Extension
It Starts With Us
Pesticide Safety
The Environment and Natural Resources
Hull
Chemical Management
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Integrated Pest Management
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 topesticide applications (rate, compatibility, application conditions)
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, 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 (beeyards, 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)
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: Pesticide labels will be read before application
Indicator: Participants can read and understand pesticide labels and know where to find further information about any particular product.
Method: End of meeting evaluations
Timeline: Immediate
Intermediate Outcome: The incidences of off-label pesticide use will be reduced.
Indicator: Participants will correctly choose and properly apply pesticides
Method: Follow-up surveys
Timeline: 3 - 6 months
Long-term Outcome: Fewer but more effective pesticide applications in Gallatin County.
Indicator: Participants will become competent in making pesticide application decisions, reducing the number of improper pesticide applications
Method: Follow-up surveys
Timeline: 6 months - 1 year
Audience: Farm managers and/or owners, Farm workers, Non-English speaking audience (and interpreters), Gardeners, Homeowners, Point-of-sale employees, Custom applicators, Landscape/ turf maintenance professionals,Beekeepers
Project or Activity: "The Label is the Law: Applying Pesticides Correctly"
Content or Curriculum: Classroom program designed to show how to correctly interpret any pesticide label and to show that everything one needs to know about a particular pesticide is on that label.
Inputs: UK/KSU college of Ag Professionals (agents, specialists), Publications,
Research information, Diagnostic centers, Spanish language materials, State and federal agencies (ex: KDA, NRCS, EPA)
Date: Fall 2023, Winter 2024
Audience: Farm managers and/or owners, Farm workers, Non-English speaking audience (and interpreters)
Project or Activity: Private Applicator Training (PAT)
Content or Curriculum: Lecture and video based classroom program
Inputs: UK PAT videos, UK publications, KDA information
Date: As needed
Audience: Gardeners, Homeowners
Project or Activity: "What to Spray and When: A Pesticide Program for Home Gardeners"
Content or Curriculum: A classroom program with a hands-on component that is geared towards teaching homeowners and home gardeners how to take the mystery out of using commercial pesticides. Pesticide safety and small batch mixing included.
Inputs: UK Publications, Agent developed presentation, small scale spray equipment
Date: Spring 2024
