“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (B Franklin, 1706-1790). Pest prevention is a central component of integrated pest management and organic pest management strategies. Crop rotation and crop planning (i.e. timing and spacing), good nutrient and water management, enhancing natural enemies and choosing disease or insect resistant varieties will enhance the resilience of your farm. When these methods are insufficient it is sometimes necessary to use natural or synthetic pesticides to manage pests well enough to produce high quality crops.