Progress 09/01/14 to 12/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences are both diverse and broad, and include: University students Technical college students Certified Crop Advisers Wisconsin Association of Professional Agricultural Consultants County Extension agents Professional agronomists for ag dealerships, chemical and seed companies Custom pesticide applicators Field crop producers (corn, soy, alfalfa and small grain) Specialty crop producers (cranberry, potato, vegetable, fresh market produce and hop) Agricultural commodity associations for the above crops Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Educational activities coordinated for students at three UW campuses and at Fox Valley Technical College Hands-on field days andtraining center eventswere held for pest management professionals IPM staff were guest instructors at several county-based field days and classroom training sessions Pesticide applicators were trained using hands-on and classroom training sessions Electronic delivery of IPM-related topics in a timely newsletter format Via the Integrated Pest and Crop Management website and IPM ToolKit app YouTube library enhancement, with over 200,000 views in 2016 Pest management recommendations developed and distributed and in print and electronically Proceedings articles written and distributed via grower associations, trade journals, newsletters and other media What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In the 2014-2017 grant period, we developed and implemented an inclusive robust outreach program evaluation with the assistance of the professional evaluators at the UW Environmental Resources Center. These evaluations have allowed us to not only objectively provide evidence of program accomplishments, but also allowed us to adapt programming and content to new audiences and needs during the grant period. Examples of accomplishments documented by these evaluations include: Professional Development Training: Pest Management Update Annual Meetings. Most 2016 attendees (72%) also attended the 2015 program. 90% of respondents found the material appropriate and covered the type of information they expected, 98% of the respondents indicated they thought the information was unbiased and valuable. 71% of the respondents indicated this was a unique training opportunity and they could not get this information elsewhere. 100% indicated this was a valuable use of their time and 95% indicated the information provided will affect their management decisions in 2017. Of those participants (87%) who indicated this meeting positively affected their management decisions and/or recommendations, respondents indicated that we reached 13,600 farms and the value of our information was $38.7 million saved or earned ($10.90/acre). Wisconsin Crop Manager (WCM) Newsletter. Most people (82%) read 75 to 100% of the issues they receive. 95% of respondents trust and believe the information in the WCM often or always. Two thirds of respondents redistribute or share information presented in WCM. 68% of respondents value WCM more than other industry resources. Another 25% value WCM the same as other industry resources. Almost all the respondents do not consider the information from WI Crop Manager is a duplicate. Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Video Training Courses. 100% that watched any of the videos said they better prepared them to take the CCA exam. 95% would recommend these videos to others studying for the CCA exam. Field Scout Training Classes, University of Wisconsin-Madison and River Falls 95% of 2016 participants would recommend the class to others. The remaining 5% of participants simply didn't respond to the question. In fact, participants indicated an interest in making the class longer in the future. Custom Applicator Program Participants were asked to rank their knowledge before and after the program on a scale of 1 (not prepared) to 6 (very prepared to handle) in a number of expertise areas. Averaged across the 9 focal areas of expertise that set the goals for the program, the level of knowledge increase from 3.2 before participation to 5.2 after the event. Crop Diagnostic Center Training Workshops 49 agriculture industry professionals trained in diagnosis and integrated management of field crop pest scenarios along with specific training on pigweed species and pesticide drift mitigation through hands-on, in-field training. 95% of participants responded. A pre/post evaluation was given to students. Using a 1-6 scale with a ranking of 1 indicating the student was very unprepared and a ranking of 6 indicates the student was very prepared. 100% of students responded indicating "they feel better prepared and would highly recommend this course to others." More specifically, the ability to identify key pigweed species increased from 3.0 to 5.1, the knowledge around pesticide drift mitigation increased from 3.7 to 4.9 and the knowledge of diagnostic troubleshooting increased from 3.5 to 4.8. Managing Grain in Low Margin Years outreach programs The University of Wisconsin IPM Program staff were part of a team of UW Extension Specialists and County Extension Agents who developed a series of grower meeting designed to assist with the decision making process during a time when grain margins were exceeding low. County Agents hosted 12 local meetings attended by 196 producers, 33 lenders and 57 people who identified themselves as either Ag Chem/Seed Dealers, government agency employees, crop consultants, technical college instructors and additional non-hosting County Agents. Acreage represented by