As fall arrives and temperatures drop, our residents in farm-provided housing are being joined by some unwelcome guests. Rodents and insect pests are looking for warm places to nest, and shared housing offers plenty of opportunities. While these seasonal invasions are common, the consequences from appliance damage to serious health risks can be significant.
Although proper sanitation is key in controlling insects and rodents, it’s important to remember: pest problems in group housing are not always a reflection of residents’ cleanliness. Even well-maintained homes can experience infestations. Pest prevention in shared spaces is a team effort: residents, employers, and housing managers must work together to keep living spaces safe and pest-free.
Working Together to Prevent Pest Issues:
- Communicate often: Talk to residents before pest pressure increases.
- Build awareness: Share why it is important to manage pests and the dangers associated with their presence.
- Assure residents: That pests can affect any household and that prevention is a shared responsibility.
- Promote health and safety: Emphasize that pest control protects everyone’s well-being.
Pest Prevention Tips:
- Remove clutter inside and outside to eliminate hiding spots and breeding areas.
- Create cleaning routines and ensure supplies are available.
- Educate residents on how to identify common pests and signs of their presence.
- Use sealed containers to store food and trash and eliminate access to water.
Start with Exclusion:
- Inspect for gateways, from the exterior and between rooms.
- Prioritize elimination of primary entry points.
- Select barrier materials that are rodent-proof.
- Implement strategies to monitor for pest presence.
- Evaluate what was done and how effectively it works.
IMPORTANT! If pest control measures become necessary: using pesticides, including pesticide baits, in farm-provided employee housing can only be done if both of these conditions apply:
(1) the person has a written lease to occupy the housing (whether or not any rent is charged) AND
(2) the pesticide is classified as general use (i.e., can be purchased by anyone, such as at a hardware store).
In all other cases, anyone—including the farm owner—who applies any pesticide to farm worker housing must be a certified applicator in Commercial Subcategory 7A or work under the direct supervision of someone who is.
Pesticide Safety Reminders:
- Always follow label instructions.
- Keep pesticides away from children and pets.
For more information on pesticide use in New York State visit: Cornell Cooperative Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program
The world-renowned New York State Integrated Pest Management (NYSIPM) Program at Cornell University offers practical, science-based solutions for pest control.
NYSIPM: Cornell Integrated Pest Management | Cornell Integrated Pest Management | CALS
Pest Exclusion:
Pest Exclusion I Cornell CALS
Bed bugs:
Bed Bugs | Cornell CALS
Printable Bed Bug Resources I Cornell CALS
Cockroaches:
Cockroaches I Cornell CALS
Best Management Practices for Cockroaches (Poster – Spanish)
Mice and Rats:
Managing Mice and Rats | Cornell CALS
Informative Monthly Webinars from NYSIPM: What’s Bugging You? Webinars | Cornell CALS
Pest prevention is most successful when everyone plays a role. By working together, sharing knowledge, maintaining clean spaces, and staying proactive we can outsmart pests and protect the health and comfort of our residents.
For more information, contact Jay Canzonier jc3277@cornell.edu at Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development or Cornell Integrated Pest Management at communicate_ipm@cornell.edu
By Jay Canzonier, Cornell University. Permission granted to repost, quote, and reprint with author attribution.
The post A Team Approach to Pest Prevention in Farm-Provided Employee Housing appeared in The Ag Workforce Journal.
