Monitoring is one of many tools that can be used to gather information that can then be used as part of a science-based risk assessment process to make decisions. Industry supports the use of monitoring, when appropriate, to ensure that products meet farmer needs (product stewardship), when used by academic and government researchers to increase basic scientific knowledge and as part of, and when prompted by, scientifically based risk assessment in the regulatory process.  Prior to designing and carrying out a monitoring programme, it is essential to ask and obtain answers to several important questions.  These fall into the broad categories of: Why (study purpose), When (study timing), Where (study and sampling location), What (the information to be gathered), How (the methods to be used) and Who (personnel issues related to studies).