producers was 197,364 acres and an additional 309,658 acres were reported by other attendees for a total of 507,022 acres. Were the presentation topics relevant to the audience? All of the respondents felt that the topics covered were relevant, and 99% of the respondents said the topics were either "very relevant" or "moderately relevant". Do attendees plan to change their crop inputs or marketing? A majority of the respondents (79%) intend to make one or more changes in their crop inputs as a result of attending the meeting. Did holding this meeting help the county agent do their job? One of the survey questions described an educational component as part of a county agent's job. The question read: One part of a county agent's job is to bring research and unbiased, science-based information to the county. Do you feel this meeting helped fulfill that goal? All of the respondents (100%) answered yes.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience: WI Cranberry Growers WI Fresh Market Fruit and Vegetable Growers Midwest Food Processors WI Potato and Vegetable Growers University students Technical College Students Certified Crop Advisers Wisconsin Association of Professional Agricultural Consultants Agronomists County Extension Agents Field Crop (corn/soybean/alfalfa) producers Custom Pesticide Applicators Hop Growers Garden Center Growers and/or Managers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results were disseminated through: Educational activities coordinated for students at three UW campuses. Educational activity coordinated for students at UW-Madison Campus regarding Field Crop Entomology Educational activities coordinated for students at Fox Valley Technical College. Field Days held for pest management professionals. IPM Staff were guest instructors at several county-based field days and classroom training sessions. Pesticide applicators were trained using hands-on and classroom training sessions. Electronic delivery of IPM-related topics in a newsletter format. YouTube library development. Pest Management Recommendations developed and distributed and in print and electronically. Research reports developed for use of foliar fungicides in alfalfa Research reports developed for weed management in vegetable and specialty crops Proceedings articles written What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Forthe remainder of the 2016 growing season, IPM staff will continue to lead and participate in agricultural field tours and commodity field days, with a diversity of attendees including farmers, agricultural consultants,public agency personnel and students. Additionally, the Crop Diagnostic Training Center will continue field training events for these same audiences. IPM staff will respond toemerging pest needs throughout thegrowing season and providetimely management information through electronic communications, suchasthe IPM ToolKit and newsletter. The off-season agricultural outreach meetings and scout schools will be planned, prepared and hosted on a statewide basis in both agronomic and specialty crops, reaching a large stakeholder audience ranging from cranberry growers to university students. Finally, creative electronic mass IPM outreach will continue with programs such as the Wisconsin Crop Manager electronic newsletter, app development, YouTube video development and other innovations.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The University of Wisconsin (UW) IPM program educates and informs agricultural producers, consultants, input dealers, public agencies and others about the latest pest management technology. These IPM strategies optimize pest management efficiency and economics while protecting the nearby environment. A variety of outreach mechanisms are used to achieve the highest impact among stakeholders. In the past year, over 1,300 students were trained using innovative hands-on and place-based strategies to build a strong IPM foundation. In addition, UW IPM staff delivered 49 guest lectures to a diversity of students. Broad stakeholder audiences gained insight into the latest IPM and crop updates on a regular basis with the Wisconsin Crop Manager electronic newsletter, which was viewed by over 400 clientele per week. Ninety percent of readers valued the newsletter for the timely crop advice, while 99% say that the articles were somewhat or very important to their crop management and IPM. Two thirds of readers re-share the newsletter through a variety of mechanisms, adding an important multiplier effect to the outreach effort. In the hands-on stakeholder training venues, such as the Crop Diagnostic Training Center, 100% of participants indicated that the training was more effective than traditional classroom teaching. In the pesticide applicator hands-on training, 100% of participants felt better prepared to work in the IPM field and all would recommend the training to their peers. Major Activities Completed: -Outreach Activities- 1. Student training 2. Grower training 3. Crop consulting training 4. Pesticide applicator training -Information Dissemination- 1. Electronic newsletter published 2. YouTube videos produced 3. Mobile applications developed 4. Print materials (IPM recommendations, pest management fact sheets, field crop training manual, proceedings, and articles) 5. Applied research/grower demonstration in field and specialty crops statewide. Key Outcomes or accomplishments achieved: 1. Increased student knowledge on pest identification and scouting techniques. A post course evaluation was conducted to measure changes in knowledge. An end-of-summer evaluation is being prepared to measure actual changes in knowledge. 