Extension
It Starts With Us
McCracken County ANR and Horticulture Chemical Management
Agriculture and Natural Resources Education
Dossett, Moffitt
Grains
Integrated Pest Management
Horticulture, Commercial
Plant ID
Chemical application at its best is simultaneously safe, effective, economical, and environmentally-conscious. Achieving each of these attributes for plant pest management is an ongoing educational process for a variety of applicator groups, including farm managers and workers, gardeners, crop advisors, point-of-sale employees, and industry and government agency representatives. This process will include educational sessions, hands-on demonstrations, test plots, coordinated recommendations, and site-specific farm visits by various extension personnel. In addition to timely and relevant updates on new chemicals, focus areas are chemical safety, efficacious usage, and integration of diversified approaches alongside chemicals. Attention to these foci will benefit not only applicators, but anyone who comes in contact with agricultural fields or uses Kentucky food, fuel, and fiber crops as part of everyday life.
Maximize profits for commercial ag producer
Minimize environmental impact of air, soil, or living area
Reduction of drift related complaints and damage
Reduction in rate of pesticide resistance development in pests, weeds, pathogens
Improve sustainability of crop production systems
Reduction of crop injury due to pesticide applications (rate, compatibility, application conditions)
Successfully complete
PAT and training workers in worker protection standards (WPS)
Use diagnostic services to identify insects, disease, weeds
Use diagnostic, agent, specialist recommendations
Compare chemical options based on time, availability, cost, companion tactics
Design effective spray schedules for plant pest management
Evaluate chemical storage, handling, and disposal
Adopt one or more storage, handling, or disposal recommendations
Adopt recommended application techniques
Calibrate sprayer, select appropriate nozzles and pressure, test spray water
Record chemical use, frequency, timing, tank mixes
Post signage for recently applied chemicals
Select materials based on REI, PHI, residues
Communicate with owners/users of pesticide-sensitive areas (bee yards, sensitive crops, etc.)
Demonstrate proper use of sprayers and equipment related to application (calibration, nozzle selection, boom height, etc.)
Identify active ingredients in chemical products and relate to modes of action
Read and comprehend directions for applying chemicals (timing, application conditions)
Name 2 or more companion tactics to be used alongside chemical approaches
Observe proper chemical handling, storage, and cleanup in home, farm, or business
Chemical selection, mixing, compatibility, adjuvants
Understanding drift mitigation methods
Understanding IPM (triggers to spray, thresholds, etc.)
Identify pesticide-sensitive areas around fields
Increase understanding of homeowner/gardener pest management tactics
Initial Outcome: Understanding there is a need for IPM
Indicator: Number of producers reporting an increase of awareness of IPM practices.
Method: Surveys, personal interviews and follow-up conversations
Timeline: Ongoing
Intermediate Outcome: Number of producers reporting use of a recording system
Indicator: Number of producers reporting use of IPM record keeping increase
Method: Surveys, personal interviews and follow-up conversations
Timeline: Ongoing
Long-term Outcome: Reduction of crop injury due to pesticide applications (rate, compatibility, application conditions)
Indicator: Amount of crop injury reported decreases
Method: Record of crop injury samples and call related to crop injury decreases
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Producers
Project or Activity: Annual Commercial Pesticide Applicators Training
Content or Curriculum: UK/KSU Publications and PowerPoints
Inputs: UK Specialists and Agents time
Date: Fall and winter
Audience: Adults, specifically Master Gardeners, Farm managers and/or owners, Farm workers, Non-English speaking audience(and interpreters),Farmer's market producers and vendors, Gardeners, Homeowners, Point-of-sale employees, Custom applicators, Landscape/ turf maintenance professionals, Industry representatives, Agents, state and federal agency representatives, Beekeepers
Project or Activity: Demonstrations / plot trials (including hands-on training); Educational programs; Field days and field walks; Conferences; Videos / Podcasts; Media(ex: social media, blogs, radio, TV, newspaper, newsletters, etc.); Private pesticide applicator training
Content or Curriculum: Publications(to be developed), Research information, Spanish language materials(to be developed), Commodity associations
(ex: Soybean board, KVGA), State and federal agencies(ex: KDA, NRCS, EPA)
Inputs: UK/KSU college of ag Professionals(agents, specialists), Diagnostic centers, UK Weather center, Chemical retailers, salespeople, and manufacturers, Commodity associations(ex: Soybean board, KVGA),State and federal agencies(ex: KDA, NRCS, EPA)
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Private Applicators Training
Content or Curriculum: UK/KSU Publications, videos, and PowerPoints
Inputs: UK Specialists and Agents time
Date: ongoing
