Supporting an Amish Community in IPM activities in Cerulean, Trigg County

Since 2017, I have been collaborating with the Amish community in Trigg County. Every year this community improve their management practices to control the sugarcane aphid, an invasive pest that was causing devastating problems on forage, grain and sweet sorghum across the USA since it first finding in 2013. Stating in 2018 and up to this date, this community was open to suggestions and to my advice to reduce this pest using IPM strategies on sweet sorghum used for molasses. In 2020, the community was successful to produce molasses not only from sweet sorghum under conventional management practices (synthetic insecticides) but also organic practices, and their yield increased.

This community in general is now more open to cooperate, search and include advice from the UK extension service. Currently they allow to sample and scout in their properties for invasive species and they continue to be receptive to my program, UK workers and programs. In 2020, due to COVID-19 visits were sporadic but cooperation continued. Most of 90% of the community shown that programs during field days support and increase their knowledge.