WSU Master Gardener volunteers are permitted to provide pesticide recommendations and may only do so in accordance with the WSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Pest Management Recommendations Agreement. WSU Master Gardener interns shall work in mentorship with a certified WSU Master Gardener or qualified faculty or staff to learn how to make pesticide recommendations.

WSU will provide defense and indemnification for WSU Master Gardener volunteer pest management recommendations only if all WSU policies and procedures are followed.  Compliance with policies is essential for WSU liability coverage.”

Approved References:

The following references provide chemical and non-chemical pest management recommendations.  Hortsense and Pestsense are focused on home gardeners.  The PNW resources serve a broader audience, so Master Gardeners must ensure any pesticide recommendations they make using these resources include only those pesticides available to home gardeners.  The PNW handbooks are available online. Outdated print copies must be removed from your plant clinics.  Master Gardeners should advise clients to read and follow all label directions.

1. WSU Hortsense  Website was designed to “provide the user with integrated pest management strategies for the most common yard and garden plant problems occurring in the Pacific Northwest“.  This is an excellent resource with which to start, moving on to PNW handbooks if the plant or pest is not listed. 
2. WSU Pestsense  Website was designed to “provide the user with integrated pest management strategies for the most common indoor pest problems occurring in the Pacific Northwest.”  This is a good resource for houseplant pests. 
3. Plant Disease Management Handbook | Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks (pnwhandbooks.org)  “This handbook is intended as a ready reference guide to the control and management tactics for the more important plant diseases in the Pacific Northwest. … Master gardeners and homeowners may find this publication useful. However, many of the compounds listed under chemical control are available only to licensed applicators. Compounds generally recognized as safe can easily be obtained at local garden centers and supply stores. Some of these materials in the “Host and Disease Descriptions” section of this book are represented by the symbol H. This symbol simply indicates that the same product or a similar product with the same active ingredient is commonly available in home packaging.”  Plant Disease Management Handbook | Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks (pnwhandbooks.org).
4. Insect Management Handbook | Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks (pnwhandbooks.org)  “This handbook is intended as a tool for making decisions regarding the control and management of important insect pests in the Pacific Northwest. Originally, it was written for commercial growers, county extension agents, consultants, field and nursery staff, and chemical industry representatives. In recent years we have added sections that are useful to Master Gardeners and homeowners.” 
5. Weed Management Handbook | Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks (pnwhandbooks.org) “This handbook is designed as a quick and ready reference for weed control practices and herbicides used in various cropping systems or sites in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.”   The Home Garden and Landscape Management section of this handbook may be of some use to Master Gardeners, including a listing of herbicides available to home gardeners. 
6. WSU Gardening Publications  Website with over 100 WSU publications relevant to home gardening, most available as free downloads.  Few of these include pesticide recommendations, but relevant cultural control methods are covered where applicable. 
7. WSU Gardening in Washington State  Home gardening publications available at the WSU publications website are also available here, grouped by gardening topic. 
8. Pest Leaflet Series (PLS)  WSU Puyallup Plant & Insect Diagnostic Laboratory brief “bulletins” on problems received at the laboratory, for which no formal extension bulletins or other readily available information exists. 
9. Grow Smart Grow Safe  Sponsored by Thurston County, provides home gardener information resources including pesticide product hazard ratings, Integrated Pest Management, pesticide alternatives. 
10. PICOL The WSU Pesticide Information Center OnLine database may be of use to Master Gardeners who want to view pesticide labels based on searches by pest, active ingredient, or product name. 

Additional Resources:

Many of the reference books and resources in use at Master Gardener plant clinics throughout the state include pest management advice.  These include publications by reliable authorities including university extensions in other states.  These references are appropriate to cite if:

1. Chemical control advice is based only upon that contained in the ten (10) Approved References listed above.
2. Cultural controls advice is science and research-based, current, and relevant to gardening in Washington state.

For clients with questions about insect and plant identification or plant problem diagnosis that Master Gardeners cannot answer either because they are not permitted to (e.g., commercial, municipal) or because they have exhausted local Extension resources, the client should be referred to the WSU Plant & Insect Diagnostic Laboratories in Pullman (Plant Pest Diagnostic Clinic | Washington State University (wsu.edu))or Puyallup (Plant Clinic Site | Washington State University (wsu.edu)).

This information was updated in January 2022 by a team that included:

• Jennifer Marquis, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program Leader
• Jim Kropf, WSU Extension Northwest District Director, Interim Pierce County Director
• Tim Kohlhauff, WSU Extension Coordinator, Urban Horticulture, Spokane County
• Claire Cotnoir, Extension Master Gardener, Skagit County
• Don Enstrom, Extension Master Gardener, Lewis County
• Carrie Hill, Extension Master Gardener, King County