2. Increase student preparedness for Pesticide Application skills A pre/post evaluation was given to students. Using a 1-6 scale with a ranking of 1 indicating the student was very unprepared and a ranking of 6 indicating the student was very prepared. 100% of students responded indicating "they feel better prepared and would highly recommend this course to others." -Knowledge of rules of the road: 3.9 pre-course, 5.1 post-course -Making an application from start to finish: 3.0 pre, 4.7 post -Properly stage crop growth and identify common weeds: 2.5 pre, 4.4 post -Understand pesticides - proper mixing order, rate calculation and tank cleaning: 2.8 pre, 4.6 post -Choosing the correct nozzle for the application and reducing spray drift: 2.6 pre, 4.5 post -Understanding what to expect in a DATCP regulatory visit: 2.3 pre, 5.1 post -Ability to setup and operate a Raven task computer: 2.7 pre, 4.3 post -Understanding of the effects of equipment setup and fertilizer material on application: 3.6 pre, 4.9 post -Ability to drive and operate the controls on a spray rig: 3.9 pre, 5.3 post 3. Increase crop consultant's knowledge of IPM techniques. An evaluation has been developed and implemented for the Wisconsin Crop Manager (WCM)newsletter that measured impact and usefulness. A few "quick facts" include: -Most people (82%) read 75-100% of the issues they receive. -For those who access WCM on an article basis, they read 25-75% of articles. -56% of respondents find most articles relevant, and 31% find some articles relevant. -95% of respondents trust and believe the information in the WCM often or always. -The WCM is valuable to at least 90% of respondents for timely crop production advice, timely pest management advice, timely information on educational programs, and receipt of unbiased, science-based information. -Many people described that WCM is valuable because it is timely. Some other reasons why respondents value WCM are that it is unbiased, helps with forecasting, has a broad geography, helps with crop planning/time management and monitoring/decision making, provides meeting information, and helps with scouting. -Two thirds of respondents redistribute or share information presented in WCM. -Respondents typically share information 1-2 times per month, or less than monthly but at least once. -57% of respondents use WCM in their work often or always. 40% use WCM sometimes. -52% of respondents say WCM is a very important source of crop management information, and 47% say WCM is a somewhat important source of crop management information. -WCM most commonly affected respondents' work with regard to pest management, forecasting/warning, disease management, crop management, scouting, and weed management. -68% of respondent's value WCM more than other industry resources. Another 25% value WCM the same as other industry resources. -54% of respondents are unsure if WCM led to dollars saved on their farm or consulting practice. 34% indicated there were dollars saved. -Almost all the respondents do not think the information from WI Crop Manager is a duplicate. -Increased grower knowledge on pest abundance, monitoring practices and IPM management techniques documented. Evaluation results for Crop Diagnostic Training Center Diagnostic Troubleshooting Workshop. 49 ag industry professionals trained in diagnosis and integrated management of field crop pest scenarios through hands-on, in-field training. -Total acres affected by participants: 222,215 acres -Have we met our goal of improving your understanding of new technologies and current issues in production agriculture: yes 100% -Overall effectiveness of training (scale of 1-5 with 5 being highest): 4.6 -Comparison of overall effectiveness of this training to traditional classroom Training: mostly ineffective 0%, less effective 0%, as effective 0%, more effective 21%, most effective 79% Evaluation results for Crop Diagnostic Training Center Crop and Pest Management Workshop. 52 ag industry professionals trained in pest scouting and integrated pest management of several corn, soybean and wheat pests. -Total acres affected by participants: 222,215 acres -Have we met our goal of improving your understanding of new technologies and current issues in production agriculture: yes 100% -Overall effectiveness of training (scale of 1-5 with 5 being highest): 4.3 -Comparison of overall effectiveness of this training to traditional classroom training: mostly ineffective 0%, less effective 0%, as effective 0%, more effective 14%, most effective 86%
Publications
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Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience: WI Cranberry Growers WI Fresh Market Fruit and Vegetable Growers Midwest Food Processors WI Potato and Vegetable Growers University Students Technical College Students Certified Crop Advisers Wisconsin Association of Professional Agricultural Consultants Agronomists County Extension Agents Field Crop (corn/soybean/alfalfa) producers Custom Pesticide Applicators Hop growers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have be disseminated by several means: Educational activities coordinated for students at three UW campuses Educational activities coordinated for students at Fox Valley Technical Colleges Field days have been held for pest management professionals. IPM Staff were guest instructors at several county-based field days and classroom training sessions Pesticide applicators were trained using hands-on and classroom training sessions. Electronic delivery of IPM-related topics in a newsletter format. YouTube