Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: To facilitate adoption of IPM strategies that reduce pest control-associated risks, we have developed an IPM education program targeted at Hispanic (in Spanish) and other field workers (in English). This training program (Taller MIP-IPM Workshop) teaches basic concepts and their application, at an audience-appropriate level which considers the socioeconomic, cultural and educational background of participants. The program subjects include basic plant growth and health, basic biology and ecology of plants, arthropods and pathogens, pest/disease avoidance, prevention, identification and monitoring, pesticide safety and application effectiveness and the integration of pest management tools. Twenty five educational programs (3 to 4 hours in duration) were delivered in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington, Ohio, Indiana and New York to more than 450 participants representing 56 commercial operations. The curriculum for the educational program was validated and evaluated with the help of collaborators in Florida and North Carolina and was the basis for a on-line course. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Workers in the nursery and greenhouse industry PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
An audience appropriate curriculum on crop health management was developed and delivered to workers in the greenhouse/nursery industry. The impact of the program include changes in behavior: better selection and timing of pesticide applications; increased use of pest monitoring practices and significant increase in worker morale. One grower indicated that knowledge obtained on new pests and monitoring techniques produced cost savings estimated at $250,000.00 including cost of unnecessary applications and plant losses prevented based on the information provided. Program has grown to obtain nation wide recognition and has served as model for similar efforts in other regions
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 07/01/08 to 06/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The network of project participants and cooperators continued to expand and now includes workers and extension personnel in eastern Oklahoma, central North Carolina and central and south Florida in addition to north east and southeast Texas. The IPM workshop curriculum has been validated in 22 operations across the southern region. Two short videos on insect monitoring techniques were shot at a grower operation in Texas. Script for two additional videos was completed. Presentations describing the program and its impact were given at the Entomological Society of America annual meeting and the annual Society of American Florists Pest Management conference in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Comments from Supervisory Personnel Follow up communications with worker-supervisors at participating nursery operations have revealed some of the early benefits of the educational program. These include an increased work-satisfaction by workers and better understanding of their role in pest management and crop quality assurance. The following is a response from a head-grower: "Sustainable practices have reduced some costs over the past year as a result of employees being more conscious of water and pest levels, therefore reducing costs of chemicals and their application and costs of labor throwing out dead material." Catherine Cherry Head Grower Seville Farms, Mansfield TX Bilingual Worker- Training Program helps Texas grower become Certified-Sustainable. Relevance: Current market and consumer trends have increased demand for agricultural products that are grown using environmentally and socially sustainable practices. Some retailers of landscape ornamental plants, such as Wal-Mart, have begun requesting their grower-suppliers to participate in certification programs aimed at increase environmental and social accountability. Such certification is currently provided by Veriflora (http://www.veriflora.com/) under its sustainability certification program for potted plants. The Veriflora program establishes criteria in three key areas, environmental sustainability (including sustainable crop production), social and economic sustainability (including worker access to services such as professional training), and product integrity. . Response: Worker training on Integrated Pest and Disease Management provided by Texas AgriLife Extension Service has aided growers in obtaining Veriflora certification. An extension education program, Taller MIP (Spanish for IPM workshop) provides workers with essential knowledge and skills to better manage pests and reduce environmental and heath risks. Results: Seville Farms of Mansfield Texas, a wholesale grower of ornamental landscape plants was among the first US floriculture and nursery growers to become certified by Veriflora. PARTICIPANTS: Described in previous section. TARGET AUDIENCES: Workers (mostly of Hispanic origin) in the floriculure/nursery industry in the southern region of the U.S. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Participants A total of 8 educational programs were delivered in 2008 including 135 participants and representing a total of 994 contact hours. Most participants were originally from Mexico but a minority was from other Latin American countries. On average, participants had 7 years (range 0-12) of formal education and 5 years of experience in the ornamental industry. Previous program evaluation results have demonstrated that the initial level of formal education and years of experience do not determine by themselves the success of the program. Test Scores Tests were given after each training module in 4 of the educational programs. Each module represents 2-4 hours of instruction. Average test score (+/- 1SD, n=99) for all participants were 60.0 +/- 15.7%. The average test score for those participants passing the tests (≥60%), were 72 +/- 9.1%. Level of Understanding A post-pre evaluation instrument was used to assess participant's level of understanding of the concepts covered in the training program in one of sessions. Participants were asked to describe their level of understanding (low, medium, high, excellent) before and after the program. Topics were grouped into 6 categories as follows: 1. Basic IPM concepts 2. Sanitation and cultural practices 3. Basic biology and ecology of pests and pathogens 4. Insect pest management 5. Disease management 6. Basic pesticide toxicology On average, for the 17 questions included in the instrument, the percentage of participants with high or excellent understanding of the topic increased from 7% before the program to 75% after the program (range from 0 to 100%). Table 1 shows average responses and change in participants the responses as a result of the training program. On average the self-described level of understanding increased 1.6 points (in a 1-4 scale), indicating a positive impact of the training program. Table 1: Average of the self-described level of understanding of topics covered before and after the training program (1=low, 2=medium, 3= high, 4=excellent). No.Topic description, Before, After, Change 1. IPM concept,1.8,3.0,+1.2 2. Pest and disease prevention tactics, 1.6,3.0, +1.4 3. The importance of monitoring,1.8, 3.4, +1.6 4. Importance of good diagnosis of pest and diseases,1.2, 3.0, +1.8 5. How a pest population increases, 1.2,3.2, +2.0 6. Insect development and metamorphosis,1.0, 3.0 +2.0 7. Basic requirements for plant growth,1.6, 2.8, +1.2 8. When plants need water, 1.6, 3.2, +1.6 9. Importance of sanitation, 1.2, 3.0, +1.8 10. Use of yellow sticky cards to detect pests, 1.8, 3.2, +1.4 11. Difference between chewing and sucking insects, 1.4, 3.4, +2.0 12. Aphids life cycle, 1.0, 2.8, +1.8 13. Mealybugs life cycle, 1.0, 2.8, +1.8 14. Disease cycle concept, 1.4, 3.0, +1.6 15. Disease triangle concept, 1.0, 2.4, +1.4 16. Conditions that favor diseases, 1.2, 2.6 +1.4 17. Causes of plant diseases, 1.4, 3.2, +1.8
Publications
- 1. Carlos Bogran talks about Spanish IPM workshops. Wednesday, 31 October 2007; Green Beam Pro, Branch/Smith Publishing. Published on the web at: http://www.greenbeampro.com/content/view/1067/46/
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