Economic losses of food and fiber caused by insect, mite, and weed pests cost United States consumers and producers over $100 billion each year.  In addition to direct losses, pests may further reduce the quality and value of products, increase the cost of production, damage environmental areas and place native species at risk, or restrict United States products from access to valuable foreign markets.  The overall philosophy of the program is to develop and implement ecologically-based sustainable approaches to the management of native and invasive insect, mite, and weed pests through a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methodologies that reduce pest populations to acceptable levels while minimizing impacts on human health and the environment.