library development. Pest management recommendations developed and distributed and in print and electronically. Research reports developed for use of foliar fungicides in alfalfa Research reports developed for weed management in vegetable and specialty crops Proceedings articles written What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Wisconsin IPM program will have a full docket of diverse outreach activities during the next reporting period. Hands-on field outreach events will continue during the remainder of the growing season, including leadership for and participation in field days and demonstration plots attended by public agencies, growers, consultants and others. Additionally, the crop diagnostic training center will continue field training events for these same audiences. The winter agricultural outreach meetings and scout schools will be planned, prepared and hosted on a statewide basis in both agronomic and specialty crops, reaching a large and diverse clientele group. Finally, creative electronic mass IPM outreach will continue with programs such as the Wisconsin Crop Manager electronic newsletter, app development, YouTube video development and other innovations.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Major Activities Completed: 1.) Outreach Activities- A. Student training B. Grower training C.Crop consulting training D. Pesticide applicator training 2.) Information Dissemination- A. Electronic newsletter B. YouTube videos produced C. Mobile applications developed D. Print materials (IPM Recommendations, Pest Management Fact Sheets, Field Crop Training Manual, proceedings articles) 3) Research- A. Field and specialty crop pesticide efficacy trials B. Applied IPM field demonstrations Specific Objectives Met: Students trained regarding pest identification and scouting principles and monitoring techniques Growers trained to identify pests, monitor fields and IPM best management practices Pesticide applicators trained with state of the art application equipment and application techniques crop consultants trained and prepared for certification Research conducted to provide growers with science-based IPM best management recommendations. Dissemination of time-appropriate IPM information Pest management recommendation guides developed for Field and Vegetable Crop Key Outcomes or accomplishments achieved: 1). Evaluation results for CCA Pre-Test Training YouTube Video Library A. Output: 1. 52 videos were produced 2. 641 watches by people signed up for the exam, 219 for the pest management videos alone 3. ½ of evaluation respondents viewed all 16 pest management videos B. Outcomes: 1. For the question asking to what degree did the videos better prepare you for the CCA exam? Using a 6 point scale of 1=not at all and 6 =very much, respondents rated the pest management videos 4.65, crop production 4.6, nutrient management 4.42 and soil and water conservation 4.38. 2. 100% of the respondents that watched any of the videos and answered this survey question said the videos better prepared them to take the CCA exam: half said the videos MODERATELY better prepared them and the other half said they VERY MUCH better prepared them. The survey asked to what degree did the pest management videos increase their knowledge of pest identification, pest life cycle, preventing pest resistance and using an integrated approach to pest management: Results: 90% felt the pest management videos increased their knowledge of PEST IDENTIFICATION "moderately" or "very much" 85% felt the pest management videos increased their knowledge of PEST LIFE CYCLE "moderately" or "very much" 80% felt the pest management videos increased their knowledge of PREVENTING PEST RESISTANCE "moderately" or "very much" 75% felt the pest management videos increased their knowledge of USING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO PEST MANAGEMENT "moderately" or "very much" 95% of all respondents would recommend these videos to other studying for the CCA Exam 3. Increased student knowledge on pest identification and scouting techniques. a. A post course evaluation was conducted to measure changes in knowledge. An end-of-summer evaluation is being prepared to measure actual changes in knowledge. 4. Increased student preparedness for pesticide application skills a. A pre/post evaluation was given to students (results below). Using a 1-6 scale with a ranking of 1 indicating the student was very unprepared and a ranking of 6 indicating the student was very prepared. 100% of students responded Results: -Knowledge ofrules of the road: 4.2 pre, 5.3 post -Making a pesticide application from start to finish: 2.8 pre, 4.9 post -Properly stage crop growth and identify several common weeds: 2.8 pre, 4.6 post -Understand pesticides - proper mixing order, rate calculation and tank cleaning: 2.5 pre, 4.7 post -Choosing correct nozzle for the application and reducing spray drift: 2.0 pre, 4.8 post -Understanding of what to expect in a WDATCP inspector visit: 3.4 pre, 5.1 post -Ability to set up and operate a Raven task computer: 3.2 pre, 4.9 post -Understand the effects of equipment set up and fertilizer material on application: 3.4 pre, 5.4 post -Ability to drive and operate the controls of a spray rig: 3.4 pre, 5.4 post 5. Increased crop consultant's knowledge of IPM techniques. a. An evaluation has been developed and planned for the Wisconsin Crop Manager Newsletter which will be distributed in August. b. Increased grower knowledge on pest abundance, monitoring practices and IPM management techniques.
Publications
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