According to the USDA – NASS State Profile of Kentucky the value of vegetable and fruit production totaled $7.8 million in 2012. In addition, there were 29, 963 farms in Kentucky with sales of less than $2,500 each year, which makes up 39% of total farmers in the state. These small-scale growers are faced with the same challenges as large-scale commercial producers, such as diseases, insects, and weeds. These factors can negatively impact yield, reducing farmers’ income and access to local food for consumers. Growers utilize integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to reduce the impact of these pests. IPM is a combination of techniques that includes both pesticide applications coupled with cultural controls. This mix of techniques is particularly important for small-scale growers, as these producers often cannot afford the high costs of numerous pesticides and equipment. Due to the reliance on an IPM approach, small-scale growers must be educated on the various techniques for management and proper pesticide safety and application. Kentucky county Ag and Natural Resources (ANR) and Horticulture Extension agents provide education and serve as resources to the small-scale farmers across the state, and thus need to be trained on these topics in order to assist small-scale specialty crop producers.

As a way to train agents on IPM practices specifically targeting small-scale growers, the IPM Best Practices for Small-Scale Producers Agent Hands-On Training was established through the support of an IPM grant This program will be provided for a total of 3 years, and aims to train 15 agents each year. University of Kentucky Extension Specialists from the Departments of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Horticulture provided programs on pesticide safety, sprayer calibration, evaluation of good spray coverage, and cultural crop management considerations for both vegetable and fruit crops. This full day training was conducted at both the University of Kentucky North Farm and Horticulture Research Farm, to allow agents a hands-on learning experience in the field. Agents that attend the training are provided with a calibration kit to use during the program and then to utilize to assist growers with sprayer calibration and evaluation of spray coverage.

During year 1 of the program, 16 agents participated in the training. A pre- and post-survey found increases in agents’ level of confidence in advising clients in the areas of pesticide safety (21%), reading and interpreting agrochemical labels (11%), calibrating a sprayer (65%), evaluating spray coverage (64%), mixing a spray tank (25%), applying appropriate cultural management techniques (33%), augmenting spray schedules according to recent weather patterns (45%), and vole control (86%). As a result of the training agents indicated an intent to implement further education on pesticide safety and sprayer calibration as part of their programs. Agents listed a wide range of anticipated impacts for their growers as a result of this program, with the most common being monetary savings to growers and increased efficacy of chemicals. Overall the program was well received with an agent stating, “Thank you for providing this kind of training for us agents! This training was great to learn more ways to help the commercial growers I our county, especially with the increase in high tunnels, farmers’ markets, and CSAs. Thank you so much!” Two additional years of this training will be conducted in the summers of 2019 and 2020.